I can't believe that I saw Madonna in concert three times this week! She brought her 'Re-Invention Tour' to my city for three dates (June 6,8 and 9) and I was fortunate enough to get tickets for all three shows.During the final show,I had a floor seat in row 16 (yes,one of the $300 seats).I was gonna write a long,detailed review of this show,but what can I say that hasn't already been said? Most of the media and fan reviews are overwhelmingly positive,and the general consensus is that this is one of Madonna's best,most enjoyable tours and most seem to agree that it's a better show than "Drowned World".


Vocally,Madonna sounds better than ever.I'm fuckin' serious....she sounds AMAZING! She plays guitar on several numbers,dances up a storm during other songs,and through it all,she looks happy and is clearly enjoying herself up there.And did I mention that she looks incredible? Hard to believe that she's a 45-year old married mother of two!! What a body!

Before this show,my favorite Madonna tour was "The Girlie Show",but I may now have to reconsider

I have tickets for the 8th of September and I can't wait!

Thanks for the real short review. To me; it's enough; just knowing she is great.

I'll be going with a string of friends. It's gonna be a ball.

You're gonna love the show.It's a high-energy show,and be prepared to stand up through the entire show.At one point,Madonna says "Nobody sits at my shows"


As impressive as the show is,there were a few minor disappointments...

*** Papa Don't Preach --a rather uneventful performance

*** Music and Holiday---this was an unsatisfying conclusion to what is otherwise a thrilling show.These two songs were already used as the finale to the last tour,so this time around,Maddy should have done something else.Also,the new version of "Holiday" is disappointing.I think she should have left the stage after "Crazy For You",then came back and delivered a stunning 3-song encore of "Live To Tell","Like A Virgin" and perhaps "Ray Of Light".

***Mother And Father---I love this song,but this was an odd performance.The album version sounds like early-80s dance/pop,but in concert,Maddy performs it as a slower,country-tinged song.The video screens are displaying images of Jesus Christ and at one point,it flashes a photo of Madonna's mother.Provocative,but kinda disturbing too.

some more observations on the show...


***During Frozen ,there are alot of,shall we say,"suggestive" images being shown on the video screens behind Madonna.It's a safe bet that,when this show airs on CBS,this part will be heavily censored,lol.


***I'm still trying to form an opinion on the tourbook.It's huge,but the photos inside are really unusual,to say the least.To those of you planning to buy one,it's $30.I was sorta disappointed with the "Drowned World" tourbook,and this new one isn't that great either.As it stands,her best tourbook is the "Blond Ambition" program,which has amazing pictures.

***At the beginning of Into The Groove ,the dancers come out and they each have a drum,banging away on it,similiar to the beginning of Prince's 'SOTT' concert film.But they're not using drumsticks,they're using these white ball-type things (I'm sure someone knows what I'm talking about,lol).Anyway,during the June 9 show,one of the dancers drops his "stick" and continues to pretend that he's still holding it...lol...he kicks it offstage so that nobody trips on it,and he's got a big grin on his face.

damn...i can't believe i have to wait all the way until 11 july!! i wanna see the show now! davideye, i'm glad you enjoyed yourself so much!

SassyBritches said:

One month away

I wonder what show is gonna be filmed for the CBS special and the inevitable DVD? Perhaps Chicago?

DavidEye said:

is there an airdate yet?

SassyBritches said:

Nope.Probably sometime in the fall,after the U.S. leg.I definitley expect to have the DVD by Christmas.

DavidEye said:

I can't believe u saw Madonna three times in a week either! U ok?

Wow. 3 nights. I'm so jealous.

I'm seriously thinking about traveling somewhere
to see another date. It was THAT good.

Glad you loved it.

Personally, I really liked "Mother and Father."
I loved the graphics.

madartista said:

ME TOO!

Chico1 said:

where do u want 2 go????

I thought all the projections kicked ass and were very well thought out. I wanna see her again!!! Once defenitly wasn't enough. Why did it have to be sooooo damn good it leaves you wanting more? But I still think The Whore of Babylon was going to be the real name of the tour but her managment probably told her it wasn't a good idea, why else would the show open with The Beast Within?

madartista said:

where do ya wanna take me?

ehuffnsd said:

In this case,I'm glad that she listened to her management and titled it "Re-Invention"

But yeah,this show is incredible and MUST be seen more than once.If i could,I would go to one of the six New York shows.Bring on the DVD already! LOL

bananacologne said:

I'm fine.I've been "Re-Invented" three times

To those of you who went to the show already,what tour merchandise did you buy? I bought...


***Tourbook ($30)
***Black "Re-Invention" Tour T-shirt (with dates on back) ($40)
***Black T-shirt with Madonna wearing the captain's hat ( $40)
***Photo button set ($10)


With those prices,it looks like Maddy will be making a fortune on just the merchandise alone

I almost bought the scented candle,but my girlfriend said "You don't need that"...lol...


To see the all the stuff being sold at the shows,go here and click on the photo of Madonna....


www.fanfire.com

I bought..

***Tourbook ($30)
***White "Re-Invention" Tour T-shirt (with dates on back) ($30)
***Key Chain ($5)

and I took a few merchandise catalogues as well. Maybe they'll be worth something on eBay, and I can get break even on my purchase.

DavidEye said:

"We ballin outta control.. we ballin outta control-ol" - Nate Dogg

Chico1 said:

man,I took about a dozen of those merchandise catalogs! We got there early so we had alot of time to hang out in the lobby before the show started.Everytime I went to another merchandise stand,I grabbed several more catalogs...lol...

So what do you think of the tourbook? It's okay,but could have been better,imo.Some of those photos are kinda bizarre...lol...

gooeythehamster said:

You did have money for maddie but not for dave?
You have strange prioritys.

noepie said:

Maybe a friend bought him the ticket?

This is sooo exciting! I am literally going to go to pieces before September! I usually see her in London but this time around I will have to wait until she's left and follow the woman over to Paris!

It will be amazing to see her in one of my favourite cities though.

By the by - does anyone know if there is any truth to the rumour that she fainted after one of the early shows? When I read it I nearly fainted myself! Girl can't give up on us now!

DavidEye said:

I love it. However....the pics from the "W" magazine should've been replaced with some stage shots (in current out fits from tour), recent videos, or even a collage of her career; being that it's somewhat of a greatest hits tour.

I think it's funny how there are no pictures of the dancers this time around. She probably thought, 'f*ck that shit! i pay them enough, and this tour is about ME! they can make their own programme when they have their own tour'


Damn I want to see this show again! I can't see it being broadcast on CBS thoguh. I think it'll be grossly edited and therefor lose some of the continuity and message of the show.

Some more observations on the show (will I ever stop? lol)...


***During Express Yourself ,Maddy and her dancers do a really cool,synchronized rifle-twirling drill thing,it's really fun to watch.

***During American Life ,there is just so much going on! There's the sound of bombs exploding...the video screens are showing graphic footage of a war going on...there's the V-shaped catwalk extending out into the audience (actually obstructing the view of the stage for some folks)...there's those "models" who walk out onto the catwalk and just pose there for a few minutes....there's Madonna,Siedah and Donna seated on their own platform at the beginning of the song...there's Maddy practically screaming the "Do I have to change my name?" part of the song...lol...there's outrageous footage of Bush and Saddam acting really "cosy" together...there's the male dancers dressed as soldiers,hugging each other before combat as if to say good-bye...there's Madonna giving the audience the british version of "the finger" (the peace sign with the back of the hand to the recipient...lol)....this is the part of the show where you REALLY have to pay attention in order to absord it all.But the anti-war message is clear.Madonna's never been known for understatement...lol.

***I've said this before.....Madonna's dancing during Nobody Knows Me is incredible!!!

adoreme said:

I heard that rumor too,but her spokesperson Liz Rosenberg denied it.Madonna just performed two shows in D.C. and now it's off to New York for a six-night stand at Madison Square Garden,plus two shows in nearby New Jersey.After this grueling tour,I really hope she takes a break for a few months.It seems that she's always working on one project or another.

btw,she will do an exclusive interview on "20/20" this Friday night,discussing the tour and her future plans.

DavidEye said:

This Friday? That's the frist I heard about it. Strange.

VinnyM27 said:

Yep,this Friday.I saw the promo/commericial for it.Maddy seems to do alot of laughing,and she seems to be in a silly mood throughout.

DavidEye said:

I heard about this earlier today. I'm getting moist just thinking about it!