EAST RUTHERFORD, New Jersey?In a show defined by throbbing dance music, tight choreography, spectacular stage sets and stunning visuals, perhaps the most stirring moment during the kickoff concert to Madonna?s ?Sticky & Sweet? tour came when the Material Girl stood onstage with just her guitar and a few musicians for an acoustic set.
As she sang the emotional song from her movie, ?Evita,? Madonna couldn?t help but wink and smile at the roaring sold-out crowd as she sang the song?s main refrain and title: ?You must love me.?
Spectacle
Maybe that?s because she knew she was right. Even the superstar?s most cynical critics couldn?t walk away from her recent two-hour extravaganza at the Izod Center without being thoroughly wowed. It was not only the spectacle of the concert, but the performer herself, as she reasserted her musical relevance and dominance in her 25th year in the spotlight.
Madonna is not the world?s most gifted singer, dancer or even musician, but she may be its greatest performer. From the first moment she appeared onstage, looking taut and chiseled in a black bra and shorts with a mesh layer overlay, she turned the arena into a massive dance club and nonstop party:
The zooming ?Candy Shop,? off her most recent CD, ?Hard Candy,? set it off as Madonna strutted onstage flanked by an army of dancers.
Though the show?s first moments were devoted to her new album, it didn?t take long for her to seamlessly groove back in time, performing one of her ?90s gems, ?Human Nature.? The funky, synthesized tune got an even funkier update, as Madonna utilized the vocoder trend with her background vocals.
The unapologetic anthem was highlighted by a video that showed the performer being watched by a security camera in an elevator. As the song went on, Britney Spears? image intertwined with her blonde musical mentor, looking frightened and frail under the camera?s lens before striking a decidedly confident pose at the song?s end.
Testament
It?s a testament to Madonna?s musical chops that her new music blended so expertly with some of her greatest hits: Elements of ?4 Minutes? were mashed up with ?Vogue? for a flashback that managed to be both classic and cutting edge. While she sang many of her old hits, such as ?Like a Prayer,? ?La Isla Bonita? and ?Ray of Life,? those moments weren?t relegated to short renditions during the retrospective medley part of the show, like many veterans do.
They were given full attention with colorful, dazzling displays and new arrangements that made them seem as exciting and fresh as when they first made their debut. ?Into the Groove? was reimagined with the help of a DJ, a double-Dutch playing Madonna and cartoons by the late Keith Haring. During one of her many guitar-playing moments, she gave a rocked out performance of ?Borderline? to the feverishly energetic crowd.
With her induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame this year and her 50th birthday, it would have been easy for Madonna to turn her latest tour into some kind of nostalgia show. It probably would have been an enjoyable experience nonetheless. But, then again, it wouldn?t have been Madonna?the consummate artist who always stretches the limits, exploring new ideas to stay relevant. Here, she proved to be more than relevant?she?s still music?s premier performer!
