Celebration

Some may hate me for what I am going to wirte... but... would it be possible to have a HQ scan of this VIP Tour book? I really cannot afford a book of $225!

Madonna - The Immaculate Collection 30th Anniversary
Hey gang - long-time reader/lurker, infrequent poster 
Like everyone else, I'm frustrated at the lack of any anniversary/expanded/box-set/celebratory anythings from Madonna.
For The Immaculate Collection's 30th anniversary this year, I knew we weren't likely to get anything nice, so I designed something myself and put it out in the universe to see what would happen. Tadaaaa.
Click here to check it out

There are discussions on a different Madonna forum () about the Madame X era and how it could have panned out. A lot of us fans feel like it had a lot more potential than ultimately came to fruition -- What would have been the ideal era to you?
I envision something like this:

First off, what a theoretically awesome concept. Madonna as a constantly reinventing persona? Makes perfect sense at this stage in her career -- Really feels like a culmination of everything she is as an artist, down to all the different musical elements on the album...

Anyways, let's begin with Medellin. I'm sorry, but every Madonna fanatic friend of mine and I were disappointed upon first listen. No, it's certainly not a bad song and definitely a step up as a lead single from the last few eras (arguably the best since Confessions), but let's face it -- Not catchy enough, over half is in a different language, and the structure is all over the place. Furthermore, it sounded like a ripoff of the Latino music vibe trend at the time, even though, in retrospect, it's really held up its own.

What's hard about this album is that nothing on it particularly stands out as a showstopping single to me. It works better as a collective sum than on an individual song basis. However, there are a few songs that are objectively fan favorites and would have worked well as singles:

* I Don't Search I Find
* God Control (no, this was technically not a single)
* Come Alive
* Crave (yes, I know this was a single)
* I Rise

That's it. I just can't picture any of the other songs on a Spotify hits playlist or working with a more universal listening audience.

So, let's start at the beginning of the era --

Picture this:

The month of April, there's a "Madame X is..." media campaign with poster mock-ups featuring all of her different looks throughout the era with closeup, abstract photos of her face in shadows and featuring the eye-patch with the X. She's unidentifiable from the pics.

Multiple billboards in Times Square, big cities (Chicago, LA, Miami, etc.), etc. Internet postings. Newspaper ads in the classifieds.

In parallel to this, there is a detective Twitter account / Instagram User / Facebook Account / etc. (all the same person) who regularly updates that he / she is getting closer to figuring out who this is. The account quickly gains media traction, due to the general public interest in who this mystery person is.

He posts evidence suggesting that:
* She's always on the run
* She's blonde and wounded
* She's known for her disguises

Her management invests in a social media campaign that plants "information" via widely-followed Reddit threads, third-party Twitter accounts, and social media videos. This campaign draws big attention via viral posting and participation by social media influencers. These information leaks imply that the billboards are a result of a hacking attempt (due to her extensive knowledge of hacking tactics), that she's a foreign adversary with controversial opinions, and that she has a manifesto against world leaders that she's about to leak.

And then, the lead detective posts a video the Friday before Eurovision -- He found her last night, and he's revealing her to the world:

Madame X is a Spy.

The video link gives way to a video of I Don't Search I Find with a theme very much like the Madame X Tour, complete with detectives trying to determine who she is, and giving way to a story beginning with Madame X on the run from a hostile government / authoritarian figure. It's the perfect song. Classic Madonna elements, instantly loved by the gays (let's be real, her main demographic nowadays), and meshes well with the European music scene. The video ends with "To be continued...beginning September 17th" and links to tour dates with the same Madame X Tour itinerary. A ticket lottery is necessary in this parallel universe, because there's a huge demand for the tour.

Fast forward to Eurovision. The setlist is Vogue, I Don't Search I Find, and a continuation of the IDSIF theme into a short snippet of God Control. The video drops simultaneously with the end of the performance. It's the Hung Up of the 2010s, and it's met with universal acclaim.

Throughout the summer, she mainly sticks to the promo single release strategy she originally had, albeit with longer stretches between songs. Each promo single comes with a full-fleshed video that further explains the story of Madame X:

* I Rise at the end of June (she is a Freedom Fighter for Gay Rights)
(Promoted at Pride and via a partnership with the Human Rights Campaign (HRC))

* Crave at the end of July (she is in the House of Love)
(As a surprise summer festival performance at any Swae Lee sets)

* Come Alive at the end of August (she is traveling around the world)
(See below)

In the weeks leading up to the Madame X Tour, she does a surprise performance at the end of the VMAs, performing a medley of the entire Madame X album, much like the Beyonce Lemonade performance from 2016. The performance tells the whole story of Madame X. At the conclusion of the performance, the album surprise drops on all streaming platforms, along with an accompanying set of visuals for each of the songs.

Fast forward to the tour, where she has worked with the Celine Dion production designer to produce a world class theatre production. She's taking a different approach for this tour -- It's visual and musician focused, rather than tightly choreographed. Much like Confessions with a lot of choreographed "poses" rather than true dancing. Perfectly suited for her age and body.

She kicks off the tour in New York with the following setlist:

Act 1 - Madame X Is A Prisoner

1. Introducing: Madame X / Joan of Arc (Intro)

2. Dark Ballet

3. Killers Who Are Partying

4. Human Nature

5. What It Feels Like For A Girl

6. Bedtime Story

Act 2 - Madame X Is A Head of State

7. The Coffin (Interlude)

8. American Life

9. Papa Don't Preach (Full)

10. Express Yourself (Full)

11. Future (Piano Mix)

Act 3 - Madame X Is Traveling Around The World

11. Extreme Occident (Interlude)

12. Batuka

13. Like a Virgin (Fado Style)

14. La Isla Bonita (Welcome To My Fado Club Tempo / Instrumental) (Full)

15. Medellin

Act 4 - Madame X Is A Mother

16. Easy Ride Instrumental (Orchestral Interlude Extending Into...)

17. Frozen

18. Rescue Me Interlude / Rescue Me (Full)

19. Come Alive

20. Crave (Tracy Young Mix)

Act 4 - Madame X Is A Spy In The House of Love

21. Madame X Manifesto Extended (Interlude)

22. Vogue

23. Secret

24. Justify My Love

25. I Don't Search I Find

Act 5 - Madame X Is Bringing Light To Dark Places

26. James Baldwin Quote / Dancer Gunshots (Interlude)

27. God Control

28. Like a Prayer (With Elements of I Rise)

The tour concludes with a much-hyped streaming deal with Netflix, where they acquire all Madonna tours, including the unreleased shows. The current special is called Madame X is...an Icon. It drops simultaneously with a greatest hits campaign, complete with the works (Stuart Price remasters are dusted off from the shelved 2020 release, demoes included, never-released single mixes, etc. etc.). The accompanying media campaign is mainly driven by content that doesn't require her participation. She doesn't do the usual interview / performance circuit. Most of her work speaks for itself and is driven by retrospective documentaries, interviews with her producers / musicians / music video directors, and other footage / content from the vaults.

She rests throughout the rest of 2020 and eventually embarks on a summer stadium greatest hits tour in 2021. MDNA production. Stuart Price is the music director. Her butt implants are gone.

Madonna is back, and the world knows it.

Fin.

These are mostly from when I was young, and a couple from recent....
When in High School you get into a punch up with a douche bag who insulted her (around the SEX/Erotica era)
When everyone in HS calls you "The Madonna kid" 
When your best friend who is a hardore metal head can reference any of her albums in a discussion
When your mother is close to banning her very presence in the house
When you save family members old clothes and try to use them to replicate Girlie Show costumes to put on a show (yeah I did that)
When random co-workers you have barely spoken to ask if you knew there was a new Madonna album out 
When at a party a Madonna song comes on and almost everyone looks at you
 

Another fave....
 

I've always loved this song. How do you feel about this song?
 

Can you imagine we did? I’d love to know what goes on behind the scenes while she’s getting transfusions from some hippie dippies clanging bowls. It would be unreal.

For whatever reason, I love it when she says that.

Another cancellation tonight...
Seriousely, she should cancel the tour and do something else. The knee is sabotaging everything anyway.
Sign off the deluxe sets we've been waiting for, write her auto-biography ("Live To Tell, Confessions Of A Creamy Smooth Pop Icon Goddess") or maybe just be a mom.
But to carry on like this is only damaging her legacy.

I think she should cancel the tour after Lisbon - rest for the year and put her feet up - during that time she could listen to all the demos and approve the dvds of her tours and get to work on that box set we are all craving - then resume the tour in a years time ?

i love so much this version of "this used to be my playground"
 

Well, she ended the Blond Ambition concerts with a wonderful homage to Cabaret!
But maybe the Nun in Blues Brothers. It's a small but fun part, with an intimidating Nun and I'm sure Madonna would love it.
She would be the most beautiful Nun...

Yes, I most certainly do! And for the same reasons as you. Where is the thrill in a download, compared to buying a cd or vinyl, and have something in your hand?
I hate that the last ten years have been without 12" releases of her singles. Just imagine how beautiful Turn Up The Radioo would look in 12"...
But I buy what I find. Thank God for Record Store Day. It's old records in new colors, but that's better than nothing.
Maybe Interscope could release a vinyl box of 12"es? One for each album. THAT would be great.
And I think you mean Drowned World Tour. The Girlie Show (oh, what a masterpiece THAT is!) wasn't releasd on dvd until 1998.

No, I meant a box for each album released on Interscope. I really want those singles on vinyl.

No, I meant a box for each album released on Interscope. I really want those singles on vinyl.

Yes, I most certainly do! And for the same reasons as you. Where is the thrill in a download, compared to buying a cd or vinyl, and have something in your hand?
I hate that the last ten years have been without 12" releases of her singles. Just imagine how beautiful Turn Up The Radioo would look in 12"...
But I buy what I find. Thank God for Record Store Day. It's old records in new colors, but that's better than nothing.
Maybe Interscope could release a vinyl box of 12"es? One for each album. THAT would be great.
And I think you mean Drowned World Tour. The Girlie Show (oh, what a masterpiece THAT is!) wasn't releasd on dvd until 1998.

Yes, I most certainly do! And for the same reasons as you. Where is the thrill in a download, compared to buying a cd or vinyl, and have something in your hand?
I hate that the last ten years have been without 12" releases of her singles. Just imagine how beautiful Turn Up The Radioo would look in 12"...
But I buy what I find. Thank God for Record Store Day. It's old records in new colors, but that's better than nothing.
Maybe Interscope could release a vinyl box of 12"es? One for each album. THAT would be great.
And I think you mean Drowned World Tour. The Girlie Show (oh, what a masterpiece THAT is!) wasn't releasd on dvd until 1998.

So I was looping the album on Spotify as usual, but only just realised a couple minutes ago that Act of Contrition transitions SO DAMN WELL into Like A Prayer contextually!!!!! HER MIND!!!
We all know AOC instrumentals are LAP on reverse, almost like a sinful reverse of the religious experience that is LAP. I thought that was all there was about it for many years, in fact I used to hate AOC and felt it was redundant. But then I realise that lyrically, she's confessing but got rejected at the gates of heaven in the end, she didn't get her reservation. The guitar fades off, at this point I almost feel like she is falling from heaven.
THEN, when Spotify played the first track I literally felt chills all over. The guitar fades in, we hear the slam of a heavy door like a rejection. She literally sings that she's falling out of the sky. Life is a mystery, everyone will stand alone, I hear you call my name and it feels like home. We have her re-discovering religion and experiencing life's struggles all over again throughout the album tracks, reaching heaven's gate again at the end. It even feels like a reincarnation cycle if the album keeps looping.
How did I only realise this now!!!! I wonder if this was her intention or am I thinking too much...the continuation is too brilliant.

I watched the Tokyo show last night. Really enjoyed it. Her energy was unstoppable! Also, 'The Look Of Love' is one of her most under-rated songs ever! Simply beautiful!

Its time for Angel & an uptempo version of Open Your Heart.  
Also Express Yourself needs to come back and make up for the MDNA Tour number. 
ALSO, how about Rain?  
Then there Physical Attraction, Sorry, Give It 2 Me, Frozen, Causing A Commotion, Live To Tell, Oh Father, Don't Tell Me.......now I can't stop.
 
Edit: I love the EY/BTW mashup, just didn't like the actual number & costume.

At this point i want to hear - Rescue Me, Bad Girl, Words, The Look Of Love and Physical Attraction but i can only dream - i also would love for her to go back to the proper "live Sound" she used on her first 3 tours - ditch Kevin Antunes and have proper drummer, guitarist, back up singers and less of the backing tracks and showy visuals (Not gonna happen though :(  )

The promotional video for 'Holiday' uses the audio from the 25th show, strangely... different mix and vocals:
 

As I promissed here are the fixed links:
TRUE BLUE AND PAPA DON'T PREACH
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMKYsWiVnhE&feature=youtu.be
 
 
CAUSING A COMMOTION AND THE LOOK OF LOVE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wsbASHdlyJY&feature=youtu.be
 
I really hope you enjoy this! 
 

I still remember the good years of icon and youtube so many beautiful memories, a small community of people sharing their thoughts, not just uploading videos to a dead platform, after 2012 many things have changed radically in the name of technology.