Madonna in Paris
KLINTON PORTER
Recently I went to Paris and fell in love with the city. But ask me what the highlight was, and I would have to say it was losing my voice shouting at a 50-year-old dancing on a stage.
The only woman who sold out the biggest sports stadium in Paris, twice, was the Queen of Pop herself, Madonna. Diehard fans say you don’t know Madonna until you have seen her live. That is spot on. No one comes close to her on stage or off, including Miss Minogue.
After the dance-driven Confessions tour, the current Sticky and Sweet tour is more R&B. Opening the show sitting on her throne, she burst into Candy Shop from her latest album. No one could hear the song as the screaming fans drowned out the band. A couple of songs later she began, much to my excitement, Vogue and then, on guitar, Human Nature with a special appearance from Britney Spears.
She had very few costume changes and no interval. She amazed the audience by doing a double jump rope on stage in between singing a danced-up version of Into the Groove. She brought the house down with a rocked-up Borderline.
Madonna even made fun of herself and her various incarnations with She’s Not Me, getting her dancers to dress up in her old costumes including the infamous cone bra and the Like a Virgin wedding dress.
One of many highlights was the start of the third act where the Eurythmics’ Here Comes the Rain Again instrumental played before she appeared on top of a piano at the bottom of the runway to sing Devil Wouldn’t Recognise You.
The hits kept coming with La Isla Bonita, Hung Up, and the Evita ballad You Must Love Me, and did we ever.
She left us with Like a Prayer -” still an amazing song and when seen live it gives you chills -” and Give It To Me.
The show had a mixture of both her classic old songs and her new stuff; she’s going to sell those CDs if it kills her. Politics and her religion and opinions do get pushed and thrown in there but it’s Madonna. We know what she’s like and would be surprised if she didn’t have them in there.
She’s the real deal and a true entertainer. No one will or can match her. Hail the Queen of Pop.
Great write up. I went to Canada to see her…Toronto , Montreal & 4th row centre stage end of catwalk in Vancouver…blooby AWESOME !!! For a 50 yo she still got it…Loved the Rain mash-up and Vogue was hot.
I doubt she’ll come here, but as you did, a true fan will go to her :)
Cheers Steve
Love the story,she is an amazing woman,a real living legend.
Take note Sam Sparrow (Remember him saying she,s Vulgar) maybe one day if you pray hard enough you will be 5% good as her but in the mean time dream on…son
I know I may be howled down for agreeing with you Klinton, however Madonna has been, still is, and for as long as her skeleton will hold out, will always be the biggest and best entertainer of our time!
Without her there would be many a gay boy who didnt have the nerve to get out on a dance floor and “Strike a Pose”
Long Live The Empress, MLVC