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Glindathegood

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    Rebel Heart Tour press reports, reviews, videos & pictures

    in ARCHIVE - Madonna

    Posted

    http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/concert-review-madonna-rebel-heart-824367

    The Bottom Line

    A two-hour spectacle of new sounds and refreshed throwbacks that left even the most repeated ticketholder of the singer surprised and fulfilled.

    Venue

    Madison Square Garden,
    New York City
    (Fri, March 13)

    After Amy Schumer's opening set, the seasoned musician staged an orgy above a Last Supper table, fronted fan and flamenco dance numbers and debuted new spins on classics like "Material Girl."

    "I'm feeling very nostalgic — do you people understand that I played Madison Square Garden thirty years ago?" Madonna told those on her Rebel Heart Tour during her first of two nights at the storied venue. "I'm so lucky to have survived this long and I couldn't have done it without all of you. I want to acknowledge the support and love you've given me for over three decades."

    And she did just that, showcasing her years of creative vision and onstage expertise to deliver an arena show packed with visual variety, thematic theatrics and inventive instrumentation to refresh even her earliest hits. A half-tempo version of "Material Girl" while tossing male dancers down a sloped LCD screen? Or a full-on flamenco rendition of "La Isla Bonita" complete with stomps, claps and shouts? What about "Burning Up" with the headliner shredding hard on an electric guitar? Madonna's Rebel Heart Tour was nothing short of a spectacle that left even the most repeated ticketholder of the singer surprised and fulfilled.

    With Jennifer Lopez, Ariana Grande and Amy Schumer in the audience (fresh off her opening set and ready to jump onstage with Madonna during "Unapologetic Bitch") — amid lifelong fans donning lace, leather and even "Living for Love"-like bull horns — the two-hour show set her Rebel Heart tracks in various worlds, first introducing audiences to an Asian-inspired regime for the "revolution" of the album's track, "Iconic." Emerging from a descending iron cage, Madonna donned an ornate kimono-like robe with wide sequin-lined sleeves, and soon led a graceful dance interlude with oversized red fans and martial arts moves. She later opted for bolero vests, lace corsets and floral dresses for a Spain-inspired section, complete with choreography that saw her as a matador with silk red muleta and a moment to share few audience greetings in Spanish.

    To spotlight her latest album, Madonna went aggressively for the religiously irreverent, as she gyrated alongside pole-dancing, scantily-clad nuns, staged an orgy atop a Last Supper table and straddled a priest in the middle of the cross-like stage. And at one point, the venue became a roaring jazz club, with cigars, fringe, a tabletop tap dance interlude, a filming bar fight and a female Charlie Chaplin, plus a performance of "La Vie En Rose" in French.

    The show's most successful section was a fun and flirty Southern setup, with Madonna wearing jeans and a sweet gingham shirt and trading in her smolder for a smile. First rolling around atop a car (and some men) for Rebel Heart's "Body Shop," the singer strummed a ukulele from atop a pile of tires for a heartwarming "True Blue" and added some line dancing and piggy back rides to a well-received "Deeper and Deeper."

    "Like my grandma always says, if it's got tits or tires, it's gonna give you trouble," she told the audience with a country twang, still donning the scene’s character and before "fixing" to sing an old song, she said. "I know I'm not as funny as Amy Schumer but I'm trying!" And after dramatically performing a blend of her ballads "HeartBreakCity" and "Love Don’t Live Here Anymore," she happily skipped across a completely empty stage for a percussive and lighthearted "Like a Virgin."

    When it comes to putting on a show, Madonna leaves no detail unnoticed. Rather than shoving a slew of titillating visuals onstage under endlessly flashing strobe lights and gimmicks, the seasoned entertainer presents thoroughly-developed stagings that are immersive, inherently vibrant and — when applicable — ethnically respectful. Each song includes its own quick transformation, mood and thematic variation, with the singer usually removing an article of clothing to therefore debut a new costume. Though some dialogue bits fell flat, lightning-length skits have her effortlessly slipping into vivid characters, each with a different voice and personality. And during wardrobe changes — a moment when other headliners leave it to video clips, onstage DJs or instrumental solos to simply hold over the crowd — Madonna's dancers served impressive spectacles that left the crowd gasping in awe, as they leaned wildly into the audience from atop ten-foot stilts. It's arguable that her changeover dance sequences and stunts are more entertaining than other performers' entire sets.

    The high caliber of arena show that Madonna delivers isn't a feat attainable by many. "Finally, I made it to the top — thank you!" she said during a pause in "Music." "You know what they say: it's lonely at the top, but it ain't crowded."

    2016 Presidential Election Thread

    in Politics and World Events

    Posted

    Carly gave Donald a dressing down for criticizing her face. He didn't know what to say. I don't like her politics but I like anyone who can put Donald in their place.

    The worst are the super religious ones like Hukabee, Santorum and Jindal. His parents are from India but he's the most anti immigrant candidate.

    Everyone makes fun of him, but I like Chris Christie even if I don't agree with his politics. Believe it or not, he's one of the most moderate ones!

    Rebel Heart Tour press reports, reviews, videos & pictures

    in ARCHIVE - Madonna

    Posted

    http://www.villagevoice.com/music/madonnas-amy-schumer-ass-kicking-was-more-american-than-the-gop-debate-7666397

    Last night at Madison Square Garden, a sold-out arena full of screaming, voguing, and otherwise beside-themselves fans opted to spend the evening with Madonna and Amy Schumer instead of taking in the latest Republican presidential debate. During a brief prerecorded voiceover at the start of the show, Madonna cried out a number of inspiring mantras rejecting various forces said to stifle creativity. Before she launched into "Iconic," the recording delivered a blow that would resonate over the course of her two-hour set: "I've got to start a revolution. Somebody's got to." Considering the political cacophony revving up on a different stage thousands of miles away at that very moment, Madonna and the Rebel Heart Tour were the perfect foil. Everyone present knew she belonged on that stage, and they'd gathered there to see pop's patron saint of revolution in action. And if revolution ain't American — especially one that banks on tradition and the accomplishments of glory days gone by, as the Rebel Heart Tour does — nothing is.

    The name of the game of Madonna's Rebel Heart Tour — or its Madison Square Garden stops, anyway — isn't necessarily New, but Nostalgia. (She said so herself multiple times throughout the evening, referring to the performance she delivered on the same stage 30 years prior and shouting out members of the audience who were present for both MSG gigs.) Her Madgesty, Our Lady of Divine Reinvention, has changed everything from her gait to the genres she taps for inspiration with every passing album, from the rhinestone urban cowgirl stylings of Music to the cross-and-"Vogue"-bearing Like a Prayer to the lace-clad gyrations ofLike a Virgin and more. In the 32 years since the release of her self-titled debut, Madonna's biennial self-expression change-ups have become as dependable as the changing of the seasons, though recent forays like 2012's MDNA and her latest offering, Rebel Heart, see her enjoying experiments with current trends instead of pioneering them. For her, revolution is routine, and it's been that way from the start.

    Dubstep breakdowns and intricately produced electronic explorations run rampant in the presentation of the Rebel Heart Tour, keeping the live show as closely married to her current musical aesthetic as possible. Classics receive the 2015 treatment in this fashion, with takes on "Material Girl" and "Like a Virgin" feeling far more suited for a dance floor in Ibiza than the time capsule of a jukebox. But these updates to some of the most beloved and controversial pop hits ever to light up the airwaves are just as much a testament to Madonna's ingenuity as anything else. She's got the catalog to pull from, and dressing up "Vogue" or any of yesteryear's singles in 2015 trappings proves that pop with teeth — framed by a lipstick-smeared smirk, naturally — doesn't dull over time.

    madonna-flying-v-madison-square-garden-cEXPAND
    Madonna plays a flying V onstage at Madison Square Garden, September 16, 2015.
    Jason Speakman for the Village Voice

    In that respect, maybe the Rebel Heart Tour isn't about New vs. Nostalgia, but a holy union of the two that only Madonna can consummate. Nothing about the first of Madonna's two MSG performances felt dated or stale. She kept up with her sensational dancers and navigated elaborate set changes with the skill of someone who's rolled up to sold-out stadiums for three decades. She grabbed a guitar for a few numbers and a ukulele for others, and floored the crowd with an especially intimate rendition of Édith Piaf's "La Vie en Rose," which she dedicated to New York City.

    By this point in the night, Madonna had run through most ofRebel Heart's track list, a flamenco-infused take on "La Isla Bonita," and an explosive, Carnaval-channeling medley of "Dress You Up," "Into the Groove," and "Lucky Star." She'd battled her dancers with folding fans straight out of Mortal Kombat, slid across a table seemingly set for the Last Supper, mounted the hood of a Cadillac, and brought opener Amy Schumer out for a quick dance party and a literal ass-kicking, changing between leather getups and gilt capes and sequin-flecked matador jackets during the dizzying dance breaks. To whip the arena into a frenzy with an onslaught of multiple spectacles and then hypnotize it with the gorgeous simplicity of "La Vie en Rose" was to cut to the chase of Madonna's genius. The massive production and flashy antics are entertaining as hell and make up for the rare instance where she falters, either on her feet or with her words. But here, as she sat on the stage strumming the ukulele by herself, Madonna's voice was clear, calm, and comfortable. In that moment, no one could question the fact that this woman is more at home singing under the most intense spotlight on the planet than anyone else. The sheen of her platinum flapper frock may have blinded the first few rows, but her solitary presence — and her voice — stunned her audience on a level the hyper-controlled chaos couldn't touch.

    Relevance is a topic frequently broached in pop, especially when its major female players are brought up in the conversation. Be it Lady Gaga or Beyoncé or Janet or Britney or Cher, these women — who count thousands of hits and little golden statues and venues toured between them — have returned to the drawing board countless times to chase the next hook and get people moving. Madonna has arrived at a place where she can rest on her laurels as easily as she can flip the script on the genre, free of the clutches of trend and the mercurial nature of the music industry that her peers and protégés have to acknowledge. It's her prerogative to lose herself in a Diplo- or Avicii-crafted beat if she chooses to do so, or hit fans with a rendition of "Material Girl" they never saw coming, or pull a Piaf standard out of her back pocket to keep them on their toes. The Rebel Heart Tour is a celebration of what she's accomplished, but it also serves as a reminder that she's content sitting in her throne as the reigning Queen of Pop. She needs a place to hang out when she's plotting her next potentially game-changing move. "It's lonely at the top!" she playfully cooed at one point. Her eyes narrowed, as did her tone. "But it ain't crowded."

    Rebel Heart Tour press reports, reviews, videos & pictures

    in ARCHIVE - Madonna

    Posted

    That EW interview is positive but kind of weird. It never occurred to me she was in any way having a go at Taylor. And the arrangements of a lot of the older songs aren't that different from the original. This tour actually has more older material than some of her other tours. Plus, it doesn't seem to me all the stage banter is scripted because she does say different things at different concerts.

    DC 9/12 VERIZON CENTER 3rd NIGHT

    in ARCHIVE - Madonna

    Posted

    I'm still in recovery mode from last night!! This morning was UGLY for me....lol. I have no voice and I'm pretty certain DC is dry of vodka today thanks to me. SHE was fucking AMAZING!!! HOW does she do this to me time and time again?!?! The energy in that place last night was amazing. She kept the crowd up and responsive for the entire show. I'm ALL for the MDNA type shows but the energy in the crowd is always so amazing when she does this kind of show. I just find it so fascinating that her whole persona seems to completely change from tour to tour. Just three years ago in the same venue, I saw the darker, aggressive, more angry Madonna on stage. Last night, I had the privilege of seeing the "new", warm, charming, sweet Madonna. She was radiant and in such a great mood with the energy of a teenager. The clips I watched prior did not do this show justice! I would definitely group this tour in the WTG, RIT, S&S category more than the BA, DWT, MDNA category. By that I mean this is a concert more than a show that tells a story. The Iconic, epic opening would lead you to believe you are in for a somewhat "dark" show but the mood quickly lightens with BIM. BU was a big highlight for me! I think Madonna with the electric guitar is so sexy!! I think her voice on this tour is easily her best since RIT.....maybe even before. Body Shop and TB really showed it off as did HC/LDLHA......all of these seemed to be crowd pleaders. I was somewhat surprised at the reception of LDLHA when she began singing it. LAV was the absolute highlight for me! I love when it's just her on stage. How can one person have so much star quality and charisma!? She really could do a full show with just her and the audience would still love her. The whole "Spanish" section was perfection!!! What a treat to get to hear DYU/LS/ITG/Everybody......naturally it brought the house down. WTG.....wow! I nearly started to cry with this one. Another song that really showcased that gorgeous voice. Really loved RH live as well! Despite the fact it's not the most well known song by the casual fans, it really got a warm reception. I think it's placement in the show was perfect. Loved the fan art too! Music, MG, UB, Holiday, HEATHER!! All major highlights for me. Yes she KILLED it with Candy Shop. If anyone has a problem with this performance then, well, sorry......you are not a fan....lol. I did not find Holiday to be abrupt or awkward as has been mentioned before. Perhaps it's because I kind of knew what to expect but that encore and performance worked very well, seemed to make the crowd happy. And for the record......the place was as packed as every other "flop" show I've attended at this arena. People really need to get a grip with that shit. EVERY Madonna show I've ever attended, "sold out" for months or not had tickets available the day of the show. Also, no she doesn't dance as "hard" as MDNA but she's hardly a dead fish on stage just standing there. The show lacks in nothing! If I wasn't sure before last night, I am sure now that I CANNOT see this show just once! I'm going to have to find a way to get to Atlanta in Jan. I don't see how one of her fans couldn't like this show, so all of you with your irrelevant nit picky ass opinions, feel free to give me your ticket. Quite frankly, at this "feel good" "light hearted" love fest, there is no place for your cynical, whiny asses.

    And OMG @ Holy Water/Vogue!!! Scandaldonna in all her glory! Definitely a highlight for me too!!

    I love reading your reviews. I totally agree that it showed a different side of her, warmer with more emphasis on singing. I guess my personal preference is I like more traditional concerts rather than choreographed dance routines so it was a welcome change for me. I love her voice!! I don't understand people who say they don't like her singing and just want very formal dancing. She dances a lot though, but maybe not so choreographed. She said in EW that she really wants to have fun on this tour and not worry about making mistakes and so it comes through very well.

    That is what makes her an artist you can see on every tour and not get bored. She always shows different sides of herself. So glad you had a great time and I wish I could have met you. I'd love to see her again, but I'm not sure how that is going to work for me. I wish she could do a NC date since my father lives there. NC is a much more liberal place now, and I don't understand why she cant go there if she's doing much more conservative places like Oklahoma or Kentucky.

    DC 9/12 VERIZON CENTER 3rd NIGHT

    in ARCHIVE - Madonna

    Posted

    Here's my review that I posted on Facebook. Hope you don't mind if I cut and past it since I don't want to type a whole new review. It's more for a general audience all of which may not be huge Madonna fans, but I hope you guys enjoy it!

    Hey, everyone here's my report on Madonna last night in Washington, DC. What a great show! She came on around 9:40. You know she's coming on when they play Wanna Be Starting Something by Michael Jackson!! She enters from the top coming down in a cage!! The first section is the samurai section. I think the highlight of this section is Burning Up on guitar. It was an early single but everyone was singing along! Then of course there was the pole dancing on the crosses!!

    The second section is the more simple 50's rockabilly section, but I think this was in some ways the best. Her acoustic version of True Blue is so amazing, plus Like A Virgin really gets the crowd going. Then she gives the best vocal performance of the night when she sings Heartbreak City/Love Don't Live Here Anymore on the stairs. Her vocals on this are insane! Anyone who says she can't sing doesn't know what they're talking about!!

    Then we go on to the Spanish section. A highlight here is another acoustic version of Who's That Girl and Rebel Heart on guitar. She thanks all her fans for standing by her for 30 years!! She has the big flamenco Spanish dress on and when she sits down she says excuse me, I'm not used to wearing so many clothes! LOL

    Then of course the finale is the 20's flapper section. Her new versions of Music and Material Girl get everyone going. But the highlight is her cover of La Vie en Rose. Yes, she kept it. She says some funny things such as she invited President Obama to come but he didn't because she probably was too provocative for him, but she tried to tone it down!! LOL Barack didn't know what he missed! I've always had a crush on our President so Madonna and I have a lot in common!! I wish he could stay longer since the new candidates like Trump are so bad, and not cute or sexxxy at all! She also said she wasn't a believer in marriage, except for same sex marriage. LOL She said the problem with marriage is your husband wants you to belong to only him, but she belongs to all of us fans!! LOL

    Then of course, the funny part is in Unapologetic Bitch where she chooses a fan to come up and dance with her. She chose this girl Heather who was wearing a copy of a costume Madonna wore on the Confessions tour, a blue and white jumpsuit! Heather was a lot of fun. Madonna asked her if she had anything to apologize for and Heather said hell, no!!

    This tour is interesting because it is such a cross between a big production tour and such intimate guitar and talking to the audience moments. I've always thought the idea of Madonna being a bitch is overplayed, but even I was amazed at how warm and genuine and appreciative she is of her fans. It's a new Madonna for sure. No one can come away from this show not loving her!! I just wish I could see it again and maybe with closer seats!! Okay that's my full report and as Madonna, says Bye Bitches!!

    DC 9/12 VERIZON CENTER 3rd NIGHT

    in ARCHIVE - Madonna

    Posted

    I'm going to saying 'Provacative' like her for the next three months, minimum.

    I can't stress this enough, if you're a Madonna fan....and you somehow hate this tour. Hang it up. Seriously.

    Yes, I don't see how anyone could not love it. But when I was leaving these two weird guys were saying they didn't like it because they weren't there to hear her sing! I guess they didn't like the guitar songs where she was sitting or standing there and singing. But she's a singer, morons! And her voice was so lush and gorgeous. How could anyone not love her singing? I guess they wanted her to dance every number.

    DC 9/12 VERIZON CENTER 3rd NIGHT

    in ARCHIVE - Madonna

    Posted

    I just got back! I"m a little tired to give a full review right now but it was wonderful! She was very funny and warm. She joked she invited Obama but he didn't show probably because she was too provocative, but she was trying to be so good on this tour. LOL

    She also said she didn't believe in marriage, well just same sex marriage! She said the problem with marriage was you belong to just your husband and she belongs to all of us.

    She also said right before Who's That Girl, please forgive me, I'm not used to wearing these many clothes as she pulled up her skirt to sit down!

    Too many highlights to mention, but I really loved Heartbreak City/Love Don't Live Here Anymore, Who's That Girl and Music!

    She brought a girl up on stage named Heather who was wearing the La Isla Bonita costume from Confessions which was so funny!

    Countdown to Rebel Heart Tour 2015-2016: only TWO MORE DAYS to Opening Night!!

    in ARCHIVE - Madonna

    Posted

    Its so odd, it doesn't even feel real at this point. I will be seeing her this Saturday night. Ive been looking forward to this for sooooooo many months now, I'm almost sad to see the anticipation part come to an end. :( However, I'm sure I will quickly get over when I see her OWNING the stage this coming weekend. ;) This experience is a bit different because the past......well.....all tours this millennium (except maybe DWT) I was very familiar with the show before I saw it. I won't be avoiding spoilers this week, but with only three days between opening night and my show, I'm not going to have time to obsessively watch and learn the choreography!! Lol This will be by far the earliest I've seen her after the start of a tour.

    She's going to fucking kill it!! She's at an artistic high this era and I know the tour is going to be no exception!!

    I'm in the same boat as you! I'll be at the DC show too on Saturday. For me also it's the earliest in a tour, I have seen her and I probably won't have time to see too many of the videos before the show. Although I will try to watch some on Saturday before going to the concert. I think you are right that sometimes it does kind of help to know the show because there is so much going on.

    I will give everyone on this forum a review as well.

    REBEL HEART TOUR: Opening Night in FOUR DAYS

    in ARCHIVE - Madonna

    Posted

    It's probably real. Look like it says "Dance Tonite" between who's that girl and girl gone wild. Wouldn't surprise me if she trolled us with a random track from her least successful album. But I can't see la vie en rose and I thought that was confirmed? Also what does it say next to ghosttown? 3TB?

    It looks like BTB for Between the Bars. It says Le vie en rose next to Body Shop.

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