Madonna is the queen of pop, so The Celebration Tour was the best way to kick off the new year. She was late, but worth the wait, as expected!
Her show reenergized me as she transported us to New York in the 80s. In her intro, Madonna said she wants to call it a retrospective because it “sounds more intellectual”. The guy next to me flew in from Mexico to see Madonna live, reinforcing her global impact over four decades.
Seeing Madonna a few months after Pink’s Summer Carnival Tour was interesting. Like Pink, Madonna elevated her performance by floating in the air. Dancing to a remix of Ray of Light on a Friday night was phenomenal, except for my side view of Madonna.
When I saw Shania Twain, Taylor Swift and Pink perform from above, they weren’t blocked by poles. Singing and dancing off the ground is definitely daunting and the performer should feel safe. However, the production team needs to consider how they appear from all angles of the stadium. Let’s prioritize sightlines over spectacles in the stage setup.
More importantly, the screens on both sides of the stage made the production design problematic. I sat in the third row of the upper level with a fantastic view of her entire stage, except when these screens blocked Madonna!
The screens were very frustrating and distracting. I wasted time and energy monitoring screens going up and down, wondering whether I can actually watch choreography. Usually, the screens are only at the back of the stage without any interference.
While Pink featured generic silhouettes of dancing characters reminiscent of iPod commercials, Madonna showed silhouettes of her and Michael Jackson. We listened to Billie Jean and Like A Virgin during a costume change and she also paid tribute to Prince!
Madonna has inspired many women in music, so it’s interesting how she chose to include clips of Beyonce and Ariana Grande admiring her. Presumably she likes them, but they’re non-threatening.
I vividly recall Nicki Minaj joining her at the 2012 Super Bowl, so cheering “L-U-V Madonna” in Toronto was a fun wrap up. I didn’t make arm gestures like the YMCA, but it was a highlight because Give Me All Your Luvin’ was released after I saw Madonna’s 2008 Sticky & Sweet tour.
The Celebration Tour is sensational, sensual and sentimental. The mix of upbeat throwbacks, erotic dancing and family cameos demonstrates how Madonna has evolved, yet continues to deliver exciting and thought-provoking experiences.