I just got back to my hotel after the show. I had a lot of fun and was really excited, but it was also a bit disappointing. Some moments were beautiful and thrilling. Songs like Erotica, Mother and Father, Die Another Day, Crazy For You, Ray Of Light, and Live To Tell were such great moments!
But the overall performance felt somewhat unfinished, not quite the Madonna we know. It's not because she's no longer the super dancer with endless energy; I understand her physicality has changed. It's more about the show's concept feeling less inspired than usual. It doesn't seem like a tour that was meticulously prepared over months; it feels like it was put together hastily. At times, it seems like she lacks stage presence and a clear role in the performance.
Musically, there doesn't seem to be a lot of creativity, and some songs were almost ruined, like Like A Prayer and Don't Cry For Me Argentina. Where's Stuart Price? It's like he just gave some casual advice. It felt like a mega medley rather than a fresh narrative. Sometimes I got annoyed because she was about to engage us with a song and then abruptly moved on.
She did a full Live To Tell, which was beautiful, but she could have closed it like at the Confessions Tour without losing any of the song's atmosphere; in fact, it would have improved the song. It would have also made space for other songs that felt rushed.
Then, the absence of a live band was noticeable.
Going back to the stage presence, her choreography often seemed unoriginal and uninspired, despite its low difficulty (as there are equally simple yet more impactful choreographies)
Still, I'm happy I got to see this concert because she gave us moments we've longed for. However, it doesn't feel like a Madonna show in its entirety.
Each of her tours has been a unique story, even Madame X, which I liked less than the others, had a clear narrative. This time, I'm not so sure. I need some time to think about it. I'm happy to see her, glad she's alive and still performing, but my expectations were very high. I attended the show with a friend who knows an insider, and since April, I knew many details about the songs she was rehearsing. My friend explained that Madonna cut several songs she had rehearsed, more than in previous tours. This might be connected to the fact that the tour doesn't have a clear story or concept. The ending felt rushed, as if it lacked a proper conclusion. I agree, it felt lifeless.
My friend mentioned that initially, Madonna planned to close with The Power Of Goodbye, which would have been a great finale, but later, in April/May, she decided to end with BIM + Celebration. He also told me that she performed Frozen until September. Other songs like Sorry and Oh Father had prepared performances, but my friend doesn't know why they were cut. The last information he received was in late August.
Perhaps my comment is influenced by the fact that I had low expectations in January, but since my friend shared all the information, my expectations and excitement had been through the roof. Who knows, maybe the show will evolve in the upcoming stops.
