I love Madonna—always have…
always, always will. After seeing her MDNA show at the HP Pavilion, I’ve been wrestling with what to say about the
overall experience, the show itself, and wondering what the future will hold as
far as my “live” relationship with the Queen.
I’ll start first by saying
that reports of her starting her shows “late” had popped up and while I don’t
expect the show to start at 8:01 p.m., I was surprised to find the house lights
going down in the Shark Tank close to 10:30 p.m. DJ Martin Solveig was an
“opening act” and he did a good job of getting the audience energized during
the 9:00 hour. After he finished, Rob and I decided to get another (expensive)
cocktail. We managed to stand in line, get our cocktails and head back to our
seats with lots more time to spare… tons more time to spare, so we sat… and
sat.
As the lights (finally) went
down, there was excitement in the crowd. I love how the darkness of an arena
can suddenly birth the most luminous colors. Madonna, no slouch when it comes
to arresting visuals, began the show in a cathedral. Monks in red robes added
“incense” to a huge golden chalice suspended from the rafters. Madonna appeared
in a floating confessional box, praying, wearing a crown, draped in long black
fabric and wielding a machine gun. Did I type that right? Yes, I did, a machine
gun. As Girl Gone Wild throbbed
throughout the arena, there was hope that the longer-than-usual wait for a
concert would pay off. The stage concept was stunning, with pixilated pillars
rising up out of the stage. Embedded is the opening; it’s 9 minutes, but well
worth a viewing! The Madonna “trust-leap,” dance breakdown and whipping sounds
at 7:35 – 8:20 are nothing short of riveting:
Madonna unfortunately shot
blanks over the next three to four songs. Revolver found Madonna’s character wielding this time, well,
a revolver, as she slinked around the jetting, triangle-shaped runway setup.
White laser lights pulsed out from the rig—another stunning effect. As Gang
Bang began back on the main stage, she stepped into a motel-room diorama set, where she sat on a bed, took a
swig of "whiskey," then began singing verses in a haunting lower register. With
lyrics in the chorus such as “… bang bang shot you dead/shot my lover in the
head…” the song is dark and the visuals were just as disturbing. The monitors
featured blood splatters, as Madonna’s character began to pick off dancers
dressed as thieves breaking into her motel room.
Remember, it’s 11:00 on a Sunday night, and after eating calamari for dinner, a pretzel for dessert, and drinking a few vodkas, the last thing I wanted from my Pop Queen was her mock-killing dancers left and right, and the blaring, frightening sound of a pistol reloading over and over and over and over. Feeling a tad woozy, I remember telling myself that all of this is character and performance, with Madonna’s shows always about the journey. I will say that divorce must be murder, as some of the songs on the MDNA CD were conceived as a result of her last divorce. Does she feel infiltrated? robbed? Does she wish she’d been better guarded, better protected? “I thought it was you/And I loved you the most/But I was just keeping my enemies close…” Ouch. Again, I know that it’s performance art, but I personally left my romantic woes and other worries outside. Not to say the show needed to be rainbows and disco balls, but I just wasn’t ready to go through a dark, manic therapy session right out of the gate, followed immediately by “C’mon, girls, do you believe in love?” I’m not sure, Madonna, I’m still trying to recover from seeing you blow that guy away in your motel room.
Papa Don’t Preach was also in this set—not one of my favorites. However, leave it to Madonna to finish out the set on a good note—she collapses on stage, depleted after a rampage. One pixilated pillar hoisted her up as a bright beam of white light pierced down on her. The rest of the stage was bathed in red and made for an effective ending. Thankfully out of bullets, the stage went black. And in one of the most unusual segues, Madonna returned to the stage for the second section, marching band in formation, wearing the cutest majorette outfit, twirling a baton, and singing her mash-up of Express Yourself and Lady Gaga’s Born This Way. This was the second highlight, yet the highlight quickly faded, as Madonna transitioned into Gimme All Your Luvin’. It’s a cute Pop song, and yes, with a cheerleader callout: “L-U-V Madonna/Y-O-U You wanna?” One would think it would fit here, but it sounded forced and the vocal delivery oddly paced. Actual dangling drummers in the rafters, however, made for a really fun visual.
Vogue—the third highlight—was doused with sleek, sparkly visuals, lots of attitude, plus the sounds of camera shutters and the iconic, brazen statement: “What are you looking at?” The video boards slid apart, then pivoted open to begin the exciting reveal. (Feel free to skip to 3:30 for the beginning of the song.)
Remember, it’s 11:00 on a Sunday night, and after eating calamari for dinner, a pretzel for dessert, and drinking a few vodkas, the last thing I wanted from my Pop Queen was her mock-killing dancers left and right, and the blaring, frightening sound of a pistol reloading over and over and over and over. Feeling a tad woozy, I remember telling myself that all of this is character and performance, with Madonna’s shows always about the journey. I will say that divorce must be murder, as some of the songs on the MDNA CD were conceived as a result of her last divorce. Does she feel infiltrated? robbed? Does she wish she’d been better guarded, better protected? “I thought it was you/And I loved you the most/But I was just keeping my enemies close…” Ouch. Again, I know that it’s performance art, but I personally left my romantic woes and other worries outside. Not to say the show needed to be rainbows and disco balls, but I just wasn’t ready to go through a dark, manic therapy session right out of the gate, followed immediately by “C’mon, girls, do you believe in love?” I’m not sure, Madonna, I’m still trying to recover from seeing you blow that guy away in your motel room.
Papa Don’t Preach was also in this set—not one of my favorites. However, leave it to Madonna to finish out the set on a good note—she collapses on stage, depleted after a rampage. One pixilated pillar hoisted her up as a bright beam of white light pierced down on her. The rest of the stage was bathed in red and made for an effective ending. Thankfully out of bullets, the stage went black. And in one of the most unusual segues, Madonna returned to the stage for the second section, marching band in formation, wearing the cutest majorette outfit, twirling a baton, and singing her mash-up of Express Yourself and Lady Gaga’s Born This Way. This was the second highlight, yet the highlight quickly faded, as Madonna transitioned into Gimme All Your Luvin’. It’s a cute Pop song, and yes, with a cheerleader callout: “L-U-V Madonna/Y-O-U You wanna?” One would think it would fit here, but it sounded forced and the vocal delivery oddly paced. Actual dangling drummers in the rafters, however, made for a really fun visual.
Vogue—the third highlight—was doused with sleek, sparkly visuals, lots of attitude, plus the sounds of camera shutters and the iconic, brazen statement: “What are you looking at?” The video boards slid apart, then pivoted open to begin the exciting reveal. (Feel free to skip to 3:30 for the beginning of the song.)
After Vogue, I was then hit with yet another uneven, oddly paced presentation. This time, Candy Shop, which was fine for the Sticky & Sweet tour, but really, Candy Shop made the setlist? And speaking of oddly paced, her reinterpretation of Like A Virgin was a struggle. With the iconic melody line gone, she wanted to try it in a different way. I can respect that, but the slow Marlene Dietrich-inspired vocal didn’t work. This number segued into Love Spent, another slow ballad. Which brings me to the other ballad performed earlier. Masterpiece, from the Madonna-directed, W.E. didn’t engage me much either. It’s approaching midnight I’m guessing, and although I’m not old, I started to feel old. And why am I still sitting at a Madonna concert?
The last section began, and although the fourth highlight, I’m Addicted looked shiny and sounded terrific, I just continued to sit; I definitely foot-tapped, but I decided to sit with all the others around me. As certain lighting cues illuminated the arena, I could clearly see a lot of folks in the 100 and 200 levels sitting down also. I saw Madonna giving it her all, but she had already “shot herself in the foot." Most of the crowd from what I could see was deflated, (love) spent. As Madonna danced her heart out, all I thought was, “yikes.” The excitement that we all came in with, was probably becoming redirected to the fact that it was pushing 12:30 a.m. and most of us had to make the long drive back to our homes, some back to relieve babysitters, and maybe for some, being hit with the realization that Monday work was just a few short hours away, work that needs to be attended in order to pay for $200-plus tickets slapped onto thousands of credit cards.
Understandably, it’s the “price you pay,” but there seemed to be a disconnect. She could easily say, “Well, don’t come to my show then.” And that may be a future option for most of us. Although she thanked us and seemed appreciative, it doesn’t change the fact that there seemed to be a disregard for people’s actual energy, time, money and sacrifice. I would hate to hear in a few years that Madonna performed back in the HP Pavilion to half the audience because people, even die-hard fans didn’t want to deal with the stress of barely scoring (expensive) tickets online, then waiting around at the venue several months later, only to be presented with a dark commentary, and without the setlist being strong enough to offset that harshness. There is such a delicate line between the artist and the patron. Funnily enough, there were literally tightropes stretched out across the stage during a few sections in the show.
Understandably, it’s the “price you pay,” but there seemed to be a disconnect. She could easily say, “Well, don’t come to my show then.” And that may be a future option for most of us. Although she thanked us and seemed appreciative, it doesn’t change the fact that there seemed to be a disregard for people’s actual energy, time, money and sacrifice. I would hate to hear in a few years that Madonna performed back in the HP Pavilion to half the audience because people, even die-hard fans didn’t want to deal with the stress of barely scoring (expensive) tickets online, then waiting around at the venue several months later, only to be presented with a dark commentary, and without the setlist being strong enough to offset that harshness. There is such a delicate line between the artist and the patron. Funnily enough, there were literally tightropes stretched out across the stage during a few sections in the show.
Only one thing could save
this—Like A Prayer. A jolt
resurged in the arena and Madonna and company glittered during this fifth
highlight. Celebration was the
final song and worked well, yet I was thinking that the song, Superstar, which wasn’t performed, would’ve worked, even as a
treat after Celebration. Superstar’s lyrics include: “Ooh la la you’re my superstar/ooh
la la that’s what you are/I’m your biggest fan it’s true/hopelessly attracted
to you…” I felt that this could’ve been a nice sentiment for the Bay Area fans.
Madonna and her dancers could have lined the runways, pointing up to the fans
in appreciation for attending, and waiting, and sitting, and waiting, and
standing, and dancing, and sitting again, and dancing once again.
In conclusion, Madonna is the Queen. But I was worried today, feeling out of sorts, wondering if the end of an era had just begun. Would I pay $200 again for another show? I just worry of future setlists. I worry about being visually and audibly accosted by her art, only for it to be intertwined with unevenly presented songs, some of which I could do without ever hearing again live. Interject Take A Bow, You’ll See, and/or X-Static Process. Has Madonna become a victim of her own massive catalog of songs? With so many wonderfully produced tracks on so many solid, legendary albums, editing becomes a (subjective) challenge.
Madonna is an amazing artist. And like Picasso or Monet, some of their periods may not resonate with observers and buyers, yet their bodies of work are so brilliant, one bad brush stroke would never make someone throw away a priceless painting, nor will one highly uneven, thoroughly disjointed tour probably keep this lifelong fan away. However, I may dare to be so inclined to just sit back and admire all her past—and no doubt future—works of genius instead. And with the rise of Blu-ray, I can do all of that on my couch, on my own time before 10:30 on a Sunday night, for $24.95 plus shipping and handling. BSo
In conclusion, Madonna is the Queen. But I was worried today, feeling out of sorts, wondering if the end of an era had just begun. Would I pay $200 again for another show? I just worry of future setlists. I worry about being visually and audibly accosted by her art, only for it to be intertwined with unevenly presented songs, some of which I could do without ever hearing again live. Interject Take A Bow, You’ll See, and/or X-Static Process. Has Madonna become a victim of her own massive catalog of songs? With so many wonderfully produced tracks on so many solid, legendary albums, editing becomes a (subjective) challenge.
Madonna is an amazing artist. And like Picasso or Monet, some of their periods may not resonate with observers and buyers, yet their bodies of work are so brilliant, one bad brush stroke would never make someone throw away a priceless painting, nor will one highly uneven, thoroughly disjointed tour probably keep this lifelong fan away. However, I may dare to be so inclined to just sit back and admire all her past—and no doubt future—works of genius instead. And with the rise of Blu-ray, I can do all of that on my couch, on my own time before 10:30 on a Sunday night, for $24.95 plus shipping and handling. BSo
No comments:
Post a Comment