REVIEW: Madonna
- Posted on September 12, 2008 2:02 PM
- 0 comments
Madonna
Sticky and Sweet World Tour
Wembley Stadium
11 September 2008
Review by Adam Walker
Another year and another Madonna world tour rolls into town. This time, however, it’s a tad more ‘exclusive’, with a one night only show at London’s Wembley Stadium. This is her first show at the new stadium, having played three times previously on the old site, and her eighth full scale stadium tour since her career began.
The stage was an impressive site to behold. Flanked either side by two one hundred foot high, Swarovski encrusted letter M’s, there was the usual anticipation of a spectacular show from the Queen of Pop. The crowd were in their element; however after eight Mexican-waves around later, the lights finally dimmed over an hour after the publicised start time. Typical Diva. But even more typical Madonna.
Opening with a barrage of Technicolor video graphics, M-dolla – the namesake of her new album ‘Hard Candy’ - arrived on stage perched atop an M-shaped throne and launched immediately into ‘Candy Shop’. Never wise to open a show with an unknown number, the crowd remained in awe but if not slightly apathetic. They were pining for a hit. Following another song from the new album, featuring gigantic projections of guest stars Pharrell Williams and Kanye West and the arrival of a white Cadillac, things began to seriously improve. The five huge video screens manoeuvred around the stage and became the integral feature of the show. Britney was up next (Madge was proving hard that she’s hanging out with the kids) in one of the show’s highlights, ‘Human Nature’, where she was frightening reminiscent of a younger Madonna, trapped in a lift wearing a hoodie – only to reveal herself at the end screaming ‘It’s Britney Bitch!’. This was generational pop at its best.
From hereon in, there was a good mix of old and new. With the show spilt into four distinct sections, Madonna looked sensational. But there were no outrageous costumes and certainly nothing as controversial as previous tours; no conical bras, no whips and chains, no self-loving on huge red beds and no rising to the sky on huge crystal-covered crosses. By all accounts, this was her tamest show yet. Has reaching fifty finally had its spiritual effect?
Further highlights included a rocky/ska reinvention of the 1983 classic, ‘Borderline’, with Madonna on electric guitar; a visual treat with clever use of circular video screens surrounding a black piano on ‘Devil Wouldn’t Recognize You’, and by far the best mash-up of the show, ‘Like A Prayer’ with Felix’s 1992 hit “Don’t You Want Me’, which turned the whole stadium into an Ibiza style rave.
Madonna’s vocals, whilst never extraordinary, were blighted by the poor sound (as stadium concerts often fall foul of) but managed to redeem themselves during an emotionally charged and raw rendition of ‘You Must Love Me’, from the Evita soundtrack. As with all of the songs, powerful imagery punctuated the performance. Madonna was also more at ease with the crowd than during her earlier tours, even so much as leading accapella sing-a-longs of classics like ‘Express Yourself’ and getting them to clap and wave in time. Perhaps a natural occurrence for other performers, but Madonna has always shied away from becoming too up close and personal with her fans.
Whilst not her best concert by far, lacking in the theatrics and spectacle of her previous outings (nothing will top Blond Ambition from 1990, when she was at her most shocking), this was still vintage Madonna and would have certainly satisfied her army of fans. Those, however, experiencing her live for the first time may have come away feeling slightly short-changed. In these credit crunch of times, £160 could buy your fuel allowance for the year.
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