Madonna, Earls Court -Complete Rundown!! (Madonna Live)

Member Name: beee

Product:	Madonna Live
Date:	13/07/01 (132 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Possibly a once in a lifetime chance to see Madonna,, Amazing stage set and video graphics,, infamous costumes and atmosphere.

Disadvantages: Large Venue, so if seated near the back, a potentially poor view, despite video screens- take your binoculars!

Despite having read many reviews of the show on previous dates, there were still some surprises for me when i eventually got to see Madonna- The Drowned World Tour for myself.

She opened with Drowned World/Substitute for love, a slow number, she appeared shrouded in dry ice and surrounded by punks. Impressive Instant followed, with hectic dance routine and full use was made of the many video screens above and behind the stage. Madonna picked up her guitar for the first time in the show to strum along to Candy Perfume Girl before telling us to "F*ck off, you motherf*ckers"! She caused little offence as this was clearly part of the 70's Brit Punk persona. Beautiful Stranger and Ray of Light followed and closed the end of the first act.

Whilst Madonna was off changing her costume, a new stage set was revealed as we watched a Geisha-themed video to Paradise Not For Me.The infamous wing span of Madonnas Geisha costume was shown off during Frozen. Followed up by a bizarre theatrical rendition of Nobody's perfect, complete with Japanese swordsman. Mer Girl and Sky Fits Heaven were interspersed with Anime graphics and kung fu fighting and Madonna flying through the air. The ending to this section included a video of the same made up Geisha Madonna that we saw in the Paradise Not For Me video but this time battered, bruised and smiling.

The next act- the cowgirl act opened with Madonna playing guitar along to I Deserve It, a song which she had previously dedicated to her husband, Guy Ritchie.She followed this with Dont Tell Me, complete with line dancing actions.Human Nature was superb!One of her early 90's songs, its content slightly different to other material she plays tonight, but it fits in well, she rides her mechanichal bull at the end of this one. Following this is what i consider to be the only low point of the night- a country hick style rendition of The Funny Song. Madonna tells us that Secret is a song about &qu
ot;grabbing life by the balls" and proceeds to sing it to us, before singing Gone, this is done with little fanfare and much simplicity and works well.

We are treated to an interlude of Dont Cry For Me Argentina, whilst Madonna changes in to her costume for the final act. Madonna emegerges from a box central stage, and sings What It Feels Like For A Girl in Spanish, fitting in with her Spanish look with ruffled skirts and scraped back hair.She followed this with La Isla Bonita and Holiday much to the crowds approval, the choreography through these songs is reminiscent of that from the Blonde Ambition and Girlie Show tours.

Madonna comes back on for an encore of Music,complete with her now imfamous and much copied t-shirts emblazoned with a word, tonight its MOTHER.The song is backed up by a video montage of Madonna through the years, this somewhat detracts from her actual performance on stage but its exciting and well composed. She exits the stage in a shower of glitter.

All in all its Madonna at her 42 year old best, She was critisised for playing mostly songs from only her last two albums but i feel this worked well. Her dancers were tight and backing singers good.(incidentally the same ones she had for the Blonde Ambition tour and that appeared in the Vogue video).
Some merchandise was overpriced yet much was very affordable, meaning there was something for every type of fan, something echoed in her performance.

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