Our reader Paul saw the re-INVENTION Tour at the Wembley Arena on the 26th August. Here’s his story:
”I am Paul and am 27 year old from the North East of England, I’m gay and with a partner. I have been a fan of Madonna’s since I can remember. I remember watching the Like A Virgin/Borderline/Burning up videos when I was very young (well approx 8/9 year old maybe younger I can’t be sure ) and remember just sitting in a trance state watching them from beginning to end. The last time I went to see Madonna (which was also my first) was at Wembley Stadium on the 26th September 1993 – The Girle Show. I was only 17 at the time but believe that I was very inexperienced and did not know what to expect. I must say that I still enjoyed it. I thought I a good position at the time as there were no seats, I was standing near the front (in fact I could only see about two rows of people in front of me). I was one of the unlucky ones who never managed to get Drowned World Tour tickets as it sold out while I was at work :-(, but after this show I do feel I saw the better one. Anyhow, as for the Re-Invention Tour, when I knew where my seats were I thought they wouldnt be as good. I was in block 38 row H seat 163. My partner was with me in seat 162. but when I got in the Arena my partner was wanting to have a look at the merchandise stalls but I was so in need to see what my view was like. I got there and was quite amazed at how much of a view I had, I was at the side and my seat was parallel with the platform that Madonna would soon be rising on. I was just in awe looking at the stage. I was in my seat from approx 7:20 the place was still practically empty at about 8:15. I was getting frustrated coz I wanted everyone to get in so it would form the warm up atmoshpere. Eventually it filled and mexican waves started to form. Not very well at first I might add :-). They started to get better but phased out. the show didn’t start till 9pm. I was laughing to my partner coz everytime the music that was playing before hand either stopped or got a bit louder everyone was screaming, the lights dimmed slightly at one point and yet again more screams.

Now for Madonna herself who in my opinion is still the best ever performer and singer. I would like to strongly disagree with anyone who said this show was boring or not as good as they thought. I thought this was her best show ever. Even I, who believes Madonna’s voice is brilliant was surprised at how much clearer she was and how spine chilling certain parts were with the strength of her voice. I dunno what she has done but I’m not complaining.

Eventually the show started. I could see behind the stage and as The Beast Within was starting Madonna emerged around the back of the stage with a hoard of people surrounding her. Obviously the crowd and myself went wild. Everyone who couldn’t see was probably wondering what was going on but they joined in anyway. She sat down and done her yoga warm ups before going up some stairs then down into the stage ready to rise. I know its sad but I could even see her wiggling her feet :-).

My partner was never a great fan of Nobody Knows Me but thinks it is fab now, he thought her performance was great. I personally liked everybit of the show, especially seeing her sing songs like Vogue and Like A Prayer. I loved Crazy For You. the songs that stick in my head the most is her perfect and hypnotising version of Mother And Father which I thought her voice was fantastic, so fantastic I forgot to be cheering and just stood there staring and thinking “oh my god”. The high notes she didnt even seem to have to strain herself it was as if she had not sung anything previous and this was her first song as i thought her voice would be tiring at this point but oh no, not Madonna, her voice was flawless and perfect. Lament was another good one for me, in the high bits it hit home that this lady in front of me is the same one that i saw in Evita, her voice was better than her CD versions. I liked the Deeper And Deeper version and really want her to re release Bedtime Story along with the video footage she used with it as she looked like a 20 year old again and she was very fit in it. I loved all the remixed versions of all the songs.

This was the show as you’ve all probably read about, where Madonna got quite emotional I think it was after Papa Don’t Preach just before Crazy For You. She told us that she has had and amazing past few weeks (Obviously referring to her time in England). She then tried to start her “Do I have to change my name” bit but had to keep stopping saying that she can’t sing when she’s crying. It reminded me of that speech in her Like A Virgin tour Detroit when she said to the crowd that “I’ve got to talk fast or I might start crying” except this time she is the “Home coming Queen” of England as this is her home now which we are all proud to say. I looked up onto the screen and could see the tears in her eyes, she then dabbed them with her Kilt (Awwwweeeee) I felt like crying with her. She then dedicated Crazy For You to all of her fans that have stuck by her over the last 20years(which I took it as being dedicated to me as well as i fall under that category 🙂 ) so thank you Madonna for that, the best thing was she sang it as if she really was dedicating it as it sounded emotional and like she meant it, it was fantastic.

God!! I feel like I could type all day. Oh yeah and at some point I think it was before Mother And Father, it was when she took centre stage and sat on the stool with the guitar, she said that they saved the best crowd till last. She probably always says that but it still made me feel good :-). To be honest I thought the crowd near me minus a few were quite miserable and just sat most of the show and didn’t interact I don’t think a few people were impressed with my very loud “woooos” and I also have a very loud voice as well ha ha but I don’t care. I’m sure Madonna must have been able to hear me. The crowd around me is the only negative thing I can say about the show, but that is not down to Madonna but down to people who just dont wanna have fun. (Let me just also add not everyone around me was like that, there were a select handfull who were up for it as much as I was 🙂 So Hi to you people)

Jut a bit more on Madonna she looked fab and was more beautiful than ever, when she came over to my side I could see her lovely big eyes and even saw the whites of them it was soo clear and I just stared at her face as I knew I would probably never get to see it again :-). Her skin looked very smooth and silky, she definately looks excellent for her age and looks alot better than people more than half her age. Madonna defies time and ageing. She has a gift and knows it, she is dedicated in all she does and doesn’t do things by half. She is, and always will be the “Queen of Pop, Rock and whatever else she tries” I don’t think even when she retires (if she ever does) that anybody will ever be able to fill her shoes and take her place. She is unique, as Nikki Harris said in the Drowned World Tour “You just can’t duplicate her”

Ok I’m going to go for now I hope anyone who has been to see this will have the same satisfied feeling that I have, although I do wish I could have went more than once. I cannot wait for the DVD release of both the concert and the documentary. Does anyone know when this will be???? I’ve hear that the concert release is March next year and the Documentary is August!!

Anyway Bye for now and to all you lucky people who are yet to see it just enjoy it and take as much as you can in coz when it ends you will wish that you had looked here and looked there ha ha you never know where to look.

Madonna will be around forever for me, I hope she does tour again and I hope we have a lot to come from her as music will never be the same without Madonna in it.

From one very satisfied Madonna fan for ever – Paul”Special thanks to Paul for sharing his experience with the Tribe