Madonna performed last night at Madison square garden which has been remodeled and gone are the color-coded seats and narrow passage ways.
The new levels have the feel of an airline terminal and everyone patiently waited for the Material Girl to take center stage.
After two and half hours of supping Heinekens and admiring all the pictures of past performances that ring the 100 level, the grand diva took the stage. Her large retinue of singers and dancers started off a Gregorian chant and swinging a gigantic thurible, then Madonna appeared from under the elaborate stage and drew a tremendous applause leading into “Virgin Mary”.
The staging was a mechanical marvel, which at times took on a life of its own; with sections moving up and down gyrating to the beats. The giant screens enhanced “Gang Bang” where she started in a seedy hotel room, before offing her lover and then she proceeded to mow down some other unlucky bastards while chasing them around the stage and delivered the final coup de grace center stage, this violent and bloody song was unique and well choreographed.
A crowd favorite “Papa Don’t Preach” roused the crowd and Madonna’s large cast of dancers, acrobats, and costumed characters made it hard to keep track of everything and you have to admire their skill in coordinating all this activity while she struts her stuff.
Madonna showed how fit she was during a risqué performance of “Like a Virgin” and she berated the cheaper members of the audience in the orchestra to throw money on the stage to help raise money Hurricane Sandy victims.
The highlight of the show was when Psy made a surprised appearance and performed “Give it 2 Me”, “Play Video”, and snippets of “Gangnam Style”.
Overall it was an exciting two hours of fun and spectacle and it’s befitting that Madonna’s photo is next to Elvis “The King” Presley, for she is still the reigning queen of pop