The True Colors Tour
is an annual music tour created by American pop singer Cyndi Lauper. The tour benefits the Human Rights Campaign and other organizations that provide support to the LGBT community and to the straight friends and family who love them, including PFLAG (Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays) and the Matthew Shepard Foundation, as well as local organizations in cities where the concerts were held.
|
TRUE COLORS TOUR TICKETS
|
Tours
2007
The True Colors Tour 2007 featured Lauper,
Debbie Harry,
Erasure, and
The Dresden Dolls, with comedian
Margaret Cho as
MC and stopped at fifteen cities between
June 8 and
June 30,
2007. Other artists and special guests who appeared for specific tour locations included
The Gossip,
Rosie O'Donnell,
The Cliks,
Indigo Girls,
Cazwell,
Amanda Lepore,
Diana Yanez and
Rufus Wainwright. The HRC received $1 from each ticket sold throughout the tour.
Logo TV, was one of the partnering sponsors for the tour. The channel aired a half-hour special on
June 21,
2007 titled
Shining Through: Behind the Scenes of True Colors
. The special was hosted by Cho at the
MGM Grand in
Las Vegas,
Nevada. During the special, Lauper explained the purpose of the True Colors Tour:
Friends, family, plus the community is a lot of people and together, we make a very loud sound; and I believe that people don't know the facts. They don't know that you can be fired from your job in 33 states if you're gay and lesbian and transgender and bisexual. They don't know that the hate crime bill does not extend to everyone...Education is so important. So that's what we are trying to do - in a fun, loving way.
—"ref">[1]
In October 2007, the US Congress approved the
Matthew Shepard Act into a law largely due to the great success of the tour.
;Album
A True Colors commemorative album was released on
June 12,
2007 through
Tommy Boy Records.
[2] Physical copies were for sale at the concerts and the album was also available online from the
iTunes Store.
#
Cyndi Lauper – "
True Colors (
Morel's Pink Noise Mix)" (Tom Kelly,
Billy Steinberg) – 8:10
#
The Dresden Dolls – "
Shores of California" (
Amanda Palmer) – 3:35
#
The Cliks – "Oh Yeah" (
Lucas Silveira) – 4:34
#
Indigo Girls – "Rock & Roll Heaven’s Gate" (
Amy Ray) – 3:14
#
Rufus Wainwright – "Gay Messiah" (Wainwright) – 3:14
#
Debbie Harry – "What Is Love" (Harry, Barb Morrison, Charles Nieland)
#
Erasure featuring
Cyndi Lauper – "Early Bird (DJ Manolo's True Colors Mix)"
#
Jeffree Star – "Plastic Surgery Slumber Party"
#
The Gossip – "(Take Back) The Revolution"
#
Cazwell – "Watch My Mouth"
2008
The second annual True Colors Tour stopped at 24 cities between
May 31 and
July 5,
2008 (an increase of nine cities from the 2007 tour.) At many locations, Lauper made a special appeal for attendees to sign a pledge to vote in the
2008 U.S. Presidential election.
The True Colors Tour 2008 featured musical performances by Lauper, the
Indigo Girls,
Andy Bell,
Joan Jett and the Blackhearts,
Girl in a Coma,
The B-52's,
Regina Spektor,
Tegan and Sara,
Colton Ford,
Kat Deluna,
The White Tie Affair, DJ Paul V,
Joan Armatrading,
Deborah Cox,
The Cliks,
The Puppini Sisters,
Nona Hendryx,
Sarah McLachlan and
Lili Haydn. Comedians
Margaret Cho,
Carson Kresley,
Wanda Sykes,
Kate Clinton,
Rosie O'Donnell also performed. The musical and comedic lineup varied per local venue.
At the
Oklahoma City stop of the tour, Cho made special mention of Oklahoma State Rep.
Sally Kern's controversial speech about the "gay agenda" that made news headlines. The tour added the Oklahoma City date of the tour after Kern's remarks made national headlines.
[3]
A commemorative album was again released through the iTunes Store and was available for free download by concert attendees.
[4]
2009
The Tour was canceled for 2009.
References
- Shining Through: Behind the Scenes at True Colors. Producer Powell, C., Reichman, D. Air Date 10:00 PM ET/PT. Time length: 30 minutes.
- TommyBoy Entertainment Album Page
- ''A Blessing In Disguise'' Rusty Surette, 19 June 2008; KWTV news9.
- [1]