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Free Music Notes for The Confessions Tour - Live from London (CD+DVD)Free Music Review: The Evolution of Madonna : Pink Elephants & Lemonade Hit: 4 StarsIts ironic that Madonna's better stage performances are all coming late in her career. "The Confessions Tour" is by far her most artistic, musically challenging and diverse concert tour, and this package only serves to reiterate what an astounding talent she is. This review is primarily for the DVD, as the CD is just the audio of the DVD ripped anyway.
Think about this - what other 48 year old do you know who can perform aerobic dancing, sing simultaneously, and hold a note, all while wearing a bikini! Well, I certainly don't know anyone like that, and what is perhaps most astounding is just how classy the entire act is, even through the admittedly sexually charged bits.
The best thing on this 2.5 hour extravaganza is "Erotica", a completely reworked version (in actuality, Madonna sings the original version of `Erotica' she intended for release - with the lyrics of a track called "You Thrill Me"). My favorite part is the last four-song segment, where Madonna introduces her `Disco' persona. Her backup dancers as ever, defy gravity and are good-looking to boot. One dancer in particular stands out - a skinny long haired young man who is as flexible as a rubber band. However, "Erotica" has never looked so good in any of its' avatars, and I thought this version left the studio recording light years behind - its that good.
This is also the first Madonna concert to feature so much dancing. Madonna actually dances frenetically to many numbers, including a highly stylized and choreographed routine with two female backup dancers to "Music". There is also a special feature segment that shows her practicing this - unbelievable. I have had so many friends who were dancers in their 20s who didn't move like this. I still cannot believe this is a woman pushing 50.
Above all, there is the music. Tracks that seemed weak on the "Confessions" studio album, are made more accessible here. "Get Together" which I always used to skip, becomes a keeper. Similarly, weak track "Jump" is actually listenable on this one. Some of the more interesting portions of the concert involve Madonna's friend "Isaac" (who even wears a turban at one point). I thought this was Mirwais, but I could be wrong. Unfortunately, when she tries to make this concert `spiritual' or `soulful', it begins to unravel. They should have just kept this entire concert upbeat and energetic.
No review would be complete without telling you the downsides of the product, and there are three here. One is the godawful version of "Isaac" that Madonna tries to pull off here. This is a poor second cousin to "Frozen", with a similar `Eastern' tinge to it (I could see where they were going with this one, but it just doesn't work). This is followed by a dreary rendition of "Drowned World" (possibly Madonna's greatest ballad), which is followed by the hideous "Paradise (Not for Me)" (which is a beautiful song, but Isaac and Madonna ruin it beyond recognition here). This should be seen to be believed. How they could massacre a simple melody like this is beyond me.
However, we're back in action with singalong versions of "Hung Up" (including a four minute shout-out/call-back to the audience where Madonna asks them to repeat "Time goes back, so slowly" in her infamously fake British accent), and "Sorry" (which has Madonna kissing one of her female dancers, and some amount of funky dancing).
Madonna sometimes exits the stage every now and then, whereupon her dancers take the spotlight and dance to a variety of Madonna collages and flash images. This is not necessarily a good thing - in fact, its downright boring. However, the `special features' on the disc, aren't really special at all. In fact, they are at best footage of Madonna rehearsing, with a tremendous amount of time spent on her dancers waxing about her in French accents ("I can't believe I'm really here", "Oh My God, I'm dancing for Madonna!", and "This is a once in a lifetime experience!" etc.). Nothing out of the ordinary, and certainly nothing to write home about. But the great thing about these is watching Madonna actually dance. Without the makeup she sports on stage, she looks much, much older, and quite tired and haggard, but who can blame her, poor thing?
All in all, this is a must-buy, even if you're not really a Madonna fan. I'm sort of neutral about her, but if I consider that I like this much more than some of the Rock DVDs I have in my collection, then Madonna must have done something right. This is a fabulous, colorful and very entertaining concert, and no one I know has ever regretted purchasing this. Yes, its very `pink' and targeted towards a gay audience in so many subliminal ways, but no matter what your demographic, theres no way you can not enjoy the sheer fun this is. Get it now!
Free Music Review: A celebration of a great comeback! Hit: 5 StarsThank you, Madonna, for actually allowing the UNEDITED version of this great concert to make it to DVD...along with an excellent CD for jamming to in the car! I attempted to watch the NBC special and it was so cut up, it gave me a headache! I had went last July to Philadelphia to see this concert live...so it was great to see it on TV....but the editing was so horrible...I just had to turn the channel. The DVD, however, is a bit better, and it is great to be able to relive the concert over again from the comforts of my living room. All of the songs are great....and of course my favorites "Jump" and "Sorry" were the best (to me). I especially loved hearing the Pet Shop Boys (another one of my favorite groups) on "Sorry"...and that cool remix! I hope Madonna's next album is as good, or not better, than Confessions. There's no one better on the dancefloor than Madonna!
Free Music Review: She is the goddess Hit: 5 StarsI have seen Madonna live in concert several times. This tour was indeed the best. The confessions tour is a combination of the best dance music Madonna has put together and a show that is very similar to a Cirque de Soleil performance. Controversial as always and extremely contagious. I recommend this DVD to all Madonna fans.
Free Music Review: Great show Hit: 4 StarsI think the show is amazing but I found the video editing to be too much and distracting.
"Live to Tell" is top notch. If the Christians can't see the beauty in it then maybe they should read the bible with their eyes open.
Free Music Review: Confessions Tour Live in Wide Screen Format? Hit: 5 StarsHi, we had this taped from HBO in wide screen on DVR and it deleted! We are bummin big time as this was an outstanding show! For those of you who bought this DVD, is it in widescreen format as the HBO was in widescreen and we have a 37inch LCD.
Thanks!
pamela
More Free Music Notes: First Review 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
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