By Dave Parsons
The nostalgia of the 1980s surged through the hearts of attendees as Sheena Easton and Tiffany, two iconic pop stars of the era, took the stage at SeaWorld Orlando on May 18, 2024. This concert, part of the park’s Seven Seas Food Festival, was included in your gate admission for the general admission seats.
After a rain storm wiped out the sound board in the mid-afternoon, the show started about 50 minutes late, and ran past the park’s closing time, but the audience got the entire show. As soon as the gates opened, and people were able to sit down, Tiffany, the teen pop sensation who captured hearts with her mall tours and multiple hits, took the stage.
Backed by a lead guitar player, back up singer and a band in a box, Tiffany opened with two newer songs, before transporting the audience back to the late ’80s with her hit “All This Time”
Tiffany’s set was a masterclass in pop performance, blending high-energy hits with heartfelt ballads. Songs like Could’ve Been showcased her vocal range and emotional depth, while songs like “Feelings of Forever” kept the show on an even keel.
As is the tradition in her show, Tiffany was off the stage and walking through the audience by the third song. She walked the length of the stadium seating, shaking hands with everyone in the front few rows, as well as visiting the VIP seats,
In addition to her classic hits, Tiffany treated the audience to a track she is working on. The song, called Angels, was a huge hit for Robbie Williams. Tiffany quipped that you grab good songs to sing when you find them, and made another lap through the audience.
One particularly memorable moment in showmanship was when Tiffany was nearly finished with Angles she started to tell the crowd good night. It was a clever ploy to get the crowd involved since she had not yet done her biggest hit. She took the time walking back to the stage to hype the crowd into wanting one more song, and launched into her signature song I Think We’re Alone Now. Suddenly the crowd was in a mall somewhere in America in the late 1980’s, singing the song with everything they had, while 18 year old Tiffany held court. The simple truth is that she sounds every bit as good today as she did then.
After a 20-minute intermission, Sheena Easton, the Scottish songstress who rose to fame in the early 1980s, took the stage. Dressed in a gorgeous red dress, Easton started the ride to take the audience through her career of hits. Her voice, still as powerful and clear as ever, echoed through the venue, proving that she has lost none of the vocal prowess that made her a star.
Following the energetic openers, Easton slowed the show down for Almost Over You one of the songs that defined her sound. Backed by a full band, the song built and built, until her powerful vocals brought it home. In contrast, the 65-year-old singer admitted the next song is a little out of place, but managed to offer a version of her hit Strut, complete with hip movements.
Going through a segment of the show, highlighting the time she spent with Prince, Easton was joined by her backup vocalist, Jason Martinez, who sang Prince’s parts with authority. Martinez stayed on to do Kenny Rogers’ parts in We’ve Got Tonight, just one of Easton’s duet successes.
Heading for the homestretch Easton’s performance of Telefone (Long Distance Love Affair). had the crowd up on their feet, and led perfectly into the closing song, her first hit, Morning Train (Nine to Five).
Announcing that instead of the traditional walking off to applause and returning for an encore, Easton explained she was going to walk to the side of the stage, the band would introduce her, and the audience’s job was to pretend they had called her back for an encore….and they did.
She said she only had one hit left to do, and the band started the opening notes of For Your Eyes Only. One of Sheena Easton’s greatest strengths as a performer is her ability to connect with her audience. She shared personal stories behind her biggest hits, and did indeed take the audience on a ride through decades of music and at least a half dozen genres.
As the song headed for the finale, it was like the audience in this large outdoor venue, was like a cozy gathering of friends, that too soon had to head for home. And, as they did, most of them were grateful for the evening trip back to the 1980’s and 1990’s and touching on that part of their collective lives.
Tiffany Setlist
1) Shadows
2) Beautiful
3) All This Time
4) Feeling Of Forever
5) Could’ve Been
6) Angels
7) I Think We’re Alone Now
Sheena Easton Setlist
1) All Around the World
2) Days Like This
3) Almost Over You
4) Strut
5) The Lover In Me
6) The Arms of Orion/Nothing Compares 2 U
7) U Got the Look/Sugar Walls
8) We Got Tonight
9) Fooled Around and Fell in Love
10) Telefone (Long Distance Love Affair)
11) Morning Train (Nine to Five)
12) For Your Eyes Only
Photo Gallery : Sheena Easton – Seaworld Orlando (05.18.2024)
