Photos by Debra Rothenberg
When an ’80s rock star from a big, loud band (Winger, Alice Cooper, etc.) walks out on stage with just an acoustic guitar, one wouldn’t expect the sound to be as great as it could be in an arena with a full band. When Kip Winger walked out at the Iridium on 51st Street and Broadway in Manhattan and opened with “Cross,” instead of playing to a few hundred people, it felt as if he was back on stage of that sold-out arena. His voice is strong and powerful, with the whole audience singing along.
Winger clearly loves interaction with his audience, asking questions and making jokes. The Iridium has a full service menu, and at one point he said he was hungry: “Those fries look great, can I have one?” to Mike, an audience member who was one of the many singing along to every song. His fans were cheering loudly, thrilled to have him so close. On “Miles Away” he asked if there was anyone from the audience who wanted to sing with him. The lucky fan was Celia Rowen from NYC. Stepping aside for Winger to show her how different her voice will sound depending on where she is in relation to the microphone, the duo sang together, delighting the audience.
“A Requiem for Nothing,” which He wrote for a musical called “Get Jack” about Jack The Ripper and the 5 women he killed who came back for vengeance. This song just premiered at #7 on the billboard charts, beating out “The Lion King.”The music is beautiful and haunting and this song is so visual that I can’t wait to see this musical. “Headed For a Heartbreak,” a Winger arena show hit, absolutely translated to the small stage with just Winger and his guitar.
Another special guest-singer Fiona joined him for the fun song, “Everything You Do You’re Sexing Me.” The two were all smiles, once again showing how much Winger loves performing. “Ever Wonder” is a beautiful ballad, once again showcasing Winger’s beautiful voice, perfectly capable of hitting those high notes.
Closing the set was the Winger hit, “Seventeen” and even though he is now 58, the song still holds up. That is the true testament of a hit song and a great singer..when a song doesn’t lose it’s magic decades later.
—Debra Rothenberg
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