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EDINBURGH - July 21st (12:51 stans for Scotland & his mom, throws chancla)


Ai Papi Si.

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Maybe they shoulda used that loooong souncheck more productively, I dunno if it's speaker positioning or just bad acoustics or what, but what a letdown if you can't see or hear well.

Jimmy, those pics are interesting. But again, u weren't actually able to buy floor tickets for months so I dunno

Oh and I listened to a bit of that bootleg posted above. I take it back, you can actually here her quite well over the backing in some of the first section. The sound was just really loud and thundering where I was (ironically)

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The corners of the stadium and some rows nearer the back were cordened off with tape. She wasn't full. But she was damn well near it. Plus the Scottish crowd were well up for it and it was a great night! That's all that matters.

The corners and the centre blocks of the lower tier were cordoned off because of the mixing desk in the centre of the pitch and the speakers/light rigs either side of it. People wouldn't have seen anything if they'd been able to sit there. From the GC the stands looked pretty full and they were the only taped off sections that I could see.

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Jimmy, thanks for posting the pics, but it looks to me like any GA situation? Room on the floor because everyone pushes to the front when the show starts, no one towards the back...possibly cuz of mixing desk or whatever. I've been to 3 NIN shows in sold out arenas where the entire floor was GA and it was the same. You made it sound like it was a ghost town.

And if people walked out in the middle of a Madonna show after shelling out all that money, then it would have been even emptier towards the end, and judging from the video of LAP a few pages back....

Anyway it's silly to argue about, I guess I personally just have low patience threshold for the exaggerated brand of negativity that shifted over to The Other Shore years ago, so I'm automatically suspicious of comments like these from people who post full time on that gloomy happiness-vacuum of a forum

Thanks for the sweet comments about my mom guys :inlove:

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Jimmy, thanks for posting the pics, but it looks to me like any GA situation? Room on the floor because everyone pushes to the front when the show starts, no one towards the back...possibly cuz of mixing desk or whatever. I've been to 3 NIN shows in sold out arenas where the entire floor was GA and it was the same. You made it sound like it was a ghost town.

Well, I can only compare it to my other stadium experiences and, well. I think it was far more barren than other acts I have been to. It was clearly only about 60% full on the floor. As Kim points out, however, they didn't start selling those tickets till much later.

Anyway it's silly to argue about, I guess I personally just have low patience threshold for the exaggerated brand of negativity that shifted over to The Other Shore years ago, so I'm automatically suspicious of comments like these from people who post full time on that gloomy happiness-vacuum of a forum

Well, that's not fair in this case. It's not like I was taking any glee in posting what I said. I was more than clear that I was excited about her coming to my home city and wanted everything to go well.

Anyway, as you said, it's not worth debating any more. It was what it was. I felt I got my £150's worth, anyway!

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Guest Feversteamgirl

Jonsk43, thanks for the suggestion, I think I will complain directly to Murrayfield..

Dollhouse, to be fair, I didn't and don't blame Madonna for the sound problems although some local folk did tell me they'd been to other concerts at Murrayfield, sat in the same place and had no issues with the sound. I'm just disappointed because the main draw of a live gig is just that - hearing the music live and it's a real shame when you can't!

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.... It was clearly only about 60% full on the floor. As Kim points out, however, they didn't start selling those tickets till much later.

Well, ALL the ticket categories went on general sale on the Friday. Within a few hours gold circle was unavailable and by Monday you couldn't get general floor either. The general consensus was that they'd sold-out. Arthur Fogel of LiveNation then cited Edinburgh in a press release as one of the dates that had sold particularly well - 42,000 at that point in time.

All floor tickets remained unavailable for months, then just last week those categories came back up on ticketmaster.

Now obviously there was this big scandal a while back about ticketmaster issuing loads of tickets to their rip-off "partner" company Viagogo to sell-on at hugely inflated prices. At some point those "unsold" tickets get returmed to ticketmaste to sell properly and there's the common practice of waiting till the stage is set up before working out how many more tickets you can actually issure for the floor.

Anyway, I found another souncheck vid where the wee fans are almost as entertaining as Madge herself - "GAUN YERSEL HEN"

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Hello folks, as you'll see from my post count, I'm new to the forum - please be gentle!

Btw, wish I could take my mum to a Madonna concert but I think she'd probably drive me nuts just on the journey to the stadium!

I was inspired to register after seeing the post about the Murrayfield gig and I really wanted to find out what other fans thought of it.

I'll start by saying that I'm a huge fan (why register on the forum otherwise!) and have been for about twenty years (god I feel old now!) - more than half my life. I was really looking forward to the concert. Hyde Park would have been the closest gig to me, but in a moment of madness, I decided to book Murrayfield tickets to combine the concert with a weekend in Edinburgh (which by the way is amazing, my new favourite city). I booked seats in the stand since I was going with my hubby who is not a massive fan but goes to Madonna concerts to keep me company - he would hate to stand all night in the GA area.

We ended up in W28 which were the best seats I could get (forgot to check websites closer to the concert date, my bad). I hate to say this and it pains me to write, but the concert was exactly as Jimmy Mack described it. People WERE leaving, the GA area did not look full (but understand "elf and safety" wise it could have been), the sound was disgraceful. Truly, honestly, awful.

Was the concert any good? Was Madonna good? I honestly couldn't say. I knew the view would be pretty poor but was willing to sacrifice the view for the stadium atmosphere (can concur the crowd went CRAZY when the limo pulled up), I was in GA for the Girlie Show at Wembley and it was immense - I was really excited about going to Murrayfield. I wouldn't have been bothered about the view if only I could have actually made out what she was singing. She was nearly a minute into Masterpiece before I worked out what song it was! I could only hear the bassline and then about every 10 words that she was singing. I couldn't make out a single word that she said when she spoke to the crowd and I wasn't the only one. I complained to the steward and asked to move, he told me he had been inundated with complaints about the sound and suggested we move to the south stands (at the back!), I told him to poke it!

The whole of the block we were in was sitting for the entire show - and i don't blame them because what's the point in getting up to dance when you can't hear the music! We saw lots of people leaving after the first few songs. We thought they were leaving although I don't doubt that many of them were trying to find better seats - the GA area certainly seemed fuller at the end of the concert than at the beginning! However, we did hear that people had left the stadium completely - some latecomers told us that they'd seen people leaving. I even contemplated it myself because I was so disappointed and upset. We ended up standing by the stairs - even going down 10 steps made the world of difference to the sound quality (though it still wasn't great). The steward threatened to call the police to move us off but I think he gave up in the end.

The two missing songs just made the concert as a whole feel rushed and there was an air of bemusement when it finished, folks were expecting more - why the costume change for only one song? It felt really short and as a result i think a lot of people felt short changed.

Murrayfield itself was a bit of a rubbish venue - getting back to the city centre was a nightmare with hoardes of (suprisingly well behaved) people, walking the 5km back into town.

I guess I've been spoilt seat-wise with the other Madonna concerts I've been to - I've been right up at the front of the stage and catwalks for Confessions and RIT.

Still, Edinburgh was lovely. But next time, I think I'll stick to an arena where the sound is more reliable. I'm just really disappointed as it was my one chance to see the MDNA tour and I feel like it was a bit of a let down. To be fair to Madonna though, my experience would have been wildly different in a different venue, a different seat with better sound.

Hi feversteamgirl. Welcome to Madonnanation :)

I also went to the Murrayfield gig on Saturday with my other half and we didn't have the best seats in the stadium although we both looked at each other at one point and agreed that the sound and the acoustics were amazing. It honestly sounded great from where we were and we were pretty far back on the right hand-side of the stadium. I noticed too that quite a few people seemed to be leaving during the video interludes but then many of the same people returned with drinks soon afterwards. The stadium wasn't exactly filled to capacity but it was pretty full especially at the front end. It wasn't my best experience of a Madonna concert as I'm used to having a closer view of her but overall I think she was on excellent form in terms of her dancing and singing ability and the overall energy she brought to Edinburgh. I agree that Madonna is much more suited to playing arenas and more 'intimate' venues because she truly is a sight to behold. My only grumble is that I'd prefer a better view next time.

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I noticed too that quite a few people seemed to be leaving during the video interludes but then many of the same people returned with drinks soon afterwards.

I still remember when I saw Confessions at Madison Square Garden and during Paradise Not For Me the floor literally cleared out. Bathroom breaks or running to get food (who the fuck stuffs their face at a concert anyway?) They all came rushing back once Music kicked in.

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I still remember when I saw Confessions at Madison Square Garden and during Paradise Not For Me the floor literally cleared out. Bathroom breaks or running to get food (who the fuck stuffs their face at a concert anyway?) They all came rushing back once Music kicked in.

People actually left while Madonna was on stage? :o

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Anyway, I found another souncheck vid where the wee fans are almost as entertaining as Madge herself - "GAUN YERSEL HEN"

LOL! That is one of the funniest things I've watched in ages. "Oh, she's nae happy!"

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haha that was funny when she's doing the prayer in IGTTYAS and she says "people running out to get hotdogs everytime I sing a ballad" hahahaha

:lmao: i had forgot (or forgotten??) thanks!!!

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Anyway, I found another souncheck vid where the wee fans are almost as entertaining as Madge herself - "GAUN YERSEL HEN"

what does that mean?

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Some drama queens :lol: Most concerts you go to there will be parts of the show where the audience goes and uses the toilets or gets drinks. It's usually during ballads/interludes for pop shows. During LAP, however, the floor looked pretty packed so it's obvious people came back.

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once more thanks for the vids...and looking at them, not that i'm really interested ans i wasn't there, it seems that the field was a little more than only 60% full...just saying

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Er, sorry, but I have been to Madonna stadium gigs (and not that long ago) and it was packed.

Those pictures weren't posted to give it "Ooooo, Madonna flopped in Scotland"!!!! (I could never say that ... would break my heart to ... and, luckily, I don't have to.) But it was truly jaw-dropping to myself and my friends how bare the floor was. At its zenith, it was 60% full.

. Unfortunately the stadiums are not packed this tour, pepople seem to dont know really about the new cd or the tickets are too expensive, anyway, its looks bad because its Madonna and you see shitty acts selling out nowadays....
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Ok, one last attempt to appeal to some reasoning here. Look at that first picture I posted. It was ten minutes before she came on stage, taken at five past nine. I was sat in the first half of the front section of the stadium. Employ some visual perspective. That block towards the midpoint of the picture is the middle of the stadium. So behind that is a whole other half of the stadium. Does it look populated?

This taken well after she was EXPECTED on stage. The vast majority of the audience was IN the stadium. The huge gaps weren't there because people were running out and back in with drinks. At that point they were there waiting for the show to start.

Of course that Like a Prayer video looks more populated - it was taken in the DARK! And of course people in the rammed front end are going to think it was busier than what it was. But I was sat at the side, and I'm 6ft 7". I can see beyond what others can see, and there were enormous spaces on the floor.

I'm not saying this to be a killjoy, or because I post at The Other Shore (for fuck's sake!!!!!!). I'm posting this because this blind "oooooo, it was great and it was bursting with people" talk is damaging because it's that kind of blinkered opinion further builds the ivory tower the sycophants around Madonna have created. And that's not helpful because she'll not hear about problems when there clearly were some.

The truth is, the experience Feversteamgirl posted has been replicated by many people. And, from a quick check on Twitter, that experience was repeated tonight in Dublin for many.

MDNA hasn't been a hugely successful album, so ticket sales have, of course, diminished. If you're going to play stadiums, you need casual fans to buy tickets. Those casual fans have been afforded appalling sound, screens they found hard to watch, and a set list that left them cold.

It's not just "Jimmy's mates" saying this. Check out many of the comments on blogs, news sites and Twitter. I had a really good time at the show. But just because I did, I'm not blinkered enough to assume others did as well. I really wanted them to. But the truth is many had a lousy experience, and they left. And that's not "drama queen " speak ... it's what happened.

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Ok, one last attempt to appeal to some reasoning here. Look at that first picture I posted. It was ten minutes before she came on stage, taken at five past nine. I was sat in the first half of the front section of the stadium. Employ some visual perspective. That block towards the midpoint of the picture is the middle of the stadium. So behind that is a whole other half of the stadium. Does it look populated?

This taken well after she was EXPECTED on stage. The vast majority of the audience was IN the stadium. The huge gaps weren't there because people were running out and back in with drinks. At that point they were there waiting for the show to start.

Of course that Like a Prayer video looks more populated - it was taken in the DARK! And of course people in the rammed front end are going to think it was busier than what it was. But I was sat at the side, and I'm 6ft 7". I can see beyon

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfvlgduOkAU&li

Please note the peope pushed forward and crammed like sardines at the barriers. Please note the two white sound tents blocking the sightlines from the two corner seating areas which are empty because they weren't put on sale. It's a perfectly good crowd.

I love this guys vids. You can really hear the roar from the crowd and the whole stadium singing during the classics. Seeing Madge's car drive up. Seeing myselr rush to the triangle as the show started, the great reception Turn Up the Radio got, the orgasmic response to Like A prayer just as the heavens opened.....Best crowd of the UK tour, just wish it was all in the dark but hey ho.

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Please note the peope pushed forward and crammed like sardines at the barriers. Please note the two white sound tents blocking the sightlines from the two corner seating areas which are empty because they weren't put on sale. It's a perfectly good crowd.

Please note I was referring to the picture showing the back of the stadium, not the front. The front is always going to busier, yes?

As I said before, it was clearly a show that worked depending on where you were sat/stood.

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Yes I noticed the good reactionTUTR got further back and she seemed pleased :thumbsup:

Well, yes, I was pleased by that too because I was worried that people would be thinking "Oh, another track we haven't heard of" but they seemed to get more into that one.

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Please note I was referring to the picture showing the back of the stadium, not the front. The front is always going to busier, yes?

As I said before, it was clearly a show that worked depending on where you were sat/stood.

LOL The guy is looking down and surveying the whole stadium. What are you trying to prove? You were stuck in a shitty spot - that's a real shame, but they sold the tickets they were allocated.

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LOL The guy is looking down and surveying the whole stadium. What are you trying to prove? You were stuck in a shitty spot - that's a real shame, but they sold the tickets they were allocated.

I actually had a very good seat to watch the show. Saw and heard everything, including the crowd. And if you think people were "rammed like sardines" at any part of that stadium beyond the front ...

Not trying to "prove" anything. Just saying ...

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Poor European guys watching the show in practically full light of the day, I guess the darkness comes by the Basque section isn't it?

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I actually had a very good seat to watch the show. Saw and heard everything, including the crowd. And if you think people were "rammed like sardines" at any part of that stadium beyond the front ...

Not trying to "prove" anything. Just saying ...

Setting aside the front section which is the golden cirlcle, at the barrier of the general admission section (almost half way up the stadium) they are packed. If they all stood back a little and the rest weren;t all congregated round the right hand side nearer the toilets and bar, then that left hand section that you took a pic of would probably have filled in a bit. Anyway, boring now. You're the one who brought it up.....again.

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