MadonnaTribe’s correspondent from Canada, our friend Toronto Boy sent us the latest review of the LA show from the Toronto Sun!

Click on Full article to read what Jane Stevenson wrote about the show, that has been rated by the journalist

4.5 stars/5 stars

LOS ANGELES – Madonna came to rock, not to shock, and preach a little as
she launched her Re-Invention tour.

Her first road trip in three years began Monday night at The Forum in Los
Angeles. She has three dates at Toronto’s Air Canada Centre, July 18, 19 and
21, that sold out in 80 minutes.

Despite early breathless reports about the shocking nature of Madge’s latest
trek around the world, only one element proved to be true. And it was pretty
tame at that.

A simulated execution had Madonna strapped in to an electric chair while she
sang Lament from the Evita soundtrack. But when the supposed deep fry came,
only strobe lights went off at her feet, and there was no writhing around on
Madonna’s part and she quickly disappeared into the floor of the stage.

The 45-year-old pop chameleon delivered a glamorous and fun, if slightly
preachy, show with just the right mix of new songs and older hits. She
included the frothy Material Girl, a song she swore she’d never sing again,
but with a twist this time.

“And we are living in a material world and I am a material girl,” she sang,
before yelling: “But not really!”

True to her rebellious nature, Madonna also incorporated political and
religious messages into her hour-and-50-minute set. The most notable
anti-war commentary was some Bush bashing during the military-themed title
track from her latest album, American Life, which ended with video imagery
of Bush and Saddam Hussein look-a-likes sharing a cigar.

There was even a fashion show featuring her dancers in what sounds like a
bad bar joke — two nuns, a rabbi, a priest, etc., on a catwalk that was
brought down from the ceiling.

And later, just as the concert ended, an audio recording of Bush speaking
was played, to a loud chorus of boos from the sold-out audience.

Video of explosions and young victims of war were shown both during American
Life and Madonna’s cover of John Lennon’s Imagine. It ended with these words
on the video screens: “Spirituality for kids: Make things happen.”

But it wasn’t all preachy, all the time.

After opening with the religious spoken word monologue, The Beast Within,
Madonna’s 1990 uber-hit Vogue got the crowd of 15,000 on their feet and
dancing and singing along.

Dressed in a pale pink sparkly corset, tiny black shorts and thigh-high
black leather boots, she first appeared splayed on a platform rising out of
the floor of her technically awesome stage.

With large, moving LED video screens, a conveyor belt-like strip at the
front of the stage, and first-class lighting, not to mention nine
incredible dancers and a seven-piece band, it was pretty much a feast for
the eyes, if not always the ears.

Madonna isn’t the world’s greatest singer, but is known for her “body is a
temple” philosophy and dancing abilities, and she also sported some mighty
impressive arms, not unlike Linda Hamilton’s in The Terminator, that were
hard to ignore. (The right forearm was wrapped in a nude bandage. She also
later wore a black tensor bandage around her left knee.)

Certainly, Madonna’s husband, British film-maker Guy Ritchie, seemed riveted
as he stood in the audience just to the right of the stage, smiling and
cheering his wife on while a documentary crew hovered nearby. There were, in
fact, cameras everywhere, including one on a crane capturing some
impressively fluid shots that were broadcast back on the video screens.

A couple of dozen concertgoers were pretty excited to be placed on small
pits on either side of the stage, effectively becoming part of the show.

Musically speaking, contemporary songs Frozen and Don’t Tell Me proved to be
the highlights, while old chestnuts Express Yourself, Like A Prayer, Papa
Don’t Preach (complete with Madonna and her dancers/singers dressed in
T-shirts that said “Kabbalists do it better,” in reference to her study of
Kabbala, a kind of Jewish mysticism), Crazy For You and Holiday were
definite crowd pleasers.

But the most pleasant surprises of the night were her previously limp Bond
movie theme Die Another Day, which came off much more energized in concert
via a sexy, tango treatment, and Get Into The Groove, which featured Madonna
in a kilt — accompanied by a bagpiper and drummers. (More on Madonna
)

SET LIST
The Beast Within (spoken word) Vogue Nobody Knows Me Frozen American Life
Express Yourself Burning Up Material Girl Hollywood (instrumental) Hanky
Panky Deeper And Deeper Die Another Day Lament Bedtime Story Nothing Fails
Don’t Tell Me Like A Prayer Mother And Father Imagine Get Into The Groove
Papa Don’t Preach Crazy For You Music Holiday

Article by Jane Stevenson
Source: Toronto Sun
thanks to our reporter Toronto Boy