So I listened to these the other day, trying to hype myself up to buy tickets to see Madonna in Chicago tonight or tomorrow.

Um, boy these suck.

For anyone who's been to the show, are these a pretty good representation of what the show sounds like?

Because I'm not enthused by any of this - the arrangements, the setlist, the photos, etc.

And I actually passed on going to see her in Chicago. I might still go to Detroit, though, if I can work up the enthusiasm and my friend can get 2 days off of work.

I just really don't know if it's worth $700. Nothing I've heard or seen so far indicates that it is, no matter how much I adore Madonna.

Can someone help me out here? Is it better than all of the evidence indicates? I haven't watched any video of it yet.

It just seems like a random mess, to me, from the setlist and the remix demos I listened to.

errant said:

it's just an opinion but...no, it's not worth 700.

I love Madonna...always probably will be a fan...however I have never seen her in concert primarily because her tix or "always" high. I just resolved the fact that it's never gonna happen in my life time to see a Madonna concert. I wait until the dvd's come out and watch it on my boyfriends 60" tv. You should do that turn up the volume and enjoy her that way becasue lawd knows in today's econimic downfall you will be needing that $700!!!!! Leave the money in the bank or better yet under your mattress because your bank may be bought out by the time I finish typing this response!

the studio versions are pretty much what you get music wise. i actually think some of the arrangements are great. Vogue & Like A Prayer being really good reworkings. A lot of fans aren't interested in reworkings of anykind - but i think it makes sense to give each tour a certain style & sound. I think the fact this tour is a lot more beat oriented is a plus for me.

I personally loved the show, but id say if you arent feeling the demos dont spend $700 on it. I paid £85 for a standing position and it was worth every penny - the spectacle as a whole is great.

I think some songs were greatly invented.

Vogue is cool and really modern sounding. The moment the house piano comes in is the best moment, though!

Into The Groove is such a cool version. I'd like to have an edited version without that part where she's rope skipping and samples of Jump are played. One could edit these parts out anbd make a 3 minutes single of it!!

But my favorite version is Like A Prayer. It'Äs the best version ever. Excellent. I think she should release trhat to the clubs!!!

Also, be aware that there is a demo of Impressive Instant mixed with Burining Up, but that song is not in the show. I heard that demo and really disliked it. Thank God, she had the good sense to drop that one from the show.

See, I really loved the Re-Invention and Confessions tour remixes.

And Into The Groove and Like a Prayer were 2 of the tracks for this tour that turned me off the most. Vogue kind of won me over by the end, I guess but it's really just a mash-up with 4 Minutes, isn't it?

errant said:

Mash-up with 4 Minutes and Timbaland's Give it to me

graecophilos said:

see, i HATED that vogue sampled the music from 4 minutes. so annoying, especially because i knew i would hear 4 minutes later in the show. if you're gonna reinvent it, reinvent it - don't use the music from another song (that you're going to do an hour later). that idea worked with lucky star and hung up (on confessions tour) because they bled into one another at that segment. if she had done that with vogue and 4 minutes it could have worked. as it was, i thought it was lame and repetitive.

i heard this demo as well, i havent seen the sticky and sweet tour, but i think shed be alot better than this demo, i mean on some of the songs theyve still got the original vocals of the remixed songs so it cant really be a true representative of what the show would be like, thats a lot of money if u can afford it go cause madonna puts on a good show

The show sounds light years better live than any of these bad quality studio versions. "Vogue" or "Into The Groove" are incomparable!

I went to the November 4th show here in San Diego, and I told my husband..."as soon as she brings out her guitar, let's go!" He agreed. We left after 3 songs.
If I want to see someone play the guitar, I'd see Prince! Basically, save your money. U can watch it on cable soon, I'm sure!

benjaminira said:

sorry, but that's strange. You must have known she'd play the guitar on Human Nature (song 3). So why did you visit the show?
I'm not a fan of her guitar performances but on most songs she danced...

graecophilos said:

Well, it was my birthday, and all I could think of was "Madonna's performing on my birthday" what else else could I do that could top that? Well, I found out.

benjaminira said:

WTF? You paid all that money for tickets only to watch 3 songs because you can't accept that Madonna likes to play the guitar?

LiveToTell86 said:

Pretty much!

benjaminira said:

if only every audience member would at the very least use the guitar segments for toilet/snack breaks...maybe there wont be one on her next tour...

fuck these guitar segments are to madonna fans what the whimsical section of Janets shows are to janet fans..

at least janet dropped that shit finally!

xperience319 said:

Yeah, Madonna needs to drop the guitar already. No more of that shit.

LiveToTell86 said:

Madonna likes to play the guitar, fine. She can play it in the privacy of her own home, not assault the ears of people who paid good money to see her do what she does BEST.
[Edited 11/23/08 17:58pm]

She got your $700. You think she gives a fuck if you're going to get pissy and walk out after 3 songs because you can't bear to witness her play a guitar?

Boy, you sure showed her

I don't know why anyone would be surprised that she is playing guitar on this tour.She's been doing this since the Drowned World Tour in 2001.Like it or not,the guitar-playing is part of her show.If anyone has a problem with it,they should simply not go to her shows.

SoulAlive said:

yup - cant says im massively in love with her guitar antics - she should keep it to 2 songs max, but its here to stay. We all know the guitar is an excuse for her to stand still for a few minutes, and i can forgive her that on this tour more than any other as she puts in 200% when shes dancing.

Hung up is by far the worst guitar "moment" shes had yet, although i quite enjoyed it on Human Nature - she even attempts some wah wah.....

I do think people just need to get over it - and whoever paid all that money and left after 2 songs just because she strapped on a guitar is an idiot. If u have that much of an issue- just dont buy the tickets in the first place.

CrozzaUK said:

Another thing to consider: Madonna isn't 22 years old anymore.She can't shake her ass non-stop for 2 hours,night after night Playing guitar gives her a chance to stand still for awhile.I also think she enjoys contributing to the music,which is something that these types of artists (singer/dancer) rarely get the opportunity to do.

I agree with you,"Hung Up" doesn't need guitar.It shouldn't be performed as a rock number.

so basically according to VC and many of the critics, Madonna should just play guitar in her own home but do a show of what exactly? i guess the haters and the general public and hell, even some of us fans wish she'd just drop it all together, fine... I'd be happy with it. But what show DO we want then?

I guess what the average Madonna ticket buyer seeing her in a stadium in Houston or San Diego would want to see is a non stop aerobics whilrlwind of leotards, bras, man suits, tango dresses and garter belts and bustiers with plenty of fishnetts and boots. A half lypsinched, half pitchy live singing, and the old routines from eons ago for "Express Yourself, "Vouge," and just about every other song from the Immaculate Collection. Then the soccor mom crowd would love "Music" "Beautiful Stranger," maybe some "Ray of Light" or "Hung Up." Come to think of it, it doesn't sound like such a bad show. Sounds like it could then have been as good as...Janets!

errant said:

I never said I paid $700!!!! Basically it came down to $30 a song. At least, I can say I went to a Madonna concert on my 41st birthday!

SoulAlive said:

Mission accomplished.

badujunkie said:

What's wrong with doing the same show minus the guitar? She should focus on what she can do well.

benjaminira said:

and got up and walked out. old!

errant said:

U hopefully will get to be seeing Madonna in concert when U are 41 years old. Maybe by then she will be done with trying to prove she has musical attributes to offer her audience. "...dance & sing get up and do your thing..."
and did just that, and left. Don't hate, congratulate!
[Edited 11/25/08 10:01am]