RE-INVENTION TOUR - FAN REVIEWS tour intro page - details - US diary - US press reviews

» Read the European fan reports Las Vegas - 30 May - No dry eye in the house This was my 2nd Madonna concert, I saw her on May 7, 1990 in Dallas,Tx. I was very very young and until May 30 2004, the Blond Ambition concert was my favorite. I was hoping that flying from Dallas to Vegas would be worth it and boy was it! The concert was a non-stop collection of some of the best pop songs ever played. The opening Beast Within was great. The Las Vegas crowd was up and dancing all around me. The great "slow" down version of Deeper and Deeper was beautiful. The tearjearker Imagine was very moving, there wasn't a dry eye in the house. The club hit Nobody Knows Me had Madonna showing off her great dancing skills, nobody could sit still for that! The closing number Holiday wasn't all that great, but people were up and screaming for her. All throughout the MGM they were playing Madonna all weekend. The talk at all the clubs was about Madonna's two weekend concerts. Everyone I met that went to the shows loved them. Madonna showed us and the world that she still remains one of the worlds "Greatest Entertainers", and that she can surpass the young entertainers of today. ~ Ernest New York City & East Rutherford - Madonna/Esther, my idol I saw Madonna (Esther wooo!!!) @ Madison Square Garden & Continental Arena. @ Continental my friend & I had front row center!!! O wow it was amazing!!! She was like right there, my idol for so long!! Esther!! Madonna!! I thought I was gonna die. Anyway, The Beast Within was intense, but I loved it nonetheless, very artistic. American Life was my fave I would probly have to say. She sounded lovely during all her songs, duh. This is getting long, so if you haven't seen Esther's Re~Invention concert yet, you better get yourself some freakin tickets because this is one show you do not wanna miss!!!! ~ Claire Atlanta - 25 July - The most articulate, beautifuly crafted concert WOW!! What can I say about the Re-Invention Tour that hasn't already been said. This is the most articulate, beautifuly crafted concert that I have ever seen... So there's me and my sister in Atlanta (we flew from Colorado) hours before showtime. around 7:15 the arena started getting packed. At 8:30, the house lights went out and the crowd went crazy... this happened two more times as teasers, which worked. Then finally, at around 8:45, it was for real and everyone was going crazy!!! The Beast Within intro is the most artistic and haunting video. What an opener. It had everyone from the beginning. Wow, there are so many things about the show, from the dancing-very unique and different, to the superb sound-great bass and vocals, to the videos-speechless, and of course the UNBELIEVABLE stage design. Nobody Knows Me was kick ass, Frozen simply awesome, Loved Express Yourself. Just loved it all!! I can't wait untill it is on CBS and DVD!! Bye the way, anyone have any info on when it is going to be on? Anyway, this is without a doubt the best show ever staged, EVER. This is history in the making, in more ways than one! ~ Bryan Atlanta - 25 July - A non-stop rollercoaster which i'd ride again and again So here it is, the night of the second show in Atlanta. All my anticipation has led up to the last two nights of pure ecstacy. Through much wheeling and dealing via eBay, I scored 3rd row center for Sat night and 4th row center for Sun night. A note... to those who wanted VIP tickets, don't feel bad... it really was a waste of money and a disappointment as far as the "so-called" pre-party. It was overrated and frankly, boring. But of course, one did get awesome seats. But who cares about the food when it is the Material Girl one has come to see. Madonna truly lived up to all the expectations on this tour. It was a non-stop rollercoater which I would ride again and again if possible. Guess I'll have to wait for the dvd. I must say my favorite parts of the show were Express Yourself, Material Girl, Like A Prayer, and Get Into the Groove.... and definately Crazy For You! Madonna spared no expense on the theatrics either. I have never seen such an uncompromised technical display for showcasing music. Her stage was a decade before it's time. Props to your tech and conception team on that one Madonna!!! I also must say that Madonna danced her ass off the entire show, more than any previous, and her voice was fantastic. Gone are the comments that she is a better dancer than singer... she has now equally perfected both. Not to mention her back-up dancers are the hottest ever!!! Madonna... Thanks so much for the 20 years. Fans... if you still have a chance to catch this show, at any cost, hell... fly to London. Do not miss it!! It is something that no one will ever be able to take away from you, and it will always be in your memory, even after this life. ~ B. M. Toronto - 19 July - What a f*$kin' show! WHAT A F*$kin' SHOW! (JULY 19) The Best I've seen in a long time! Madonna loved Toronto, and Toronto Loved Madonna. I got to see her second of three shows here, and it was amazing. During the show, Madonna said "she didn't get enough sleep the night before" and she wasn't sure if she "was going to get through the show", but the pure energy from the audience was 'getting her through'! She also said to the audience, "you don't have to call me Esther" and she smiled. I'm sure that was in response to a previous day front cover of a local newspaper that had 'Ester Fest' over her picture on stage. Overall, I truly loved the show. Ohh I'm sure others will talk about this, but during her last song Holiday she was going up the steps to the big extended stage into the audience, and she took a bit of a tumble... it was scary at first, but she got up, high-fived one of her dancers, and went on with the song! A true trooper! If anyone hasn't seen this show, I urge them to do so, the best Madonna ever! ~ Jimmy Getahun Toronto - 19 July - OK I can die now Well, last night was the 2nd of Madonna's 3 shows at the ACC in Toronto, and what a blast!!! I had previously seen the show at MSG in NY and was already impressed, but last night; 4th row and Madonna pointed at me and smiled during Crazy For You!!! OMG!!! I nearly fainted and all I could think was: "OK, I can die now." The entire show was spectacluar from that vantage point. The Toronto crowd was roaring and she said that we were the best crowd so far, but I am guessing now that she tells every crowd that! Oh well, it really helps to energize the fans and before she sang Imagine, she said "this song was written over 35 years ago, not by me of course, 'cause I wasn't born yet!" The entire arena cheered so loud I thought the roof would collapse. Madonna had a little slip-up too, she fell up the steps of the catwalk during Holiday, but quicky got up and said "whoopsy-daisy", but something tells me she's gonna have a bruise on that knee. Anyhow, that was the night of my life and I get to relive it again tomorrow for the finale show here in T.O. with tickets in the 8th row!!! LONG LIVE THE QUEEN, MAY SHE REIGN FOREVER!!! ~ Dan East Rutherford - 07 July - It's a non-sitting show The crowd sucked! They were cool for the hits, but everyone sat down alot. Madonna had to tell everyone to stand up many times. She said that this was a non-sitting show. Even people toward the front half of the floor were sitting during the slower songs. She wore the Kabbalists Do It Better T-Shirt. She also dropped her stick during Into The Groove. Still, she had a smile on her face a lot and seemed to be having fun. Before Imagine she said that this song is not about dreaming or imagining, it's about doing. At the end of Holiday, as the screens are closing, she asked the crowd if they wanted more. Everyone screemed but we all know there was no encore. ~ Michael Polimeno Philadelphia - 05 July - The things Italians do better Madonna was in a much better mood than the night before. Smiling a lot more and talking more with the audience. No one sat and she didn't have to tell everyone to stand up. She again wore the Italians Do It Better T-shirt and talked about things that Italians do better, like drink (as she drank water), sweat (as she toweled off) and sing (then she started to sing). She told us how important it is for us to vote before Imagine. And she talked about how she would always come to Pennsylvania as a child because her father grew up in Pittsburgh. Amazing performance. Lots of energy. ~ Michael Polimeno Philadelphia - 04 July - Madonna trades shirts with fan Madonna didn't seem to be in the best mood since she was having trouble with her sound/earpiece. She kept saying the music was too loud. Someone in the front had his shirt off. Madonna said to him it was hot and wished she could take her shirt off too but that those days were over. She had on the Italians Do It Better T-Shirt on and instead of just throwing it into the audience, she spotted a guy in the front with a shirt that said "Rocco is my homeboy" and she asked him to trade. He threw his to her and then she threw her shirt directly to him. She said that the Philly crowd was wild and that she should come there more often. Other than that, little audience interaction. She didn't have to tell the audience to stand one time. At the end during Holiday, the confetti did not shoot out on cue. Still, Madonna gave it her all and the crowd loved it. Everyone was standing, singing and dancing. Great show. ~ Michael Polimeno New York City - 21 June - Madonna is gonna love us I am from Toronto, CANADA and when the 3 shows here originally sold out in 90 minutes, I panicked and bought a pair of tix to the June 21st show at MSG in NYC. I thought "What the hell? A chance to see Madonna at Madison Square Garden and visit my 2nd fave city in the world, New York." Weeks later, they released more tickets for the supposedly sold-out Toronto shows and I scored a pair, not bad ones I might add!!! So, now after having seen the show with an American audience, and after being a little disappointed that they didn't seem to get Madonna's anti-war message, I am anxious to see how the Canadian crowd will react to all that imagery. It will be interesting indeed! I attended a screening of Farenheit 9/11 last night and the audience was so amazingly responsive, I know that Madonna is gonna love us when she plays here later this month!! I will write back again with all the details of that show too. Take Care. ~ Dan Worcester - 27/30 June - Worth the wait Hi all! I wanted to let everyone know I was lucky to see Madonna twice for the Re-Invention tour in Worcester, Ma. Once on June 27th and then on Wednesday, the 30th. The first night, I arrived early, and there weren't many people filling the seats up. Of course as it got closer to showtime they began moving people closer towards the stage, but I wasn't one of the lucky ones. I still had a good view of the stage from the left in section 105. The show didn't start until around 8:45 but it was worth the wait. Madonna was beautiful and sounded excellent. I can't really say I have a favorite part of the show because I loved the WHOLE show! All the songs fit perfectly and any songs that had been rumoured to be a part of the setlist just wouldn't have worked. This tour was much better then the DWT in 2001. The second night there was a much larger crowd and the show didn't start til around 9:00 pm. A man came on the intercom and said that due to traffic congestion that the show would be delayed. No problem, Madonna was worth the wait! This time I ended up with seats in section 121 on the side of the stage, not really a good section because of no front views of Madonna. I was supposed to receive seats in section 126 which I had purchased from the fan club but the Centrum released them and I ended up with these instead. It was still interesting as I got to see how the stage setup worked, etc. Now around 8:20 p.m., I'm not for sure but I swear I saw someone with blond hair appear behind the stage looking out. Perhaps Madonna herself was checking to see if people were arriving and filling up the seats. Anyway after the show when I left the stage area I heard one guy say "It Sucked". He must not be a big Madonna fan. Also I saw a female with an outfit/shoes on just like the outfits they had on for the Don't Tell Me segment. Maybe one of the dancers. I would've stopped her but she seemed in a hurry and I didn't want to bother her. I don't think she made any mistakes with the lyrics, at least I didn't notice. On Wednesday's show towards the end she did kind of falter slightly and said something like "I guess I need a sip of water". I can't wait til the dvd is released as this was a very cool show. Anyone who remotely enjoys Madonna I recommend you see this show. It was worth every penny. I only wish I could see it live again. ~ Eric Madonna amazed the hell out of Madonna amazed the hell out of. It was the best concert I ever been to. I absolutely loved it! It was original, very creative, the choreography was great, and Madonna sounded wonderful. It was worth the money! ~ Erica New York City - June - A top show by a top lady After witnessing what can only be described as the biggest spectacular on earth I am still stunned. It really was a night to remember. From start to finish I was amazed. Her voice was powerful, confident and she relished every moment by the looks of it. American Life may not have competed as well in the charts as many hoped but as far as her live shows go, no one could rival this. Hearing Vogue I almost died, it was great to see her in action. I was delighted she included American Life songs because it is my favourite album of hers, with Mother and Father my favourite song by our Queen. Hits such as Like a Prayer, Material Girl, Holiday, Papa Don't Preach and more were full of energy and enthusiasm. I was disappointed there was no Ray of Light or Love Profusion but not everyone can be pleased. All in all a top show by a top lady. By the time she had left the stage after Holiday I wanted to stay seated until the following night to watch again, but it wasn't going to happen. If you can get tickets for this show I would grab them regardless of the cost, you will not be disappointed. ~ Gordon New York City - 16 June - 17 nights with Madonna After seeing Madonna 12 times now, I'm still in awe of her after 20 years... She put on a show of all shows at Madison Square Garden. How does one compete with her talent. I was in the last row on the fourth floor and when a member of her team gave me and my friends first row center stage tickets, my mouth dropped to the floor. Madonna sang old and new songs, a perfect mixture of her 20 years. Can't wait to go again; 5 more nights to go! ~ Scott Washington DC - 14 June - Awe-struck in DC I was awe-struck as I left the MCI Center June 14th after witnessing the greatest living performer and entertainer mesmerize the crowd with her amazing body and angelic voice. Again, Madonna outdid herself. My friend Kelly and I soaked in the show from our 8th row floor seats Monday night and in all honesety, my thoughts and feelings of how she evoked me, enchanted me and tantalized my mind, body and soul can not be expressed in such a short space as this. Madonna was beautiful Monday night. She smiled and genuinely had fun with the crowd. Her voice was flawless, unlike I've ever heard it before. She made the crowd laugh at the beginning of Express Yourself when she forgot to say "C'mon girls, do you believe in Love" instead going right into the song. "Oh Sh*%," she exclaimed, laughing. It was a moment of recognition for me. Not even Madonna is perfect, although the show sure seemed perfect. The Beast Within introduction made my heart stop for a moment and rendered me speechless. The visuals on the screen were beautiful and captivating.Even more so was her girly voice, reciting the psalm that echoed through the center. With five costume changes and continuous movement from her dancers, the skateboarder and bagpiper the show was never dull. Although I thoroughly enjoyed the theatrical theme of the Drowned World Tour three years earlier, this show was fun and it appealed to her fans of all ages with her vintage tunes of Burning Up, Crazy for You, Like a Prayer and Papa Don't Preach. Faithful fans, like myself, appreciate the visuals with Mother and Father and her soft voice in Nothing Fails. It is difficult for me to write a review since I am in no way a professional commentator, musician or entertainer, but as a fan I realized how much I love this woman and why I admire her and adore her. She is one of a kind and like her final message indicated (as there were many throughout the show) she utterly re-invented herself. MY hope is that she continues to do so. ~ Jen San Jose - 09 June - It was fierce! WOW!!! Seems like everyone is having a blast so far. Personally, twice wasn't enough. I was lucky enough to fly down to L.A. for the opening nite's show and caught it once again the Bay Area. Anyways, I just needed to add my feelings about this show to the site as well. IT WAS FIIIEERRRCCCEEEEE!!! Way better than DWT. She was so much more personable and talked. For the San Jose show, I scored floor seats. Let me tell you...when she came down on the catwalk, I nearly passed out. Seeing her that close was surreal. I could not believe how close I was...even if it was just for a split second. Anyways, I don't want to spoil it for the other's out there still waiting for the show to hit their town. The two songs I needed to hear were Vogue and Like A Prayer, both of which she did. Let me tell you, when Vogue opened up....I was there with her...throwing down on the dance floor. Enjoy and can't wait to read other reviews as they come in. ~ Daniel San Jose - 09 June - I hear you, Madonna! As I sat in the VIP lounge enjoying my Alfredo Pasta and cocktail, it hit me. What was it about this experience that was making me feel sad: Madonna's final Bay Area performance? The end of months of anticipation? Actually, I think it was: the looks on my three friends' faces when I handed them the laminated passes and their first-rate seats the first night of Madonna's shows. I expected cheers... instead I got tears. The term VIP itself would never apply to me under any circumstances. Us common folk made to feel special this one time. I then started to recall the many emails to and from fellow fans who wanted meet up before the first show. I recalled the handsome couple who gave my friends their seats when they got upgraded to closer seats. I remembered further back to the rainy San Francisco night I was trying to decide to purchase the $700 package deals on my very limited budget. Back and forth I went to madonnaviptickets.com trying to decide and plan for a special event...all the while The Next Best Thing played on my DVD player. Finally I remembered the promise I made to myself after seeing Drowned World Tour from 45 rows away from Madonna that the next time would be different. It would be special and I would make it special for those closest to me no matter what the cost. My best friend and myself were led to our seats one last time. This time in Row 8 next to the center section. Closer than ever...and possibly the last time I can claim to ever see Madonna perform so closely. And so it began... The audience was, by far, the most lively of all the shows. The entire arena was doing "The Wave" as well as screaming and applauding each time a set of lights would go out. Madonna's show began and audience noise level was deafening this time. We were on our feet the second the opening BEAST WITHIN montage starts, the platform raises and Madonna breaks out into VOGUE. The moves were flawless, Madonna exuded pure energy. If NOBODY KNOWS ME doesn't get you grooving while Madonna, in thigh-high boots, does her little walk/stomp across the stage, then INTO THE GROOVE is guaranteed to send your dancing shoes into orbit! None of the dancers were a step off balance, the show clipped along at a rock-steady pace and it was plainly obvious this show is getting sharper with each performance. One thing I will never forget is Madonna's alabaster skin, luminated by spotlight...her eyes - saucers as green as the Grecian oceans giving me a double-take as she passed by on the catwalk. I don't know why she did (as I wasn't the only one dancing this time) but she did and I felt "noticed". Pinch me. Madonna spent a few more moments introducing her rendition of Lennon's Imagine and her song CRAZY FOR YOU than she did before. Before she began MATERIAL GIRL, she told us, "I just want to tell you all - you're a great crowd!" Cue a deafening roar. Mid-concert, the row in front of me was guys and girls dancing together and having a great time. An hour before, they would hardly look at each other. Entire sections in the Loge seating had their arms raised and swaying to CRAZY FOR YOU. Madonna was obviously touched. This made her interact more with the audience and motion toward us during her songs rather than keeping her hands closer to her sides. By the close of the performance I was no longer sad. There was no reason to be. The show ends with the statement Reinvent Yourself. Yet, in no way is the show ever over...keep yourself going, keep things fresh and most of all, enjoy life. I hear you, Madonna. Loud and clear! Thanks for reading and to those of you who are seeing Madonna in the next months: Have yourself the best, most memorable time! ~ Steve W. San Jose - 08 June - Madonna is top of her game By now, you know the songs. You also have some idea of the Reinvention Tour experience. Here's a question: Is once ever enough? In my case, a resounding NO! I treated myself and a great friend to two VIP tickets for Madonna's second San Jose show on June 8th. This time, I was located in the very front row of Loge section 101. If you will be seeing the show in Paris, section 101 at HP Pavilion Arena is the similar "cousin" of Porte E or Porte P at Bercy. If you happen to be in those seats this September, you will have a few things going for you that is missing from the floor (or Fosse): more room to dance, a place to stow away your tour book and T-shirts and the best full-on, unobstructed view you have ever seen! The VIP room was completely packed. No tables were available and most people were standing around chatting and noshing on hot, sliced Turkey or BBQ pork sandwhiches, salads and hot baked rolls. I was impressed the menu had actually improved and the food was very good. I can only imagine what they'll serve at Bercy! The crowd was much more relaxed this second outing as was Madonna herself. Two things of note: Madonna started off fast and furious and was maybe a tad too far ahead of herself - she didn't quite nail that headstand at first but the rest of her performance was smooth and natural. I just don't buy those "stories" of her fainting - it's not the most grueling physical performance (that honor goes to BLOND AMBITION and certain sections in WHO'S THAT GIRL), yet Madonna is not a frail person, either. A person can sense when someone is in trouble and I just didn't feel it from Madonna! She is the top of her game here, that is certain! Her vocals were as strong and clear as the June 6th show. In fact, the acoustics were definitely improved. Crystal clear as a bell! Another thing to note is that HOLLYWOOD, although not sung by Madonna, is an absolute show-stopper. Not much has been written about this section, but it drew the same level of applause as the star of the show did. The dancers are amazing: a breakdancer, a "Cab Calloway" era tap dancer, a Hindu dancer and a "rad" skateboarder who drew gasps as he ended his part flying up in the air and landing in a crouched position beside his ramp, skateboard tucked safely under his arm. Fast and furious applies here in one liberal dose of entertainment. These boys and girls are GREAT dancers. Not good...GREAT. Another amusing moment came later when Madonna, twirling at the end of PAPA DON'T PREACH, looks at the audience, relaxes her shoulders and laughs, "...I think I just made myself dizzy!" The audience enjoyed that and applauded louder. No, she wasn't sick - merely human and making light of herself. That is what made everyone smile - almost as if she trusted us enough to enjoy her little goofy moment at her expense. This must be new Madonna I've been seeing lately. She is still the familiar Diva we know and have always loved, but this time around her self-irony can either be serious and full of meaning... or, simply put: FUN. The same applies to this show. Please, do not miss it. ~ Steve W. San Jose - 06 June - Genuine star delivers goods at cosmic proportions After being wisked past the long line to the HP Pavilion to the VIP reception area, the adrenaline rush set in. The VIP reception area was low-key, but well-attended. Our little group stood for a while with our cocktails since all the tables were taken. After finally finding seats and having a great time bonding with other fans over a tasty snack of fried tamales and baked chips with quacamole, sour creme and beans. After having my second cocktail (a Lemon Drop) we were led to our seats to the open arena. It was all a bit too much to take in at first. The floor area was well organized, so well in fact, it was impossible to go from area to area with showing your ticket to every floor monitor. I was granted two tickets in row 12 from Madonnaviptickets.com. Not really sure how close these seats would actually be, I was shocked to find that the seats were very, very close to the stage. No need to try to get a better seat - it was perfect. When the show started, the fans were on their feet and screaming - the Diva rises from the stage on a raised platform and the crowd went wild. It took a moment to get over the unrealness of it all - it was almost like watching a video until she started VOGUE. From row 12 - she was close! Not to sound like a gushing Mad Madonna fan, but I must admit: this is a great show. I cannot describe how much energy the star exuded - she is one exciting performer to watch. Her singing was EXCELLENT although I felt the acoustics at the arena could have been fine-tuned a little more. Her sound system was crisp and clear - so much that I could talk to my friend and hear her voice perfectly. My ears were not ringing and half-deaf when the show ended. This is a get-up-and-dance show. Also nice to see was Donna DeLory - she looked great, sang great and...really has some good moves on her! Second singer Siedah Garrett seemed perfectly at home as well - it was great to see her live for the first time and dance, too! From my view, the PIT areas on the sides of the stage were filled with some really lively folks - they screamed louder than the whole auditorium! Madonna spent a few moments with each group and you could tell she was getting off on their affections. I had my moment too: during Vogue I really let loose. I was the only one dancing in our section (although everyone was on their feet) and she looked right at me with THAT look - a slight smile, but knowing she had us hooked. A few people looked over at me and my friend next to me says, "Guess you got HER attention!" What can I say - that is MY SONG! On the other hand, Madonna shot me a glance as I was sitting (actually drinking water for only a few moments to keep from passing out - the arena was HOT...so take WATER!) as she was singing NOTHING FAILS and literally eyed me until I stood back up - couldn't blame her but the girls behind me were so petite I was trying to keep from blocking their view. I was next to the aisle in direct view of her and pretty obvious - so...back up I went. All in all, this was one really awesome affair. Everything positive I heard great about this show was met... and beyond. However, you just have to experience it yourself - this is, in all honesty, a fantastic show that is tight, precise and well-executed. It seems a little of each of her previous shows makes an appearance. In particular, HANKY PANKY turned out to be my real favorite act - sort of like an encore from GIRLIE SHOW... a hint as to what that show must have been like to see live (I missed that show). She has a good time with that one - the burlesque nature of that one is like Breathless Mahoney taking over the stage and taking us further back. Madonna is not only an entertainer, she's a genuine STAR - one that delivers the now-legendary goods to her fans... at cosmic proportions. ~ Steve W. Anaheim - 03 June - Madonna looked at me 3 times I went to the Anaheim show on June 3 and it was the second time I was seeing the show. I went to the opening in L.A. at the Forum and I just had to see it again cause the first time it went by so fast and it was so amazing. My seat was located to the right corner of the stage next to an aisle, a couple of steps up from the floor and the seats to my right was closed off for some reason. I was about 15 feet away from the stage and here was no one to block my view and Madonna had a clear view of me =). So I get to my seat at 7:30pm and notice a camera crew filming on the floor aisle in front of me. I thought it might be for the documentary. They were following this woman who was talking to the camera and saying she had a backstage pass and that she would take them backstage. So they kept doing take after take of going from the floor to the backstage. This woman looked really familiar. She looked like Cynthia McFadden (?), a news correspondent for the news magazine show Primetime Live or 20/20. Maybe she's doing a story and not the documentary. Then I notice Liz Rosenberg was there talking to some people and telling them to enjoy the show. Then I saw Jamie King, the director and choreographer of the show walk by. I had snuck in a disposable camera but didn't use it cause there were ushers on guard checking tickets for people who had seats on the floor and they were in front of me. The ushers were really strict, they grabbed a small sign that said "MADONNA" from a fan, they even wouldn't let this guy on the floor cause he didn't have his pass even though he kept walking back and forth on the floor aisle beforehand. He yelled to the usher "But I have to start the show!" I guess he was the show production director. So it was not a good idea to use my camera. Dammit! I was so close to the stage too! Once in a while the audience would roar for Madonna to come out and finally she came out at 8:30pm. It looked like the show wa sn't sold out but it could be that people were late to the show cause there was a baseball game happening at the same time in the area and traffic was congested. I have to say the Forum audience were louder, danced and stood up the entire time. The Anaheim audience were great and sang along too but not as energetic and they kept sitting down. Before singing Like a Prayer, Madonna urged the front row people to stand up. When I saw the opening at the Forum I remember Madonna singing Nothing Fails to the right of the stage but at the Anaheim show she sang it to the left of the stage. Before singing Crazy for You Madonna thanked her fans who stood by her "for 20 fucking years" and the crowd cheered back. She dedicated Mother and Father to Melanie but couldn't hear if it was for her sister or her former assistant. At the end of the show the two huge screens on the side were supposed to move back to the front to block the stage and say "Reinvent Yourself" but they didn't move and the screen was blank. You could still see Madonna under the stage hugging her dancers when the show was over. The show was much better the second time seeing it cause I knew what to expect, appreciated it more and seem to last longer. Also Madonna looked at me 3 times, though they were quick glances, we still made eye contact. Something I'll never forget. ~ RB Anaheim - 02 June - Vote Madonna, not Bush I was reading the fan reports or press on ANAHEIM.... I went to Madonna's first night in Anaheim on June 2nd @ Arrowhead Pond in Anaheim. I won pit passes from MTV and took my best friend. The word for the audience that night "ROWDY"..... Because of my winning the Pit Passes, I had to arrive @ 6:15PM to check in with Madonna's tour manager ALISON LARKIN for Clear Channel.... She told us when we got there "You guys need to make some noise, and show M you are having a good time, because the show in Vegas was lazy people in their seats, and not cheering enough or feeding Madonna's energy. On the night I went on 6/2 it was rowdy like I said. I originally bought tickets for 6/3, before I won the grand prize from MTV, with only (1) entry. I utilized my tickets for the 3rd, and went again. I wasn't on the floor that night, or able to touch her on more than 1 occasion like I did on the 2nd.... Where I was sitting on the 2nd show in Anaheim, there are a lot of people sitting. If you got up and tried to raise hell like those people on the floor, you could easily fall and barrel down 10 rows of people.... Anyhow from the PIT... Excellent... She was very "attentive" to us. She knew there was no place on earth that we would have rather been then in the place that she worked into her tour... for her fans... She winked, smiled, grinned a lot. She looked good, sang well, and her guitar skills for Burning Up & Material Girl phenomenal. At the start of Material Girl on the 1st show in Anaheim.... She said, "This song is so old, it's new." Also her sister Melanie was there, and since pit people came into the venue first, and left it last, we were able to walk right by her sister and her guest and say hello. We knew who they were. Plus Madonna saying, "Yeah, You there, in the 3rd row, I will be seeing you after the show.." Every performance, all re-worked or re-worked enough to see the significance. Even video montages, done over, done new, done better. Imagery that every voter should see before election day. The messages in the imagery, her conviction, her energy, is something other people should have been a fan of for 21yrs like myself.... She said a long time ago she was interested in "pushing peoples buttons" & she has. Whether it was sex or clothing or dying her hair or writing lyrics about oral sex, or humping a bed or cake, she got everyones attention and has stayed popular. But the bigger picture...She has helped the women's movement so much just by not being afraid. Everyone paid attention to say "SEX....BAD" or whatever, but they can't see why she got everyone to pay attention....TO OPEN UP YOUR EYES....But they are too fixated on her, or trying to condemn her. She is fabulous. There will never be another. Just like with Prince. They masterfully did everything that someone could try to take credit for now 20 years ago. She is a legend in our time, and bashing BUSH, isn't so bad. I am sure his weapons will magically be discovered sometime in late September or early October... Just in time for election day. Madonna's video of American Life - the original... I have it on my computer, but she knew way back then how volitile the situation would become before April of 2003... She could have helped people see, but then having that out there would have changed the events. But even though it wasn't put out there... It is now exactly what she thought then. UNNECESSARY DESTRUCTION & DEATH .... INNOCENT PEOPLE GONE FOREVER. She is a mother, she wants her children to be safe... I want her and her children to be safe. I may have segued from original idea of conversation, but I am very passionate about her art & having that much contact with someone who you have admired and adored and loved for 21 years.... THE BEST EXPERIENCE OF MY LIFE.... Anyone who has something bad to say about her show is bitter that they couldn't get tickets that were good enough, or are just miserable themselves and have to project their pain on to everyone around... It was her best show out of her 6 tours... Carefully planned & crafted... Very Precise. She is a legend in our time. Even though there is war going on or what not. She has been a source of happiness to me and several of my friends in any time of bad in the world or bad in your personal life. She has never failed to make smile. Excellent Show... Many elements of POP CULTURE in the show, people of all kinds will be entertained. Can reach so many different types of people. IT's OBVIOUS THAT SHE ISN'T GOING TO RUN OUT OF MATERIAL... SO PEOPLE SHOULD SHUT UP AND APPRECIATE WHAT SHE HAS BROUGHT TO THE TABLE... People can say Rolling Stones or Aerosmith are legends... Sure they have been around for years and are great musicians, but if they weren't drunk & leaving illegitemate children here and there, or just singing on stage with the occasional pyrotechnics, what else do they do. Rock and Roll Hall of Fame will be next for MADONNA... Not that she needs that for validation... IT IS ALL RIGHT IN BILLBOARDS BOX SCORE WITH THE $7 MILLION figure in the number one spot. Venue doesn't even hold that many people either. That is commanding the attention of an audience. Getting drunk & stoned and getting all of your old middle age fans into a stadium together because they still "Can't get no satisfaction" just isn't the same to me. But the damn style of music is. RE-INVENTION TOUR... HER FANS HAVE BEEN ON IT SINCE 1982... The public should wake up & go see what we have known the whole time... SHE IS THE QUEEN, GODESS, DIVA, GAY ICON, THE MASTER OF RE-INVENTION, but that is what the media calls it... They all are apart of her heart and her soul, as how she will forever be with her fans. GREAT TOUR, GREAT SHOW, GREAT WOMAN, UNSTOPPABLE... The best thing to happen to the 20th Century... SOMEONE WHO COULD SAY WHAT THEY HELL THEY WANTED TO, AND NOT APOLOGIZE FOR IT... SHE SHOULDN'T & SHE DIDN'T... ANYONE WHO ISN'T INTERESTED IN AN EXPERIENCE THIS MINDBLOWING... MUST HAVE VOTED FOR BUSH... WHICH IS THE MINDBLOWING THING REALLY... STUPID IF YOU VOTED FOR HIM... STUPID IF YOU CAN'T APPRECIATE POP MUSIC's BEST GIFT & Most Precious Asset... ~ Michael Southard Anaheim - 02 June - We didn't want it to end This is my second post. I've seen Madonna's concert on may 24, 26 and june 2nd. Last night on june 2nd, I finally got closer to see Madonna on stage, I was so thrilled! She was in a lot better mood and energetic than on may 24 and may 26. My friend and I didn't want Madonna to end the show, we wanted to hear her sing more and more! I was lucky that I got a chance to see Madonna for the third time. Anyway, I've had enough because I've already seen it, my friend and i really enjoyed it and had blast. I will buy the DVD as soon as it gets released but we'll probably see her live on CBS this next fall (i dunno for sure). You get a chance to see her live show, hopefully she will come back in the future but i'm not sure. By the way, Arrowhead Pond concert is one of the most beautiful and cleanest in Anaheim, california. That's about it. So ENJOY THE MADONNA SHOW! ~ Carlo Maniquez Las Vegas - 30 May - So surreal My Las Vegas experience was absolutly THE best! We arrived later then we had wanted to, then stood in line to buy my Madonna's my homegirl T! Then said our "see ya laters" to our friends and made our way to our seats. Once at our seats we gave a real true shout out to our friends so they could check out where we were sitting. This must have been when the tour manager noticed us and our great outfits that we had spent soooo much time putting together! We all looked absolutely awesome. We each chose our fave M album, and put the cover on a white shirt, and then dressed up in the look from that time. Any ways as I said, it must have been when the tour manager noticed us cause the next thing ya know I hear this screaming from above me. My sister was screaming at me "we got them!!!!! we got them!!!! come on!!!! we are going down to the floor!!! yup! you guessed it, we got relocated. The tour manager asked how many people where in our party, and when we told him 6 he said "hhmmmm well I only have 5 for row b, and 1 for row A." And before ya know it I had finally made it down to the floor from where I was originally sitting, and my friends handed me the row A seat!!!!!!! YES! for the first time in my entire life something absolutely amazing was about to happen! i finally got to be soooooo close to Madonna!!! It was sooooooooo unbelievable, it still is hard to believe just how close I was to her! she sang some of imagine right to me! eye to eye! and smiled at me and even gave me a few winks!!!! Incredible! Donna was hilarious! she kept smiling at me cause I was singing every single word to every single song! ha ha.....She winked at me! and during Hanky Panky she was being all cute sexy ! ha ha Then at the end of the show the film crew for the documentary came down to us and interviewed us!!!!!!! man...it was sooooo surreal! Oh ya! by the way the "kabbalists do it better" shirt that she tossed in to the audience was thrown right to my little sister! Madonna looked at her and nodded her head, took the shirt of and aimed it and tossed it right to her. but this girl, who by the way was in the 3rd row and... was sitting all night! (what the hell is that!) snatched it right out from her hands! and then once she had it she sat down for the rest of the show!!!!!! man, if ya ask me she so didn't deserve it, heck she didn't deserve to be sitting where she was!!!! Anyway! enough of that bitterness! ha ha its just my big brother side of me!! ha ha This show was incredible, and of course Madonna was absolutely incredible in every way! and heck I am the luckiest dude alive!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH M, for an amazing experience!!!!!................your beautiful!!!!! ~ jaysen, julie, bj, michelle, roxanna and dextor Las Vegas - 30 May - Simply unforgettable I attended the 2nd Vegas show and it was unbelievable! The Beast Within beginning pretty much set the theme of the show. Then Vogue started with "What are you looking at?" It was cool to see Madonna in such a great shape as she was doing all the yoga poses. She sang it live, which only added value to the experience. Nobody Knows Me was pretty much just her dancing all over the stage with the lyrics displayed on the screens as she sang, but still a very good performance. The stage radically changed for American Life and the screens were showing a lot of war images. Express Yourself in the military style started with "Las Vegas, are you ready?" and "Come on boys, do you believe in love?", which was really funny considering how it changed the original version of the song. Before she got executed in the electric chair during Die Another Day Madonna danced with all of her male dancers. It was a very "Evita"-like dance. I think it was somewhere in the first half of the show when Madonna said "no sitting" to the first couple of rows. Then she added "you can sit down only if I sit down." I really liked how the screens were used as props throughout the show. My favorite scene was the night sky full of stars during a slow version of Deeper and Deeper. When introducing Imagine she said it was written by "a great man" and "one day it will be a reality." Her voice was absolutely amazing although she did a lot more dancing than during her last tour. The highlights of the evening were definitely Like a Prayer, Don't Tell Me, Holiday and Music. Everybody was up and singing. Simply unforgettable! ~ Richard Las Vegas - 29/30 May - It's never been just a concert Both shows in Las Vegas were excellent!! Madonna , is truly a master of creating and performing a show. No-one in the musical entertainment industry has ever mastered this art. It has never been just a concert for Madonna. ~ John LA - 26 May - Second show better than opening night Last night was much better (may 26th) than the first opening night. I was sitting in the terrace box 1 along with my friend. Madonna was beautiful in the second songs was Vogue, great looking at 45... I enjoyed all the other songs such as American Life, Express Yourself, Papa Don't Preach, Into The Groove, Music and one of the beautiful songs was imagine by john lennon, she sings about starving childrens, i was impressed by the video... for the Drowned World Tour back in 2001 was a little bit weird but now for the reinvention tour is much better and the style always looked great on her. You have to see her show... Ii really enjoyed her show, I wish she would sing more, more and more, I didn't want it to end... hopefully she'll come back again later in the future. ~ Carlo LA - 24 May - Another Amazing Tour What a great show!! Madonna always pushes herself to the next level. I still can't believe she played guitar from the last tour. I don't really care what song she sings as long as she performs her heart out to her fans. I was impressed on how she sang live. No lip-syncing, no pre-recoreded vocals, and no singing along with a track. The stage was amazing, very creative and original. She tone down also on sex for this tour instead she became political for anti-war. I saw also more dance routines than her last tour which was great. She can still get into the groove. She also looked great. She only has 5 costumes on this tour. There were no encores, people were still shouting and clapping for her to come out. That might dissapoint some fans but the entire show was amazing anyways. I go to alot of gigs but I never seen any artist like Madonna. She is one of a kind. I am very blessed to have seen her live in person. ~ Renato Herrera LA - 24 May - Debi Mazar at opening show Hey there. i went to the opening show of Madonna here in LA, it was amazing!!!! She was fantastic! I saw Debi Mazar with Blow-Up going to the back stage and to the Madonna private party. I tried to talk to Blow-up and Debi Mazar but it was impossible, also they looked all really good. ~ Toni LA - 24 May - What a fuckin awesome show! Hey all. I just got back from opening night of the Re-Invention Tour at the Great Western Forum in Los Angeles. OMG What a fuckin awesome show!!! I had a great time, and it was just a totally awesome night. On the way there, Monica, Jo, and Shawn and I headed out around 5:30. I was positive it was gonna be more than enough time. Anyways after very little traffic, I arrived at the venue around 7:15 or so. Well When I went inside, Totaly Craziness. Hotties, Madonna fans, Beautiful People, Everything awesome. I met up with a friend of mine and we hung out for a little while before the show. I hurried back to my seat at around 7:45 or so. Well When I got to my seat, a little more than a quarter of the Forum was still empty. I heard that the traffic was really bad and that people were still on their way to the Forum. No worries, Madonna decided to start the show a little later than planned, around 8:30. By the time the lights went out, it was a capacity crowd of approximately 18,000. Also, I got to see my sweetie Keyboardist Stuart Price, who is nothing short of amazin. What a QT! Here is a complete rundown of the concert. The Beast Within (intro) - Madonna is not actually onstage during this segment, but the video compiled from her X-Static Process shoots was very artistic and rather haunting. This performance of The Beast Within has totally made me a huge fan of this song. Vogue - Madonna is brought up on stage in various yogic positions. She opens by striking a bunch of yoga poses and holding them, while the music plays in the background. Then they break out into similar choreography from the 1990 MTV Video Music Award Performance. Nobody Knows Me - This performance offers us with a great look at Madonna's incredibly toned body. She writhes around the dance floor and is just spectacular. Frozen - She sings this amazing ballad acoustic with just her a mic, and images of nude bodies being projected on the big screens behind her. It is beautiful. American Life - This was nothing short of amazing. A major production number with lots of detailed choreography. Love the strong anti-war sentiment that was seen throughout this performance. Definitely a performance to remember. Express Yourself - Come boys, do you believe in love? Hot men in military gear, what is not to love? Burning Up - She performed this with a heavy metal sound and played her own electric guitar. It was hot hot hot!!! Material Girl - similar to Burning Up, but with a little more dancing. It was really funny, cause a picture of Albert Einstein popped up on the screens at the beginning of this song. Is she saying that Nerds are Hawt? Cause i would totally agree... Hollywood - This was awesome. I am pretty sure this was lip-synched but no biggie, It was expected with such amazing dance moves. Definitely one of my favorites of the evening. This was very energetic and I was simply amazed that at 45, this woman can do all that. Hanky Panky - Absolute Fun! It was a total treat to see Madonna perofrming this song. I totally sppreciate the humor involved. Deeper And Deeper - Who knew this dance club hit could be performed as a jazzy nightclub song with such romantic appeal? This version of the song better get released as a single. Die Another Day - This is definitely an awesome reworking of a brilliant music video and song. Her dancers are incredibly HOT!!! She does in fact get electricuted, but I was expecting more, it's not as amazing as it sounds, but it is great. Lament - This is such a sad turning point in the concert. The Lament is done very beautifully and you really get the feeling that she is leaving something, maybe her materialistic world? Bedtime Story - Outrageous! Hauntingly Beautiful! One of my favorite Madonna songs to begin with, but the video accompanyment is just amazing! Although she is not actually on stage for this one, you do get a feeling that something awesome is gonna happen. And it does!!! The magnificent white horse the rides through the desert coupled with her all white look is quite visually stunning. Nothing Fails - Beautiful, yet somewhat dissapointing. I was expecting more drama and intrigue with this song, but she just stands in front of a mic and sings it. Although it is really great! Don't Tell Me - This is reworked with a Parisian theme, with a romantic backdrop of the Eiffel Tower and the Parisian skyline being lit by a beautiful full moon. Like A Prayer - This song has been reworked as a total homage to Kaballah. I particularly enjoyed all of the Hebrew letters beamed onstage on the screens and what not. The animation was quite good. It brought a newfound mysterious side to both the nature of this song as well as the Kaballah. Mother And Father - Quite interesting. I am sooo happy she picked this song from American Life. It is one of my favorite songs, but is not really a highly choreographed one. She sort of just dances a little on stage but most of the performance involves images of children from around the world being beamed onto the huge screens. Very lovely cause a picture of Madonna's Mother, is projected onscreen as a tribute. Imagine (John Lennon cover) - It worked!!! She did an amazing job. Very raw vocals, and just stuck with it. The video accompanyment was sooo touching and incredibly loving. If this is the Madonna we now have, then I love it. She is truly a beautifully gifted artist and is definitely a music video visionary. The barbarism of war depicted closes as images of war and poverty-ravaged children eventually gave way to footage of a Muslim boy and his Israeli counterpart smiling as they walked with their arms wrapped around each other. This video montague coupled with John Lennon's vocals is what all of America and the world needs to see. We would definitely think again about fighting so much. What a truly poignant sentiment... Into The Groove (with bag pipes intro) - Beautiful. Fun. Active. Just Amazing. The costuming is very simple which allows for a great dance number. They play with sticks and the choreography is quite good. Missy Elliot is beamed up onto the video screens and while it is totally awesome, it does distract from what is happening on stage. Full of energy!!! I am amazed this woman has that much energy... Papa Don't Preach - Very loving. Cute choreography that brings you back to the days of your childhood. It is remixed a bit from the original but quite good. Crazy For You - She dedicated this song to her "fans that've stood by me for the last twenty years." She sings it beautifully and you really get a feeling that your are at the nightclub in Visionquest. You really feel her voice taking over. Absolutely beautiful. Music - An awesome set for this one. Love the remix work Music gets for this one. Very fun to dance to. Lots of energy. The podium that she is on is quite interesting, similar to the one they use at the Hyperion at Disney for the Aladdin show, except it is shaped differently and quite uniquely. A huge disco ball emerges and is totally awesome. Holiday - Opens with a bunch of Flags from Around the World being beamed onto the big screens. Each one morphing into the next. A high energy closer for the show. Quite impressive, ends with all the flags morphing into one. Quite a visual statement. Beautiful. Ok! That is that. An awesome night. I totally want to go again. They kept teasing us with the possibility of an encore, but then she had sound effects of President George W. Bush's speech about the Iraqi transfer of power deadline. It was remixed with some kinda techno. Eh! It was interesting. I bought a tour poster, some madonna buttons, and a Re-Invention Tour wristband at the Signatures booth. Had I have known that she was having an after party at The Forum Club, I soo woulda stayed. But it was off to the IE. Well that is all for now. AMAZING!!! Madonna, I heart you. ~ Neerav. LA - 24 May - Vogue was sung live I disagree with the assessment that Frozen was the first "non-lip synched song" of the show... whoever this reviewer obviously has no ear. Yes, parts of Vogue were lip synched most notably the "rap" of all the stars names... but the verses and choruses were clearly being sung live. Also, Nobody Knows Me was definitely sung live -- but put through the synthesizer to make it sound like the album version... but she was definitely singing that song. Otherwise, the assessment was pretty accurate -- although I thought Nothing Fails was great. ~ Troy LA - 24 May - Who doesn't like Hanky Panky? I was there at around 7:15 pm and was seated quite quickly, I was surprised with the lack of security but oh well, maybe it was well hidden. Anyways, The Beast Within was a totally awesome opening, I absolutely loved it!!! Some of my favorite performances were... 1) Absolutely loved the Bedtime Story video segments totally fuckin rocked...and She looks fuckin gorgeous 2) Burning Up (it was HOT!!! What more is there to say?) 3) Madonna's Cover of John Lennon's Imagine (Madonna's raw vocals combined with the video montague was nothing short of kick-A) 4) American Life (Totally loved her political statements) 5) Crazy for You (she dedicated it to her fans and it was super sweet!!!) AND Hanky Panky cause who doesn't like that song? ~ Neerav Kapadia LA - 24 May - Bad traffic but great night Traffic was soooo backed up - we missed Beast Within, Vogue, Nobody Knows Me, and Frozen.... I'll catch them tomorrow. So, not counting those, my favorite numbers were... 1 - Burning Up (my absolute favorite - it truly rocked! - AWESOME) 2 - Lament (her voice sounded absolutely beautiful) 3 - Bedtime Story (visual sequence was PERFECT) 4 - Mother and Father (Cool visuals/symbolism and I really like the song) 5 - American Life (overall, really good) The best part of all... I'm meeting some great fans along the way. ~ ALL MY LOVE, jason :) LA - May 24 - Madonna you rock! I just returned home from opening night of the Reinvention Tour.... and it kicked ass!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was one of the MTV VIP winners and was actually right in the stage. The show was awesome..... great music, great dancing, great set, and most of all, Madonna showed she still can bring down the house. For the most part, all of the spoilers were correct, but still some differences. She even did Material Girl. I can't say enough about the tour, except that it is probably one of the best shows I'll ever see. Madonna... you rock!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ~ Antoine