debbie gibson concert (makeup look and concert review)

Concerts can be an awful lot of fun. Unfortunately, the price of concert tickets seems to increase dramatically year over year, so it is necessary for me to be a little choosy. When I heard that Debbie Gibson was playing a show not too far from me...it was a must. I have been a fan of Debbie since I was a little kid and still have her cassette tapes in my collection. I was originally looking for tickets in the back section of the venue (because of the cost) but my husband surprised me with floor seats. I decided to use an 80s inspired eyeshadow palette, pull out my hair waver, and create a look that was fitting for an evening with an 80s pop icon. This blog post is all about the makeup look that was created - and some of the concert highlights. 

When it came to the overall look for the concert, my aim was to create something 80s inspired but still make it somewhat contemporary. So I did my best with the hair waver that I have. Honestly, the hair was a struggle. It took ages because my hair is so thick and didn't turn out exactly as anticipated. I think I wanted more of a full on 80s crimped look rather than a waved look, but didn't have the tools necessary to do that. Ah well. As for the makeup, there is this 80s inspired eyeshadow set from Cover Girl in my makeup collection that seemed an ideal choice. Originally, it was the turquoise colours that I had planned to use, but when it came time to get ready, the soft purple and shimmer called to me. I added a little intensity with the black shadow to make this 80s inspired look suitable for evening. My outfit was simple with a sparkly grey tank top and black jeans. 

Now for the concert itself. There were some pros and cons. One con? The merchandise table only accepted cash. Can you believe? It definitely felt like I had been transported back to the 80s for a moment. I only had cards on me, because I never carry cash anymore, but thankfully my husband had a small amount on hand in the event of an emergency. (Clearly, purchasing Debbie Gibson merchandise was an emergency.) There was an autographed version of her newest album, The Body Remembers, which is what I ultimately chose. However, that meant leaving behind an amazing Electric Youth baseball hat. I was so disappointed. But at least a physical copy of The Body Remembers album is now in my possession. It is fantastic.

Now for an unexpected pro. Something that I tend to like about casino shows is the lack of an opening act. This is because I like to see what I came to see rather than sit through song after song from someone I do not know or do not care for. However, in this case, the opening act was the highlight of the evening for me. Yes, even more than Debbie Gibson herself. The tickets didn't mention any opening act, so imagine my surprise when Boyzlife came out on stage. The band features Brian McFadden from Westlife and Keith Duffy from Boyzone. I absolutely freaked out seeing Brian McFadden on stage, to be honest. 

Boyzlife played songs from Westlife and Boyzone for an hour or so. I do like Boyzone (but am more into Ronan Keating's solo albums) but am a much bigger fan of Westlife, and more specifically, Brian McFadden. His solo album, Irish Son, is one of the most played in my entire collection. It is a masterpiece. I never imagined a scenario where I would be able to hear Brian McFadden sing live and in person, so it was an absolute delight. I would have loved to hear anything from his solo career instead of only Westlife songs, but it was still really great. The two went out into the crowd and focused on having fun. 

Next was the iconic Debbie Gibson. There were some great moments and some not as great moments. The good news? The setlist was excellent. She sang one of my favourites, Over The Wall, and I got to see the Electric Youth dance in person. There were also newer songs from The Body Remembers, so it was a well rounded setlist with old and new songs as well as slow and fast songs. There were also great costumes. Debbie looked beautiful and she seemed really thrilled to be there. She went out into the crowd and there was a lot of fan interaction. All in all, it was a lot of fun and it was wonderful to see her perform live. However, there were some not as great moments, like the fact that the security at the venue did nothing and allowed people to crowd the floor area and front of the stage, blocking views for everyone else. There was also the moment when Debbie shared a picture of herself with a known predator and included one of his songs in the closing medley. While I can understand she wanted to highlight well known musicians she has met in the past...I am sick and damn tired of people glorifying abusers. I sat down during that portion of the medley. It unfortunately left me with a bad taste in my mouth at the very end of the show. 

It was an interesting night to say the least. I was able to have some fun with my hair and makeup and see some artists that have inspired me a lot over the years. Though it was not a perfect evening, there were certainly a lot of highlights. 

Have you been to any concerts lately? What music have you been listening to this summer?