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Philadelphia Aug. 28th USA!!!

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HolidayGuy Experienced

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http://www.philly.com/philly/entertainment/music/20120829_Madonna__Ripped__ready__and_reaching_for_relevance.html

Philadelphia Inquirer

Madonna: Ripped, ready, and reaching for relevance

Dan DeLuca, Inquirer Music Critic

The pop music spectacle at the Wells Fargo Center in South Philadelphia on Tuesday night began with a group of dancers in hooded medieval garb pulling a rope that made a giant Catholic thurible suspended from the rafters swing back and forth, while a Basque folk trio chanted the star of the show's name.

Before the night had ended, Lady Gaga had been dissed, Russian punk activists Pussy Riot had been praised, a striptease was performed, a fake pistol and an automatic weapon had been waved around, and a fair share of hits like "Express Yourself," "Vogue," and "Like a Prayer" had been energetically played.

And an adoring audience had pretty much forgiven the object of their affections for taking the stage an hour after expected, and 2 1/2 hours after the time printed on the ticket.

That's right: Madonna was in town at the Wells Fargo Center, opening the North American leg of the tour that has traveled the world since opening in Tel Aviv in May.

The still-ripped 54-year-old singer played an often-entertaining hour and 45-minute set weighted towards the electronic dance tracks from her 2012 album MDNA - an abbreviation of her name, and also seemingly a play on the scientific acronym for the drug ecstasy - as well of her 2008 album Hard Candy.

The show was focused less on the irresistibly grabby pop hits that made Madonna such a innovative superstar in the 1980s. When many of her most recognizable songs were played, they were rendered in altered form.

After disrobing down to her undies, for instance, during "Human Nature," and revealing the words "No Fear" inked on her well-muscled back, she said, "Sometimes it's easier to show your ass than to show your feelings. But tonight, maybe we can all live dangerously." She followed that with a spare, effective "Like a Virgin," performed as a waltz, accompanied only by a pianist.

In another departure, the usually aerobic earworm "Open Your Heart" was transformed into a percussive folk sing-along in a Euro-beatnik segment of the show, accompanied by the Basque musicians Kalakan.

At that point, she apologized for the lateness of her appearance, to the largely female and gay male audience: "We made so many changes between Europe and America, and I want to make the perfect show. Because my fans deserve it. And frankly I deserve it, too."

That interlude also contained a pro-democracy and free speech statement from the singer, who said how happy she was to be "back home" and "in the city where the Declaration of Independence was signed." Madonna, who recently performed in Moscow with the words "Free Pussy Riot" inked in place of "No Fear" on her back, talked about the Russian punk band's plight and also the plight of imprisoned gays in St. Petersburg, Russia.

"Never forget that you're lucky to live where you live," she said. "So don't get fat and lazy."

Earlier, she took a cheap shot at Lady Gaga, for allegedly borrowing from Madonna's "Express Yourself" for Gaga's hit "Born This Way" - a shot she's taken as a standard part of her tour this year. While dressed as a drum majorette, she mashed up the two songs, along with her own "She's Not Me." Not very stateswoman-like, Madge.

The staging of the MDNA tour is often tortuous and dark. There's a whole lot of sturm and drang psychodrama attached to lightweight songs like "Girl Gone Wild." Madonna has said that the show depicts a "journey of a soul from darkness to light."

However, the toy AK-47 and revolver-waving in the early stages of the show - which included the singer play-acting the beating, killing, and spitting on a worthless paramour (and probable Guy Ritchie stand-in) during "Gang Bang" - served mainly as an examples of a veteran superstar overreaching for-relevance and weighing her songs down with a burden they can't hold.

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sotos8 Rising Star

sotos8

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ROLLING STONE

Madonna Aims for Perfection at U.S. Tour Kickoff in Philadelphia

Pop star keeps fans waiting before starting controversial show

20120830-madonna-x600-1346250579.jpg

Madonna

Kevin Mazur/WireImage

By Brian McManus

August 29, 2012 11:30 AM ET

The start time on the ticket was 8 p.m., but Madonna didn't take the stage to kick off her U.S. tour until 10:25 last night. The listless Philadelphia crowd inside the Wells Fargo Center began to boo loudly at around 10. But this was Madonna, who knows a few things about reconciliation and forgiveness.

She began her hour and 45 minute set by scratching the religious itch she's had for nearly 30 years now. In front of a projected backdrop of an imposing cathedral, men in red hooded ecclesiastical robes rang a church bell, chanted and swung a censer back on forth, filling the stage with eerie smoke. The screen parted, and out floated Madge, backlit in silhouette, on a levitating confession booth, her brief monologue about forgiveness all but lost to the loud and emphatic cheers. Her tardiness was forgiven before she'd sung a note or struck a pose. (Still, she apologized later in the set, saying there's a lot of changeover from the European to American sets and she wanted the show to be "perfect" for her fans.)

The first act of MDNA is heavy on violent imagery, and Madonna has taken some heat for her use of gun props. During the first three numbers – "Girls Gone Wild," "Revolver" and "Gang Bang" – she toted a gun around the stage. On the last, she holed up in a cheap-hotel setting, besieged on all sides by men dressed in black and wearing ski masks. She shot each one with a pistol, spraying flashes of blood across a giant screen behind the set. The guns aren't the only part of the show that has raised eyebrows. She bared her breast in Muslim Turkey, stamped a swastika on an image of the right-wing French politician Marine Le Pen in Israel and, most notably, she pledged her support to the LGBT movement and jailed punk band Pussy Riot at separate concerts in Russia.

She voiced support for Pussy Riot in Philadelphia, too, after telling the crowd how good it was to be back home. "America's got its fair share of problems," she said. "But we have freedom of speech. We have freedom of expression. Never forget how lucky you are to live here."

The second act pepped things up quite a bit. Ditching the all-black outfit she wore for the first songs of the set, Madonna reappeared in stunning white alongside majorettes and a levitating drumline suspended from the ceiling. She cheekily blended "Express Yourself" with Lady Gaga's "Born This Way" and then took a shot at the young starlet, singing, "She's not me!" a few times.

Madonna cranked up the bombast with even more drum majors on "Give Me All Your Luvin'," which featured a videotaped rap verse from Nicki Minaj. M.I.A.'s verse was (not so) curiously absent. Things quieted down for drum-heavy acoustic turns on "Open Your Heart," "Sagarra Jo" and "Masterpiece." The singer stripped during "Human Nature," exposing a giant tattoo on her back that read "No Fear." "Sometimes it's a lot easier to show your ass than show your emotions," Madonna said before showing both with a bizarre rendition of "Like a Virgin," sung in half time accompanied only by piano.

She ended the set with a raucous, choir-assisted rendition of "Like a Prayer" and the cathartic, upbeat "Celebration." MDNA, she said, is meant to explore a "journey from darkness to light, from anger to love [and] from chaos to order." From the show's violent opening to its celebratory close, she's certainly succeeded at that.

The setlist:

"Girls Gone Wild"

"Revolver"

"Gang Bang"

"Papa Don't Preach"

"Hung Up"

"I Don't Give A"

"Best Friend"

"Express Yourself/ Born This Way"

"Give Me All Your Luvin'"

"Turn Up the Radio"

"Open Your Heart"

"Sagarra Jo"

"Masterpiece"

"Justify My Love"

"Vogue"

"The Erotic Candy Shop"

"Human Nature"

"Like a Virgin"

"Nobody Knows Me"

"Addicted to Your Love"

"I'm a Sinner"

"Like a Prayer"

"Celebration"

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acko Mentor

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28 August 2012 - Rolling Stone

The start time on the ticket was 8 p.m., but Madonna didn’t take the stage to kick off her U.S. tour until 10:25 last night. The listless Philadelphia crowd inside the Wells Fargo Center began to boo loudly at around 10. But this was Madonna, who knows a few things about reconciliation and forgiveness.

She began her hour and 45 minute set by scratching the religious itch she’s had for nearly 30 years now. In front of a projected backdrop of an imposing cathedral, men in red hooded ecclesiastical robes rang a church bell, chanted and swung a censer back on forth, filling the stage with eerie smoke. The screen parted, and out floated Madge, backlit in silhouette, on a levitating confession booth, her brief monologue about forgiveness all but lost to the loud and emphatic cheers. Her tardiness was forgiven before she’d sung a note or struck a pose. (Still, she apologized later in the set, saying there’s a lot of changeover from the European to American sets and she wanted the show to be “perfect” for her fans.)

The first act of MDNA is heavy on violent imagery, and Madonna has taken some heat for her use of gun props. During the first three numbers – “Girls Gone Wild,” “Revolver” and “Gang Bang” – she toted a gun around the stage. On the last, she holed up in a cheap-hotel setting, besieged on all sides by men dressed in black and wearing ski masks. She shot each one with a pistol, spraying flashes of blood across a giant screen behind the set. The guns aren’t the only part of the show that has raised eyebrows. She bared her breast in Muslim Turkey, stamped a swastika on an image of the right-wing French politician Marine Le Pen in Israel and, most notably, she pledged her support to the LGBT movement and jailed punk band Pussy Riot at separate concerts in Russia.

She voiced support for Pussy Riot in Philadelphia, too, after telling the crowd how good it was to be back home. “America’s got its fair share of problems,” she said. “But we have freedom of speech. We have freedom of expression. Never forget how lucky you are to live here.”

The second act pepped things up quite a bit. Ditching the all-black outfit she wore for the first songs of the set, Madonna reappeared in stunning white alongside majorettes and a levitating drumline suspended from the ceiling. She cheekily blended “Express Yourself” with Lady Gaga’s “Born This Way” and then took a shot at the young starlet, singing, “She’s not me!” a few times.

Madonna cranked up the bombast with even more drum majors on “Give Me All Your Luvin’,” which featured a videotaped rap verse from Nicki Minaj. M.I.A.’s verse was (not so) curiously absent. Things quieted down for drum-heavy acoustic turns on “Open Your Heart,” “Sagarra Jo” and “Masterpiece.” The singer stripped during “Human Nature,” exposing a giant tattoo on her back that read “No Fear.” “Sometimes it’s a lot easier to show your ass than show your emotions,” Madonna said before showing both with a bizarre rendition of “Like a Virgin,” sung in half time accompanied only by piano.

She ended the set with a raucous, choir-assisted rendition of “Like a Prayer” and the cathartic, upbeat “Celebration.” MDNA, she said, is meant to explore a “journey from darkness to light, from anger to love [and] from chaos to order.” From the show’s violent opening to its celebratory close, she’s certainly succeeded at that.

”

”

I want a REAL review :americanlife:

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mowgli Explorer

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Hi. I was front row center last night and will post pics in a few hours. Just a few things: yes, she did come on at 10:30 and assholes in the back of the arena were booing about 5 mins before she came out. The reason she was so late is because she didn't even finish sound check until sometime around 7pm. The main security guard in the front said that Madonna didn't leave the arena until 3am Tuesday morning and had been in Philly practicing for three days. Apparently there were a few conflicts she had to work out since adapting the show from Europe to a newer (smaller?) stage. This guy also said she was having some problems getting the back up dancers to do what they were supposed to. He said in the 13 years he's worked there he has never heard of an artist staying at the arena to practice past midnight, let alone 3am. Yes, she apologized. But she was AMAZING. I was there with 7 other people, 3 of which was their first time and weren't even Madonna fans but we had to give away tix. The crowd seemed far more mixed than the last tour in terms of gender and age. A lot of the people in the triangle were pretty young. I'm sure she was happy to see that.

Spoiler: the highlights were Gang Bang, Like A Virgin, I'm Addicted, Vogue, and of course the opening where the incense actually smelled.

I can now die happy after having seen Madonna up close. We actually made eye contact, although I'm sure she glanced at all of us in the front at least once. Disclaimer: if you do get in the triangle and are not within the first 2 rows, just go to the tip on the other side because we actually missed maybe 30% being so close. At one point we couldn't see the screen because it was blocked by a curtain. Happy to be going a second time. Go to this show! It's a masterfully crafted blend of American Life and Blonde Ambition with a little Girlie Show thrown in for good measure.

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markm Rising Star

markm

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NY DAILY NEWS

Madonna expresses herself, often darkly, in powerful Philadelphia show

The messages hit hard and fast as tour for 'MDNA' arrives in North America; next week it's NYC

NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

Wednesday, August 29, 2012, 2:50 PM

Jim Farber

madonna30f-11-web.jpg

Enid Alvarez/New York Daily News

Madonna performs at Philadelphia's Wells Fargo Arena

Forget marriage, motherhood and the kabbala. Madonna’s startling new “MDNA” tour — which made its first American drive-by at Philadelphia’s Wells Fargo Arena Tuesday night — finds her angrier, darker and more unhinged than on any road show of her 30- year career. It’s an idea-intensive, message-packed enigma wrapped in a “what-the?” ethic that must be seen to be believed.

Where to begin?

Where all things Madonna must, of course — with her original nurturing place and nemesis: the church. “MDNA” kicks off in a shrouded cathedral, exuding ritual, mystery and no end of judgement.

That the star herself blasts into the scene miming her zippy electro-dance gem “Girl Gone Wild” may sound cheeky and even giddy, but she comes in bearing a gigantic gun — one which, before long, she points directly at the audience.

Those who like their art confrontational may consider this a (literal) bangup start. Especially since it’s followed by Maddy mouthing “Revolver,” which treats sex as a deadly lure, animated by images of ammunition raining down from the heavens.

From there, the star launches into “Gang Bang,” which could be history’s first disco murder ballad. Here Madonna blows away an army of intruders with enough relish to secure a starring role in the next Quentin Tarantino gorefest.

Unsurprisingly, scenes like this caused many critics who caught the tour’s European dates to consider the show a disturbing downer. Clearly, that made Maddy self-conscious. Right before the American leg started on Tuesday, she issued a statement spelling out the breadth of her intentions. The long-winded directive stresses that she means the show to capture the “journey of a soul from darkness to light.”

If so, that soul takes its sweet old time about getting to the light bit, and even then, it rarely stays there long. Even deep into the night, Madonna performed “Human Nature,” a song recorded during her most confrontational period, the mid- ’90s.

She animated it with a striptease that was in no way meant to be alluring — though the star, at 54, does look smashing. Instead, the move aimed to reveal the depth of Madonna’s defiant character, a role she by now occupies with unquestioned authority.

The late part of the night also included a willfully depressing version of “Like a Virgin,” which Madonna has rethought as a draggy ballad. Her Dietrich-esque vocal meant to make her sound like the most sullied, sex-weary woman alive.

With moves like this, Madonna certainly isn’t making it easy on herself — or her audience. For a marquee figure like her to do so deserves praise.

The forward push extended to nearly every aspect of her music. She played no fewer than nine songs from her latest CD, and most of the hits she included could only be heard in snippets during costume changes.

As has become common on her tours, Madonna radically rearranged much of her material. She inventively toughened up once light songs like “Candy Shop” or “Hung Up.”

For “Open Your Heart,” she featured three Basque singer/drummers to give the song some folkier and earthier filigrees. The piece also featured her son Rocco dancing along with the 20 featured pros.

While some segments appeared to be lip-synched, Madonna didn’t shy away from revealing her voice for more of the night, often with solid results.

She didn’t leave the politics in her show to implication. Yet again she announced her support for the jailed Russian art group Pussy Riot and used its members’ struggle as a way to warn American fans not to get “fat and lazy” about their own freedoms.

As everyone knows, Madonna takes a shot at Lady Gaga by melding her own “Express Yourself” with a cover of the song by the younger star that sounds suspiciously like it, “Born This Way.” In case anyone missed the point, she followed it with her own “She’s Not Me.”

At another junction, a video image of Nicki Minaj reminded us “there’s only one queen — and that’s Madonna.”

Naturally, being queen has its privileges — including being able to stage a show larded with statements and heavy on aggression. At times, such things hampered the show’s momentum, seemingly in the service of jamming in more “messages.” If all that made the show hard to adore, it also made it easy to admire.

Madonna will play a supersized, stadium version of the Philly show at New York’s Yankee Stadium, Sept. 6 and 8. Then the experience will play to the Garden on Nov. 12

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Narendra Sen Rising Star

Narendra Sen

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Madonna cranked up the bombast with even more drum majors on "Give Me All Your Luvin'," which featured a videotaped rap verse from Nicki Minaj. M.I.A.'s verse was (not so) curiously absent.

None of their verses is in the GMAYL performance. And there's a difference between GMAYL and IDGA. Oh well.

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Guest Not4Pussies

Guest Not4Pussies

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question for those of you who won GT tix fhrough Icon by taking a pic with your purchased concert tix.

did you guys have to show them your purchased tix when you received your GT tix or were you able

to save them and give them to someone else to use.

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