Madonna: Sticky/Sweet

Sorry if this is riddled with major errors. Feel free to copyedit me in the comments. It's 5,000+ words and I'm pressed for time!

The first night I saw Sticky & Sweet, I was not enamored of it. I remembered hating Re-Invention the first time I saw it, owing to my lousy seats bought from the fan club (which has since improved drastically), then returning for the second night and loving it, so I decided to hold off on posting. What follows are my dueling reviews, intermixed.

*****

New Jersey, October 4, 2008—STICKY

*****

After an orgiastic experience with The Confessions Tour last time around—near-perfect show seen every night she played New York City from near-perfect and eventually front-row seats—there was never anywhere for me to go but down with Madonna’s Sticky & Sweet Tour, and down I’ve went on October 4…down to New Jersey.

This time, I decided I’d shake things up a bit, traveling to other cities to see her play for the first time since I was forced to by a rotten scalped seat to Blond Ambition in my home state of Michigan after the abruptly canceled in Chicago due to that infamous throat ailment documented in Truth Or Dare.  (Those were eighth-row seats. In the pre-catwalk days, that meant something.)

So the first show I went to was at the Izod Center (names of arenas have gotten progressively depressing, no?) in Joisey. My pal Joe (pictured, courtesy of Mark Doctrow) was my faithful chauffeur since I don’t drive and we don’t do busses. We were acting like we were above it all, then felt stupid arriving a couple of hours early so strolled through Pier 1 Imports, the least Madonna-esque experience imaginable. Finally, psyching ourselves out that we’d somehow be “late” to a show that was scheduled to begin at 8 even though Her Madgesty was not expected until 8:40 (and eventually didn’t go on until way, way past 9), we made our way back to the venue, first taking several wrong turns, exits and off-ramps.

By the time we arrived, the traffic was heavy and straight males with their broads were pulling aggressive cut-in moves, none of which Joe was having. Joe would have come in handy at Stonewall. Or in Bosnia.

The experience of parking a mile away and walking through a tunnel to get to the arena reminded me of Michigan-bound concerts I’d seen in the ‘80s—including Eurythmics, who wound up making a bizarre cameo in Madonna’s show.

Walking in, there were people parked having tailgate parties, yet another very un-Madonna phenomenon. Things were not adding up…would she actually show up to this, the North American premiere of Sticky & Sweet, or was this like one of those times your friend told you he’d heard from an unimpeachable source she was going to show up at the local disco unannounced, only to wind up being in London?

Adding to the karmic misalignment, as I strolled past one drunken hag—Madonna is selling in the hundreds of thousands of CDs these days, so she does not have a velvet-rope policy for her fans—she pointed at me and said, “You look just like Chris Sick-Own!” I rolled my eyes at her and gave her all the NYC snark I’d smuggled over the border, “Gee, thaaanks.” “No, but better-looking!” she offered. I have low self-esteem, but I will tell you one thing, I know Christopher Ciccone, I served with him in the Senate and I am no Christopher Ciccone.

Inside, everything felt and looked…small! I have no concept of seating capacity, but the venue is tiny or feels tiny compared to MSG, the only place I’ve seen any of Madonna’s big tours in the past 15 years. There was a chummy, no-frills air to the fans—nobody was looking down their noses at anyone who might appear to be riff-raff or who might appear to have dressed without a mirror sometime in the early 1990s. Except for Joe, but that’s his job. Yes, he was taking pictures of tragic fashion victims, which reminded me of when I was in college in Chicago and first heard of the “traffic police,” who handed out citations on Michigan Avenue.

I finally got to meet adorable Mark Doctrow, who had made sure my manuscript for Encyclopedia Madonnica got into the hands of Kurt Loder back in 1994. That led to a lovely quote for the book, and I remember writing back and forth with Mark (did I have e-mail then, or was it Pony Express?). He’d brought his Daniel Craig-look-alike date and some friends. They, of course, were sitting together. Me? I would be sitting by NOBODY I know for ANY of the shows because I’m so twisted I only care about getting the best possible seat., except my pal Giulio scored two side-by-side thanks to The Validator. Thank God for him and her, because I do feel a needy yearning for validation whenever Madonna is near.

I sat between a nice, quiet (points!) couple and several cute youngsters—we were four rows back from the end of the catwalk, which means that yet again, yes, Virginia, Madonna’s fan club rocks when it comes to doling out prime real estate. I told my neighbors that since we were in Jersey, it was not likely we’d see stars, but to expect a possible Rosie O’Donnelle sighting within our section. They scoffed. Then Rosie arrived and sat three rows away. Cue flashes and strained necks. Rosie looked heavier and deeply fake-tanned, but was very friendly with everyone around her, especially a ridiculously hot guy who Joe had mistaken for trade (maybe it was the Springsteen T-shirt with hacked-off sleeves?) but who must have been a piglet because he was a screaming queen like the rest of us when the lights went down.

*****

New York, October 6, 2008—SWEET

*****

For my second night of the show, I went out to eat with my pal Jason—who I met at Confessions only because he caught Madonna’s cowboy hat (see? I really am surrounded by greatness!) and had approached him for a picture for my blog—and his friends Anthony, Elly, Tracey, Anthony and Brent. Our group included Madonna-tour virgins, near-virgins and whores.

We devoured boxes at Go Sushi on 9th and then cabbed separately to MSG. Somehow, our cabs got wildly separated and half of us were standing around outside frozen (and our our hearts were not even broken).

We didn’t enter the arena until after 8, which is unheard of for me. We were mostly sitting apart, several of us going solo—better seats that way. I’d sold one of my extra seats at cost to the very cool Tracey, who wound up so close she could see every vein on Madonna’s arms (granted, you can also see those from across the street). She felt she should provide sexual favors or at least a kiss in exchange, but lucked out that while her sugar is raw, I’m more into savory that sweet.

I ran into Giulio (pictured), my pal visiting from Italy—we'll see the show tonight!

I was 6/D/3—even closer than I’d been in Jersey. It was like the fourth row back from the catwalk’s satellite stage, and there was a much shorter dead space between the barrier and our seating. I sat by a very nice guy and girl, both of whom were stag like me, both of whom hoped to rush the stage. Guess which one out of the three of us wound up at the stage with the guard ignoring the intrusion? Yes, the girl. But good for her.

I could see Zac Posen and Jerry Seinfeld’s ex-squeeze directly in front of the satellite stage, plus a Berg or two. Where was the A-list? I would later end the concert posing with Chi Chi LaRue.

*****

New Jersey, October 4, 2008—STICKY

*****

The show begins without as much fanfare as I have come to expect from Madonna. I still recall the phenomenal Girlie Show stomping—minimal and yet high-concept—and the insanely drawn-out “Justify My Revelations” intro from Re-Invention and expect that. Instead, Madonna emerges, simply enough, from behind a revolving panel, seated on her throne, singing along to herself on “Candy Shop.”

I don’t hate the song “Candy Shop,” but I do skip it when I listen to her excellent Hard Candy CD. I continue to be amazed and amused by how much Madonna adores the song, so much so that she named her album after it, did away with Steven Klein’s boxing motif in favor of candy wallpaper for its packaging,  used its lyrics to define her tour and opened the damn thing with it as well. It’s a fun opening and Madonna looks beautiful—her costume is sleek and sexy, like her body, and it’s fun to see her strip down and watch her hair reveal the full extent of its youthful length.

*****

New York, October 6, 2008—SWEET

*****

Staring down the right of the catwalk, my eyes were opened to the wisdom of the “Candy Shop” opening. The screens were much more impressive to me from this vantage point, and may well have also wowed from the cheap seats. I still feel she could have come up with better than spinning around from behind a panel to be revealed seated in a throne, but I enjoyed this so much more the second time around.

*****

New Jersey, October 4, 2008—STICKY

*****

Next up is probably my favorite song from the record, “Beat Goes On.” It should have been the song of the summer. Instead, it’s the second song she sings on her tour, a song she may or may not ever perform again. Madonna seemed to have fun with it. This was the first of many songs that found her showering the audience on her left with an inordinate amount of attention, and the first to make dispiriting use of projections featuring absent collaborators—I don’t care to see Pharrell Williams grinning down at me from giant screens, let alone Kanye rapping from them. There is a weird sense of detachment in this somewhat necessary gesture. What I loved about this performance was that she eventually shimmies down the catwalk, shimmies back, and returns in a white limo. I think Madonna might be at her most beautiful in this barely-there, nearly-Cher outfit, elongated by leather boots and capped off with a festive top hat, but I have to believe “Beat Goes On” would have been a far more effective opening, especially if the car had rolled down the catwalk and dumped its cargo at just the right moment.

*****

New York, October 6, 2008—SWEET

*****

At this point, I was a person or two away from the end of the catwalk and had adjusted my camera earlier in the day to account for “moving objects.” The results were spectacular. I go to Madonna shows to take pictures and video. I spend more time doing this than watching her with my bare eyes. So I was thrilled. So was Madonna—I really noticed how smily she was this time. There is no denying that was having the time of her life up there. Perhaps executing a show whose script is almost self-consciously devoid of depth frees her up to just enjoy.

****

New Jersey, October 4, 2008—STICKY

*****

“Human Nature” is a song of Madonna’s that I’ve never liked. “Express yourself/Don’t repress yourself?” Didn’t we already cover that in, um, “Express Yourself?” I see “HN” as the sort of defensive, self- reflexive song every major popstar eventually releases and which always bombs. “HN” did bomb. It’s not a good song, it’s not a memorable song, but it is a song that could be turned into something great onstage. Instead, Madonna sings it very simply, strumming her guitar, in her least appealing vocal of the night—a  tuneless snarl. Oh, and Britney Spears is on the screen mimicking the infamous video of a man who was trapped in an elevator for days. Why? I have to be honest—and this may say more about me than about her or about her show—in saying I did not even notice the Britney video. At all. I had to go back and view it a second time to even have it register.

This is part of what’s wrong with Sticky  & Sweet—in all of Madonna’s best tours, there is a whole lot of rich, contrasting imagery, there are competing messages, mysterious symbols. There are many different ways to interpret what she and her creative team had in mind. For Sticky & Sweet, the cerebral Madonna is absent. Nothing means anything. It’s just a fun show that has dancing. There is nothing wrong with a fun show that has dancing, but from Madonna, I like something more. I like when she takes her least “interesting” songs and makes them soar onstage, fleshes them out—how many times has she made “Into The Groove” or “Papa Don’t Preach” or even “Holiday” into more than what they may seem on a casual listen? Using costumes, projections and choreography, Madonna has been the master of mixed messaging, or massaging her fans’ curiosity. For me, and this was clear by the time “HN” ended, this is a try-out for Madonna’s eventual Vegas residency, a fate I never would have projected for her.

*****

New York, October 6, 2008—SWEET

*****

I don’t know what I was smoking in Jersey, but I actually kind of liked “Human Nature” this time, again because it was clear that she was thrilled to be singing it. But only kind of, because it’s still a song I could do without ever hearing again. And you know what? I still did not notice Britney on the screens until her very final “It’s Britney, bitch!”

*****

New Jersey, October 4, 2008—STICKY

*****

I was won over by the final part of the first section of the show, her update of “Vogue” that leans heavily on “4 Minutes.” I loved this re-imagining of the song because I actually like both songs a lot. The choreography for this was exciting and fresh—this was the first truly memorable aspect of Sticky & Sweet for me, not least of which was due to the fact that for the first time I can recall, Madonna was actually singing “Vogue!” Major regret: Madonna looks fab in that outfit, as I’ve noted, but she should have been in the faux-nude suits worn by her back-up dancers and they should have been in black. The most exciting fashion of the show are those suits—they’re hypererotic and fashion-forward and pop on stage like crazy.

Madonna is in a rut now with concerts, always offering four disparately-themed sections. This time, the sections felt much more random than ever, their themes much less meaningful than ever. I have no idea if I could successfully name any of the sections without reading advance buzz from other fans, but I knew we were on to the second part thanks to a lengthy video interlude of “Die Another Day.”

*****

New York, October 6, 2008—SWEET

*****

This performance I liked even more than in Jersey. It’s a great one for her. “4 Minutes” should have existed only here, but I suppose that would take chutzpah since it’s her most successful song in a hot 4 minutes.

*****

New Jersey, October 4, 2008—STICKY

*****

“DAD” is a love-it-or-hate-it song, one of her last radio hits thanks to its status as a Bond theme song. I mostly like it, and I absolutely loved the original video she shot for it even if the male dancers boxing brought zero to the scene (compare this to the somewhat plodding and yet ultimately impactful sequence from Confessions during which several dancers strutted their stuff to voice-overs regarding personal struggles—Confessions said knock you out!). It’s a pity Madonna has not made a video this good for any of her actual singles since “DAD” came out! This  was also the first appearance of my favorite Madonna look of S&S—the controversial bangs. I love her wig with the hacked-off bangs. I see it as strange, beautiful, harsh, ugly and unique. It calls to mind ‘40s hair like Barbara Stanwyck at her most film-noir fuckable or Joan Of Arc.

*****

New York, October 6, 2008—SWEET

*****

I spent less time watching the pointless boxers and more time enjoying the video—it’s spectacular. It was clearly filmed immediately post-surgery, so she has a stretchy-faced look, but it works with the futuristic, industrial feel of the short. I’m not sure I would end with Madonna falling, TKOed.

*****

New Jersey, October 4, 2008—STICKY

*****

“Into the Groove” was for me one of the most fun, most frustrating parts of the show. It was fun because Madonna looks cute and dances with the kind of abandon one has when one locks there door where no one else can see—not to mention she jump-ropes with the precision of a 12-year-old. It frustrated me because it all took place on the main stage instead of skipping down the catwalk at any point, and because her rich history with Keith Haring—which I’d always thought would make a brilliant set piece for a concert interpretation—was reduced to an unimaginative backdrop. Why not open your show with this song in a black bodysuit painted with glow-in-the-dark white squiggles, making yourself a human Keith Haring canvas? (If you can’t tell, I spent most of the show re-inventing Madonna’s opening—Madginal rejuvenation.) But I liked it and I liked the arrangement. I just wanted more, more, more.

*****

New York, October 6, 2008—SWEET

*****

I liked “ITG” much more on second look and listen. The jump-roping is classic. I still feel the song mix is forgettable.

*****

New Jersey, October 4, 2008—STICKY

*****

“Hearbeat” is a beautiful song from Hard Candy, and this to me was the one that best integrated what was happening live with what was happening on the screens. That said, this song is too limp to work live. It just sort of happened for me. Madonna performed the bulk of it on her catwalk’s satellite stage, but the choreography did not prove original enough to engage my attention.

*****

New York, October 6, 2008—SWEET

*****

I agree with myself—this song tanks in the context of this tour and for an ode to dancing it’s pretty hard to dance to this.

*****

New Jersey, October 4, 2008—STICKY

*****

When Madonna tore into “Burning Up” on Re-Invention, I was giddy! I jumped for joy. I remember being so depressed on Who’s That Girl when she didn’t sing it, and had no faith she’d ever touch it again. But once Madonna has broken down and done a rare oldie, it takes an equally energized and offbeat take on a similarly beloved oldie to have the same impact. Unfortunately, while I enjoyed hearing “Borderline” revived, it would be hard to argue that this song benefited as much as the hard-rockin’ “BU” did from the thrash-guitar treatment she gave both. On the plus side, that she would touch “Borderline” again does argue for Madonna’s increasing embrace of nostalgia, of giving fans what they want and of her expanding playfulness live. Through all my criticisms, I have to note that Madonna never looked like she was having anything less than the time of her life.

*****

New York, October 6, 2008—SWEET

*****

“Borderline” soared this time around. The sound was vastly improved. I still do think the generic rock approach to her old pop hits has now run its course, though.

*****

New Jersey, October 4, 2008—STICKY

*****

For “She’s Not Me,” Madonna revived her “But I’m Madonna! I’m Madonna!” routine, positioning four look-alikes representing “Open Your Heart,” “Like A Virgin, “ “Material Girl” and “Vogue” on the satellite stage and confronting each with aggression and eventual dismemberment (for Madonna, removal of costume constitutes removal of limbs). Finally, once she’s debased them completely, she kisses them. Hmmm…did she already do this kiss-of-death act on Christina and Britney a few years ago??? I have to say for this reason, I really liked this performance, which ends with a frenzied freak-out reminiscent of “Let It Will Be” from Confessions.

*****

New York, October 6, 2008—SWEET

*****

I agree with me—this performance rocks and is really clever. Seeing it from a new angle, it was easier to see how she strips each old Madonna down and reassembles them. A classic interpretation of Madonna’s entire M.O.!

In New York, I was very close to where she tossed her Lolita-esque  glasses into the audience. They whizzed past me into the open space behind us. A big, hulking security guard picked them up and handed them to a big, hulking guy, who handed them to his ecstatic GF, Sandra (or Sondra…it’s pronounced “Sondra”). I got her picture and made her an indecent proposal to buy them off of her—did I mention I have no shame?—but she said, “I’m good.” I’m not.

*****

New Jersey, October 4, 2008—STICKY

*****

No rendition of “Music” could ever be topped by the one she rolled out last time around, but almost any attempt would be better than the weak try we get on S&S. It’s not incompetent, but it’s insubstantial—there is an allusion to subways and graffiti that suggests the Downtown scene from whence Madonna sprang, and yet that is not enough to jazz up an amazing song that has nonetheless been presented far better quite recently.

*****

New York, October 6, 2008—SWEET

*****

Still have to say she did it better last time, but it didn’t bother me.

*****

New Jersey, October 4, 2008—STICKY

*****

Maybe I would be more forgiving of the entire show had the next video interlude never happened—but it happened. While she’s getting ready for her next segment, the screens were feeding us the stupidest thing ever associated with Madonna, a ridiculous animation showing a Madonna-like, featureless figure reacting to an otherwordly garden setting. It was reminiscent of her phoned-in “Love Profusion” clip and, inexplicably, was set to “Here Comes The Rain Again” by Eurythmics. If your show already has to resort to projections to suggest your collaborations with Pharrell Williams, Kanye West and Justin Timberlake, why on earth would you deliberately inject another artist inorganically into the mix? It was horrible. Worse than horrible, it was embarrassing. You’ve got a perfectly great song called “Rain” that shows up in this interlude—why not focus on that? Joe told me it was like “Dear Jessie” but hey, “Dear Jessie” was a Euro-only promo video shot 20 years ago, so I can cut that some slack.

*****

New York, October 6, 2008—SWEET

*****

Yes, this really sucked ass.

*****

New Jersey, October 4, 2008—STICKY

*****

I did not love the massive cage in which Madonna—cloaked like a monk—performed “Devil Wouldn’t Recognize You,” but I liked the idea that you could see her for part of the song and not for another part of it, depending on its lighting.  It’s a more effective song on my computer than it is onstage and it fairly begged for one-on-one choregraphy between a sexier Madonna (did I mention she was in a monk’s robe?) and one of her male dancers. Why not play up the passion in the number?

*****

New York, October 6, 2008—SWEET

*****

Fuck it, I actually loved it this time. I was swept up by the drama of the entrance, the tease of Madonna being partially hidden within that structure and within a hooded robe.

*****

New Jersey, October 4, 2008—STICKY

*****

Oddly, the much-maligned “Spanish Lesson” was one of the songs that had the most life in it, at least for me. I think Madonna loves her little Spanish dances and probably is overdue for a heavily Latin-themed segment. Instead, she is easing into gypsy territory, which, it turns out, also suits her.

*****

New York, October 6, 2008—SWEET

*****

I think I liked this about the same, but because I’d grown to like other segments so much, this was less of a stand-out.

*****

New Jersey, October 4, 2008—STICKY

*****

Her best girl-with-a-guitar moment is “Miles Away.” This is a beautiful song she is able to deliver plainly and simply. She dedicated it to the emotional cripples of the world and we appreciated it. Lovely.

*****

New York, October 6, 2008—SWEET

*****

Yes, what more can you ask for—the song is beautiful and she knows it.

*****

New Jersey, October 4, 2008—STICKY

*****

I’ve been complaining as loudly as anyone about her obsession with bringing back “La Isla Bonita” over  many other terrific contenders (“Open Your Heart,” “Dress You Up,” “Angel,” the list goes on), but I have to say the Live 8-patterned “LAB”—mashed up with “Lela Pala Tute”—was a riot all over again. Loved it and got really into it, almost as much as Madonna herself, who had a ball on this. The following folk song “Doli Doli,” which Madonna watches while downing shots (great audience interaction, by the way) was also fun, fun, fun and yet off the beaten path.

For me, the absolute highlight of the show was Madonna’s beautiful vocal on “You Must Love Me.” When that song first came out, it felt like tacked-on Oscar-bait (it won!) for Evita, but hearing it now a dozen years later was more nostalgic and stirring for me than “Borderline.” She was amazing on this song. I would love for her next tour to be stripped down and more singing-based. It’s okay to do smaller tours with less dancing every once in a while, and she has a wildly untapped catalogue of slow and mid-tempo songs that would benefit from a stationary diva. It was magical.

The best video interlude for this tour is “Get Stupid,” which finds a gorgeous Madonna preaching over a series of images of great and not-so-great leaders. It’s a surprisingly effective political snapshot that resulted in boos for McCain and cheers for Obama. Sure, Jersey is a blue state, but I remember being in far bluer Manhattan and hearing some heckling for her Fahrenheit 9/11 recommendation in the past.

Maybe the worst song of the show was “4 Minutes.” Like I said, I love the song. But her presentation of it was a joke. As fun as the spinning panels were for her promo show, the major difference there was the presence of Justin Timberlake. Seeing Madonna do the same thing—grinding against a video of Justin—reminded me of teenyboppers kissing posters on their walls. Thrust your crotch into the camera and you’ll have my respect, but grind it on an absent idol and I think some dignity is lost. It was such an anti-climax. Normally, your latest smash hit would be the ideal beginning or ending, but Justin’s unavailability was behind its burial.

Much better was “Like A Prayer,” mashed up with Meck’s “Feels Like Home.” The chilly house sound  changed her song from a quasi-spiritual into a full-on club record, but the re-invention was more than satisfying. I loved Madonna’s robust performance, the strobe lighting and especially its dramatic conclusion. This should have been the final song—easily. It had the greatest impact of anything I saw all night and I immediately wanted the studio version.

"Ray of Light" was nicely performed—I ask little of that song because it's so monumental in any form.

*****

New York, October 6, 2008—SWEET

*****

I had the same impressions of this chunk of the show both times, which is nice.

****

New Jersey, October 4, 2008—STICKY

*****

Unfortunately, we first had to suffer through a metal version of “Hung Up” that robbed that song of all that makes it so delicious. Fortunately, even before that, Madonna announced she would take requests. So far, in other shows, she’s stuck to “Express Yourself” or “Like A Virgin.” But this time, some wiseguy had brought “Open Your Heart” signs and passed them out all around the catwalk. Showing what a good sport she’s become, Madonna took the bait and led us in a charming sing-along to this #1 song from 1986, a song she’s refused to touch in decades. Eventually, her voice gave out and she laughed, “Too high for me!” But it was a wonderful, warm moment, something her previous, artistically better, shows have lacked.

*****

New York, October 6, 2008—SWEET

*****

This time, pre-request, Madonna almost forgot to bitch-slap Sarah Palin (“It’s all coming back to me now…” she jokingly reminded herself.) but she pulled it together and did a nifty little rhyme involving Palin’s persona non grata status at Sticky & Sweet, calling her “Sarah Fucking Palin.” Think that’s harsh? People at McCain/Palin rallies are literally shouting “terrorist!” “treason!” and—wait for it—“kill him!” of Obama.

The fan request came from my friend Giulio, who’s visiting from Italy. He was flustered and asked for “Lucky Star,” which she was able to produce much more easily than New Jersey’s “too high for me!” “Open Your Heart.”

“Hung Up” sounded a helluva lot better this time. I actually danced to it pretty enthusiastically. I still think disco songs should remain disco songs, but the rock version was more successful than I had at first thought.

*****

New Jersey, October 4, 2008—STICKY

*****

The closing song was “Give It 2 Me,” a dance-floor stomper that American radio ignored. I love this song, but while it was perfectly fine as a closer, I felt like its rendering was very close to her Confessions sign-off, “Hung Up.”

*****

New York, October 6, 2008—SWEET

*****

The ended was more spirited for me in NYC. It helped me leave the show feeling good about it. I still believe “Like A Prayer” felt like the end.

And so it ended.

*****

Both

*****

“Game Over” the screen flashed. Just like how on Re-Invention it flashed “Re-Invent Yourself.” Just like how on Confessions it flashed…you get the picture.

Take nothing I’ve said as disenchantment with Madonna—who sang and danced her heart out on this show. But take everything I’ve said as disenchantment with this particular show, which lacks the imagination, the daring, the spectacle, the fashion and the brains of all her best concerts. Look, no one—no one—is doing anything at any concert worth seeing except for Madonna. Sure, there are live acts whose voices must be heard to be believed, and there are flavors of the month singing songs you love so much right now you need to see and hear them live right now, but nobody is attempting mammoth productions like Madonna has been doing for over 20 years. Not every show is going to be my favorite. While many aspects of Sticky & Sweet made my teeth hurt, I am happy to go back and see it again. Seeing Madonna live is a unique experience. Like sex, it’s not always good. But like any sex that leads to an orgasm, it’s still right on the money. 

Comments

[David]

Matt...you are so clearly the best writer about all things Madonna. I LOVED reading this review. Cant wait to see her in LA, but just desperate that I have to suffer at Dodgers Stadium...

[Dashus]

I was so looking forward to hearing what you had to say about the show. As always, your assessment is spot on. I couldn't agree more with your review. I LOVE your site BTW. I look forward to it everyday.
Stevie AKA Dashus
www.dashusland.com

[Alan]

Hey Matt - As always, I agree almost completely on your take of this tour. For the first time, I felt a little underwhelmed by the whole show, and while she remains without a doubt the best live performer out there, I just thought this was her coasting. Granted, no one else coasts quite as grandly, but I guess we've come to expect a bit more from her. (I also think 'Human Nature' and 'Candy Store' are two of her weakest songs, and had no clue why she included them, but the Gypsy section and 'Like A Prayer' made up for them, as did her immensely moving 'You Must Love Me'.) All in all, I'm still processing on how much I enjoyed it, but so far you put it into words brilliantly! - A.

[joe to hell]

i am EXHAUSTED reading this. but i loved it

we'll always have pier one. and bosnia

xoxoxo

[Matthew Rettenmund]

I hope you guys will tell me what if anything I got wrong because I think I did this SO FAST today I'm sure I screwed up something factually! But thanks, guys, for the compliments. It means a lot to get feedback. Matt PS I went again tonight and loved it, though she screwed up about four times (she didn't care, which is cool). She sang "I Love New York" as the fan song!

[Jack]

mary, jesus !

[daryl d]

Matt you went THREE times. You must have a great job!

[WN]

Matt -

Many thanks for everything you write on Boy Culture!

You are the consummate Madonna expert bar none.

Your very astute attention to all details of the concerts was
fantastic and appreciated.

I felt like I was there!

Any announcement yet to broadcast the Sticky & Sweet concert on HBO, NBC or...?

[Matthew Rettenmund]

Thanks! I try. I've heard she wants Brazil filmed for whoever broadcasts it. I hope she does Showtime or HBO. Daryl: I'm going at least twice more...but I'm not rich by John McCain's definition!

[daryl d]

well, I'm going to see her in San Diego. It looks to be a full house at Petco because as of two months ago, 32,000 seats were sold. I wonder if she'll be able to get away with her Sarah Palin bashing in a conservative place like San Diego?

[Matthew Rettenmund]

Sure she will—and it will be on Election Day! How brilliant to see her on Election Day. I hope she fucking votes this time!

[joe]

Hey Matt, when you were 3 rows from the catwalk, what was your actual row #. Thanks!

[Daan]

Thanks for your big review(s).I was really looking forward to them!

I've seen the show in Amsterdam and it was a very positive experience. She was happy, interacting and the show went very smooth.

I don'tagree with everything you write, but that's maybe because I really disliked her Confessions concerts and I had really low expectations.

Only thing I did not like in Europe was that she only played the big stadiums this time. I prefer these shows in a more intimate setting.

Thanks again and I just want to let you know that I put all my books about M in the basement except for your Bible and the book on dreams on Madonna. They're both classics!

[WN]

Encyclopedia Madonnica is
the definitive Madonna Bible and a classic.

All Hail Matthew and Madge!

[Richard]

Matt!

You are simply amazing. You will tell it like it is, even if it "it" means that Madonna wasn't exactly delivering her best performance.

Being only 26, and watching Madonna since I was 8, or so I can vouch that Madonna has been the true music video and concert pioneer. I just wish that she would come up with stuff a little more creative than Vogue set to 4 minutes.

Thank you for your review. At least we are guaranteed 2 more concerts under her LIVE NATION deal. Maybe one will be a greatest hits tour. That show would have to be 4 hours long with a 45 minute intermission. Ha ha ha!

Cheers! I still love Madonna!!

[Kevin B]

Thanks for this great review. I agree with so much of what you wrote. I attended this concert with, of all people, my mother! It was such a treat to include her and couldn't wait for her to experience M live. Was it her best show? Not at all. Confessions blew this out of the water. Like you said, this show lacks the drama she normally gives us. But perhaps that was to be expected from an album that lacked drama (I love the album, mind you) and a tour titled Sticky & Sweet. Apart from that, my biggest complaint was the sound. I think I was more hyper aware of it because of my guest. I kept thinking, "my mother can't hear an actual song in any of this noise." The problem was, neither could I. So many of the songs were pure mush. Like a Prayer, which I longed to love, was just too screechy. And forget Hung Up and Ray of Light. Two messes. The opening was probably her least spectacular of any concert post BA. Overall I still had a great time at this show but I'm glad I didn't go nuts with my ticket spending. I suspect the next tour will be much better than this as well as the next album.