CbT: What setlist adjustments would you make?

[MaDöner Kebab 6,878]

So, I think we have enough distance from the opening of this great tour to talk about things that could be improved.

I made this thread specifically, so that people who are annoyed by these things can choose to ignore it.

As I have said before, I am a huge fan of this tour. I am happy she chose to do a show mostly for her fans and not make this a straight-up GP-pandering show. She looks happy, healthy and the costumes are her best in AGES.

That said, even her tours that I love and admire all have a few things that I think could have been tweaked to make it even better. This thread is a place to discuss that, a safe space where you are allowed to voice your opinion, even if it might be unpopular.

Note:  
CbT = Celebration Tour / CfT = Confessions Tour (at least for me)

[Alfalfa_HampusFL 1,138]

The beast within, Justify my love and rain... shortened or out and replaced with Material girl, Express yourself and Gambler...

[frozenonadancefloor 29]

I will survive performed on first nights and then replaced for acoustic song from her own Catalog that could change or remain. Oh Father, Take A Bow, Ghost Town for example

Into The Groove switched into Express Yourself/Material Girl, but unsure of this.

Justify My Love switched to Papa Don't Preach (I feel like erotica and JML serve a similar purpose)

Rain switched to Frozen

Like a virgin mash up remains but she provides live vocals to it demonstrating that she's still standing

Celebration Music mashup just slightly longer with more music.

[scion 3,123]

Rain out and replaced with full length Hung Up.

Erotica out and replaced with full length JML.

[wtg1987 10,169]

replace hung up with express yourself - replace i will survive with falling free - add one verse and chorus of rescue me(anywhere please M) 

[Anapausis 5,913]

50 minutes ago, Anderledes said:

The beast within, Justify my love and rain... shortened or out and replaced with Material girl, Express yourself and Gambler...

People still don't understand the meaning of The Beast Within after all these years (it must be the allergy to the Bible anyway...)

[Prayer 14,369]

Love the fire after "Crazy For You", but the "The Beast Within" whole interlude feels LONG and redundant in this context. It's the only thing I would really change/make different.

[MaDöner Kebab 6,878]

My main criticism is that the show starts off with a great story line that unfortunately gets lost halfway throughout the show. I feel like the autobiographical aspect could have been elaborated a little more!

CELEBRATION TOUR

Act I: TIME MACHINE / DANCETERIA, NYC
The first act deals with Madonna entering her time machine and traveling back to 1982 NYC, where she started out as a relatively unknown performer at the Danceteria club. The act chronicles her rise to fame and the start of the HIV/AIDS pandemic that killed many of her mentors, friends, idols and peers.

1. Nothing Really Matters

2. Everybody (with samples from "Where's The Party")
3. Music / Into The Groove (with samples from "Into The Hollywood Groove") 1
4. Burning Up / Lucky Star (on guitar - with samples from, "I Love New York" & "Give Me All Your Luvin'") 2
5. Holiday (with samples from "I Want Your Love" & "Celebration")
6. Live To Tell (with samples from "In This Life")

Act II: BRIDAL / RELIGIOUS
This act chronicles the rise of the MTV network with MJ and Madonna essentially leading the pack, all the way up to their Grammy Awards appearance. Throughout the section we see Madonna getting a taste of Hollywood and reminiscing about her first marriage and how things quickly became toxic. She also highlights how the strained relationship with her father or male figures in her life and the death of her mother became the main drive in her quest for fame and attention and how the heartbreak made her want to rebel against the system and in particular the Catholic Church.

The Channel - Interlude (Hollywood / Material Girl with samples from "Billie Jean", "Sooner Or Later" & "Angel")

7. Like A Virgin (with samples from "Causing A Commotion" & "Here Comes The Bride")
8. Papa Don't Preach (with samples from "Till Death Do Us Part") / Oh Father 3
9. Mother And Father

After The Heartbreak - Interlude (with samples from "Rescue Me", "Living For Love" & "Deeper And Deeper")

10. Like A Prayer (with samples from "Promise To Try", "Act of Contrition", "Let's Go Crazy" & "Unholy")

Act III: FOES / FRIENDS
In this act Madonna reminisces about one of her most controversial moments: The Erotica era and how men tried to destroy her for speaking her mind and starting a discourse about sexuality. The first half pays homage to the Hard Candy boxing theme. The second half, details how in the midst of all of the controversy, the gay community has always remained loyal to her.

The Sacrifice - Interlude (with samples from "Fever")

11. Erotica / Beautiful Stranger (with samples from "Justify My Love") 4
12. Bad Girl
13. Sorry (with samples from "Human Nature")

Ballroom - Interlude (with samples from "Keep It Together", "Break My Soul" & "Up Down Suite")

14. Vogue
15. Open Your Heart
16. Crazy For You

Act IV: THE AWAKENING
This act chronicles the aftermath of the Erotica era, her spiritual awakening and how motherhood healed her wounds and gave her a new purpose in life. This section represents Madonna's renaissance in the late 90s/early 00s.

Absolute No Regrets - Interlude (with samples from "Human Nature", "Justify My Love", "Erotica - WO 12 Mix" & "American Life") 5

17. Bedtime Story
18. Frozen
19. Rain 6
20. Ray Of Light (with samples from "Drowned World/Substitute For Love" & "Little Star")

Act V: THE RIDE
The final act of the show represents Madonna's resilience and how after all these years she still manages to re-invent herself. The first part represents the radio blacklisting after the American Life era and the ageism directed towards her. She performs Take A Bow on the electric chair from the Die Another Day video. The second part represents Madonna's short-lived romances and how the Confessions era managed to revive her career once again. Finally, the show ends with Madonna in the present along with her dancers dressed in iconic outfits from her past. She closes the show with her mantra "Express yourself, don't repress yourself!".

I Don't Search I Find - Interlude

21. Die Another Day (with samples from "Nobody Knows Me")
22. Don't Tell Me
23. Take A Bow (with samples from "Don't Cry For Me Argentina") 7
24. La Isla Bonita (with samples from "Medellín")
25. Hung Up On Tokischa / Hung Up

Who's That Girl - Interlude (with samples from "Dress You Up")

Encore:
26. Bitch I'm Madonna / Celebration (with samples from "Girl Gone Wild" & "Give Me All Your Luvin'")
27. Express Yourself / Give It 2 Me (with samples from "Human Nature", "Candy Shop" & "I Don't Give A")

1 The omission of Music is quite glaring on this tour, however it could easily be incorporated into the first segment and Into The Groove could be shortened just a bit to make room for it.
2 Burning Up has been done to death, especially on guitar. However, if we use the Burning Up instrumental as base and have her sing Lucky Star on top of that, we could have an amazing rock medley that adds a bit of a surprise element to an otherwise boring performance.
3 Papa Don't Preach could work excellently as part of a medley, especially if the strings of PDP blend into Oh Father. Both songs can be applied to a variety of things in Madonna's life: Her abusive husband, her grieving father, her strange relationship with God.
4 Justify My Love was rather pointless as a performance in this and the transition from that to Hung Up to Bad Girl kind of didn't make a lot of sense. A slowed down, orchestral version of Beautiful Stranger could be a perfect bridge between Erotica and Bad Girl.
5 This interlude would be similar to the Sorry Remix from CfT. The dancers would re-enact the Human Nature video choreography on stage.
6 This would be replaced with either of the following songs throughout the course of the tour: I'll Remember, Ghosttown or The Power Of Good-Bye.
7 This would be replaced with You'll See on selected dates.
 

[Anapausis 5,913]

@MPowered, schön, this is extremely GOOD!!! But have you sung the concert you developped in your mind to check if it clocks to a reasonable show length to M? (I mean, with the curfew issue as well as other flaws we all know very well that would hinder this show to last the same amount time Renaissance World Tour ones did, for instance.)

Anyway, I am more than amazed by every single change you did to it, congrats!!!

[MaDöner Kebab 6,878]

1 minute ago, Anapausis said:

@MPowered, schön, this is extremely GOOD!!! But have you sung the concert you developped in your mind to check if it clocks to a reasonable show length to M? (I mean, with the curfew issue as well as other flaws we all know very well that would hinder this show to last the same amount time Renaissance World Tour ones did, for instance.)

Anyway, I am more than amazed by every single change you did to it, congrats!!!

Hahah I mean, she can always drop a few songs here and there that are not essential to the storyline if she has time constraints but remember: The original setlist had 30 song performances. The current one has 26. Some songs would obviously have to be shortened to 2-3 minutes length instead of 5 minutes.

It should definitely work out. In general I didn't really add more songs. I just moved things around and replaced a few things. 

I'm glad you like it though. I put a lot of thought into it!  

[Anapausis 5,913]

7 minutes ago, MPowered said:

Hahah I mean, she can always drop a few songs here and there that are not essential to the storyline if she has time constraints but remember: The original setlist had 30 song performances. The current one has 26. Some songs would obviously have to be shortened to 2-3 minutes length instead of 5 minutes.

It should definitely work out. In general I didn't really add more songs. I just moved things around and replaced a few things. 

I'm glad you like it though. I put a lot of thought into it!  

I know your awesome work in doing alternate setlists for a long time ago. Well, I just haven't said that, entschuldigung!!!

[madgefan 10,149]

The show is great as it is. Stop daydreaming and enjoy what you're getting. Replace Rain for Frozen when it was just performed at the Madame X Tour? This is a show that celebrates her previous 11 tours so The Beast Within has to stay. And no, TCT stands for The Celebration Tour, and CT stands for Confessions Tour 

[Anapausis 5,913]

5 minutes ago, madgefan said:

The show is great as it is. Stop daydreaming and enjoy what you're getting. Replace Rain for Frozen when it was just performed at the Madame X Tour? This is a show that celebrates her previous 11 tours so The Beast Within has to stay. And no, TCT stands for The Celebration Tour, and CT stands for Confessions Tour 

Well, all of what you've just said are very good arguments too. Esp the keeping of The Beast Within. And Rain is a better choice than Frozen because a future time section needs to end with a song which celebrates the love missed, rather than calling for a love that could happen if it weren't by "hate and regret."

[PaperFaces 5,615]

Id add in Express Yourself and Secret and Give It 2 Me, and take out La Isla Bonita. Do a proper Music/Celebration medley at the end. 

It"s impressive she can perform such a lengthy setlist and still have so many hits or quality tracks be left off or unable to fit in.

 

[MCL_1993 1,847]

BIM and that clusterfuck of an encore medley out- replaced with express yourself. Of course that weird nun outfit has to go and I know that she wore a pointy corset earlier in the show but the BAT opening suit and corset with the headset mic are one of- it not THE most iconic look she ever presented to the public!!

[MaDöner Kebab 6,878]

1 hour ago, madgefan said:

The show is great as it is. Stop daydreaming and enjoy what you're getting. Replace Rain for Frozen when it was just performed at the Madame X Tour? This is a show that celebrates her previous 11 tours so The Beast Within has to stay. And no, TCT stands for The Celebration Tour, and CT stands for Confessions Tour 

Thank you for your contribution but this thread is certainly not for you. I stated in the OP that I would like to keep this a safe space. This thread was created to keep the general thread free from "critique" or "setlist wishes" that some people (including you) are so sensitive about.

If you don't like or want that, I'll suggest that you stay in the general thread.

[Justice 326]

https://madonna-infinity.net/forums/topic/36800-recreate-the-celebration-setlist-spoilers/

[Justice 326]

• Nothing Really Matters
• Everybody (with elements of Where's The Party)
• Into the Groove (with elements of Hollywood and Causing a Commotion)
• Open Your Heart
• Holiday 
• Live to Tell (with elements of In This Life)
• Controversy (video interlude featuring footage of iconic scandalous moments and statements with elements of Survival, I Don't Search, I Find, Human Nature, Veni Vidi Vici, What It Feels Like For  A Girl, Rescue Me, Give It 2 Me, Bitch I'm Madonna, GMAYL)
• Erotica/Justify My Love (with elements of You Thrill Me and Fever)
• Papa Don't Preach (with elements of Oh Father)
• Hung Up/Sorry
• Bad Girl
• Vogue (with elements of 4 Minutes as an intro, Deeper and Deeper during Ballroom part)
• Frozen/The Power of Good-Bye (video interlude)
• Die Another Day
• Don’t Tell Me
• Medley - a different set for every show (Borderline, Beautiful Stranger, Dress You Up, True Blue, Keep It Together, Material Girl, Crazy for You, Cherish)
• La Isla Bonita/Who's That Girl
• 90s ballads megamix (video interlude with other 90s hit ballads)
• Bedtime Story
• Ray of Light (with elements of Substitute for Love)
• Rain
• Like a Virgin (video interlude and a performance, with elements of Angel)
• Express Yourself
• Lucky Star
• Music
• Like a Prayer (with elements of Girl Gone Wild and Act of Contrition)

[RUADJAI 14,969]

I really want to participate in this but, even though Ive spoiled myself almost completely, I still don't really know the entire setlist/order everything is in. I'll just say... again... I really would have liked better outfits. I actually like the closing nun outfit, thats fun. The negligee outfit is just not good in my opinion. Especially for Hung Up. WTF. and the first outfit seems like a Halloween costume of Madonna. Not Madonna being self referential. There's an element of Frederick's of Hollywood/Hustler Magazine that is present in these looks that was never a part of the aesthetic of Madonna.  And you could always see the wannabes that never really understood that. 

The Ray of Light body suit is pretty cool although not as exciting as it would have been 10 years ago when iamamiwhoami was doing it. 

 

[Future Lover 1,010]

Okay let me give this a go. Like @MPowered I'm going to expand upon the storyline present in the existing show, just widen it out.

 

ACT ONE: PROLOGUE
Takes place entirely on the main stage with Madonna wearing one of three costumes that rotates throughout the tour: a modern recreation of her iconic The Virgin Tour opening outfit, a modern recreation of her infamous 1992 Jean Paul Gaultier fashion show look, or a modern recreation of the Confessions Tour's Erotica bodysuit. The act sets up the retrospective nature of the show and sees Madonna commanding the stage all by herself backed by video clips from across her career.

It's a Celebration (Bob the Drag Queen intro with elements of "Lucky Star", "Vogue", "Open Your Heart", "Erotica", and "Celebration")
1. Celebration (with elements of "Give It 2 Me")
2. Bitch I'm Madonna (with elements of "Give Me All Your Luvin'")

 

ACT TWO: DANCETERIA
Introduces the picture frame-like time machine that at the end of BIM carries Madonna to the furthest out b-stage where she is quickly whisked away for a costume change, signaling a move back in time. The dancers arrive now dressed in period appropriate clothing and when Madonna returns, she's dressed in a costume evocative of her early 80s look with rosaries and fish nets. This takes us through Madonna's initial rise to fame up to the kick off of the AIDS epidemic. 

I Wanted to Be a Big Star (Interlude)
3. Everybody (with elements of "Where's the Party")
4. Music/Into the Groove (with elements of "Into the Hollywood Groove")
5. Like a Virgin (with elements of "Hollywood")
6. Dress You Up (Madonna on guitar; with elements of "Physical Attraction")
6. Holiday (with elements of "I Want Your Love")
The Fallen (Interlude)
7. Live to Tell (with elements of "In This Life")

 

ACT THREE: RELIGIOUS
Themed primarily to her late 80s/early 90s activism. She is wearing a costume evocative of the robes from the Blond Ambition Tour. Her dancers are as well. The set is accompanied witha  great deal of religious imagery.

The Ritual/Act of Contrition (Interlude) (with elements of "Girl Gone Wild")
8. Like a Prayer (with elements of "Act of Contrition")
9. Papa Don't Preach
10. Oh Father (contains elements of "Mother and Father")

 

ACT FOUR: REBELLIOUS 
Themed to her rebelliousness in the early 90s as well as the backlash that followed, the act sees Madonna at the start in a sensual leather number until she is more and more covered up as the nay sayers attempt to silence her. However, she fights back, disturbs the peace, and refuses to be censored. She returns to finish the act in a recreation of the iconic cone bra.

Justify My Love (Interlude)
11. Erotica/Rescue Me (with elements of  the "You Thrill Me" demo)
12. Bad Girl (with elements of "Nobody's Perfect")
I Want to Start a Revolution (Interlude)
13. Express Yourself/Human Nature
14. Sorry (with elements of "Like it Or Not")
15. Vogue (with elements of "Break My Soul (Queen's Remix")

 

ACT FIVE: REBIRTH
Chronicles her rebirth from the ashes of her various controversies. Costume wise, I feel it'd be very similar to how she's dressed for RoL as it is.

Absolutely No Regrets (Interlude)
16. Bedtime Story
17. Frozen/The Power of Good-Bye (with elements of "Open Your Heart")
18. Rain (with elements of "Candy Perfume Girl")
19. Ray of Light 

 

ACT SIX: THE QUEEN
This section celebrates the furthering of Madonna's career and her settling tightly into her reign as a legend. Costume wise very inspired by the DAD/DTM costumes from this tour.

Nobody Knows Me (Interlude)
20. Die Another Day
21. Don't Tell Me
22. Take a Bow (with elements of "Don't Cry for Me Argentina")
23. La Isla Bonita (with elements of "Pray for Spanish Eyes")
24. 4 Minutes (with elements of "Heartbeat")
24. Hung Up/Get Together (with elements of "Hung Up on Tokischa")

 

ENCORE
This closer is themed entirely to Madonna's relationship with her fans. The first song is done alone with just her on stage, roaming and interacting with her fans. After the interlude before the final song, the dancers all come out and close the show off with a celebration of the journey Madonna's taken with her fans across the last 40 years.

Rebel Heart (Interlude)
25. Crazy for You (with elements of "Masterpiece")
I Don't Search I Find (Interlude)
26. Nothing Really Matters 

 

[Pedro Beltran 4,273]

A longer ending with celebration and music 

Hung up in another section 

Add Sorry, GI2M, 4M and EY

[dylanlioncourt 5,780]

I'd pretty fine with the setlist as is. Some songs like Human Nature are meh to me but I understand the context of the story she's telling in her show. For me, the final act needs a proper ending song (BIM/Celebration is okay but really underwhelming). As much as I think Music is overplayed, it's definitely missing her along with Like a Virgin (the interlude has it, I know) but that's all mostly. Could use another song to conclude the show in a huge fashion she's usually done.

[aitorelao 148]

Celebration performed in full would make a very satisfying ending instead of confusing the audience.

[Kae-Leah Williamson 222]

Other people have come up with such well-thought-out set list concepts, so I don't know if I can come up with a whole set list, but here's my main ideas, if it was up to me...

*HUOT has got to go. Instead the original Hung Up would be performed with leotard and disco-themed costumes and choreography, sorta like how Don't Tell Me was performed true to its video. 

*If she wants a more upbeat song in the sex/Erotica section, Deeper and Deeper is perfect.

*JML and Erotica combined as a medley/mash-up instead of in full both.

*I don't mind Burning Up on guitar, but I'd prefer another '80s song, like Lucky Star or Dress You Up.

[Pedro Beltran 4,273]

14 minutes ago, Kae-Leah Williamson said:

Other people have come up with such well-thought-out set list concepts, so I don't know if I can come up with a whole set list, but here's my main ideas, if it was up to me...

*HUOT has got to go. Instead the original Hung Up would be performed with leotard and disco-themed costumes and choreography, sorta like how Don't Tell Me was performed true to its video. 

*If she wants a more upbeat song in the sex/Erotica section, Deeper and Deeper is perfect.

*JML and Erotica combined as a medley/mash-up instead of in full both.

*I don't mind Burning Up on guitar, but I'd prefer another '80s song, like Lucky Star or Dress You Up.

Love all this, except Erotica is one of my top 3 Madonna songs so I love the full version