Well Madonna has just come from the North of England to start the European leg of the Re-Invention tour. Earls Court is a-buzz with ardent fans from most of Europe and far away places.

Lots of familiar faces from past years, as the die-hard fans make an appearance for the first of 6 shows in this Capital city. After all this was originally the first date on the European leg until our magical Madge decided to add more dates and bankrupt us all!

2pm and some of us have decided to meet up in a bar in Soho. We are chatting generally about previous shows. Some of which we have attended or just getting completely excited about tonight’s show. We are there for a good few hours before migrating to Earls court and to yet another bar to meet up with even more fans. Madonna on our minds all day.

For those of us that have seen it: Gold or purple? Any comments during Burning Up/Material Girl section? French music or Bittersweet? What slogan is on the T shirt? And what’s she going to say after “Papa Don’t Preach”?
Ultimately is there going to be a change to the set list, No!

For the London shows it's purple corset, Bittersweet Symphony mixed with “Don’t Tell Me” and “BRITS DO IT BETTER” on the T-shirt.
What did she say each evening after “Papa Don’t Preach”? I know she said lots at different points during each show and I’ll try to add them in later. This is the point each night where she gets real chatty so, here goes:

Earls Court 18th, “It's so good to be home. I want to thank my mates that are here to support me and the people I don't know that are here to support me as well. Cheers."

Earls Court 19th, “God Save The Queen!!! You never know, she might be here tonight. I sent her a letter but she didn't come. She doesn't know what she is missing right? You know I didn’t understand London when I first came here. I didn't understand the weather, I didn't understand the food, I didn't understand the humour. I didn't like to come here. Now I live here and married a Brit. I'm even wearing a f*cking kilt! Now this is my home".

Wembley 22nd, “Do Brits actually do it better? They do Tea better and what about the rest?” She then messed up the words after she said "Do I have to change my name”, she sang “Don't call me Esther!!!" and forgot the next line. Ended up on the floor killing herself laughing!

Wembley 23rd, “Cheers! You spend your whole life growing up saying grown ups can f*ck off. Time passes and you become a grown up... but they can still f*ck off! Ok, I sound like a drunk in a pub..."

Wembley 25th, “There's no place like home! You know I’m not making these T-shirts for every country I visit you know. I did the Italian one because I am Italian as you know. I did the BRITS cos this is my home”.

Wembley 26th, “I’d just like to take this chance to say I’m really enjoying myself here. Thank you, thank you so much. I wasn’t expecting it at all. Thank you. I can’t sing while I’m crying! Thank you so much.” She then starts to sing the bit of American life, “I can’t sing when I’m crying. Does anyone have a tissue?” she finally wipes her eyes on her kilt.

I’m sure I’ve messed up some of that BUT you get the general gist of the speeches each evening.

So back to the 18th. It’s a great night for people watching and everyone’s shown up for this first show. Celebrities included: Kylie and Dannii Minogue, Geri Halliwell and Luca Tomassini, George Michael, Macy Gray, Darren Hayes, Annie Lennox, Nadia (from Big Brother 2004) and of course Lola and Guy were spotted.

The lights go down and everyone cheers.

I think it’s the end of “The Beast Within” and the start of “Vogue” that sends a shiver down my spine each evening. “I am coming soon….. what are you looking at?”.

Madonna appears from a shaft of light and raises above the crowd to sing her first “Vogue” and the crowd goes wild!
Everything is unbelievable, this is now my third show and I’m still seeing something new.

Between Madonna, the dancers and the screens you don’t know where to look.

She looks fantastic and her voice is amazing, more emotion and power than any other tour.
She has so much energy and is laughing and smiling throughout the whole show.

Each evening “Into the Groove” signals for me the end of the show. You can’t believe how many hits she’s crammed in BUT it’s nearly over.

After Manchester there were a lot of fans meeting up after each show and I think this is the real beauty behind being a Madonna fan.

We’ve been through thick and thin and over the past twenty years you just can’t help but be amazed that things just keep on getting better. There were a few paparazzi outside the venue after the show. I was there with my infamous banner!

Earls Court 19th

More celebs this evening, I had Westlife to my right, whom I only recognised after some girlies in front of me pointed them out. The same row as me were Gwen Stefani and her other half Gavin Rossdale, (the guy from Bush). I was third row in block A1.

During Material girl Madonna asks “I want to ask you a favour. I don't remember the words to this f*cking song.
I want you to help me with that?”.

I think the second night was even better, which appeared to be the general trend for most venues.

The crowd had so much energy and Madonna appeared to be more relaxed.

She even asked the crowd if they were having a good time, they shouted, "YEAH!" and Madonna replied, "me too!"

In between the two venues we had a party at G-A-Y bar in Soho London. Great fun was had by all and several of the forum members attended.

It’s always a great venue for a Madonna party. This time it was spectacular as we could see, hear and even taste our idol! You can see a jug of “True Blue” in the picture on the left.

There were people from all over the world; England, Ireland, Wales, France, Italy, The Netherlands, Germany, Poland, Sweden, US and Korea.

Music really does make the people come together.
Tribers there: Myself (Wannabe), Mata Hari, Kimmy38, Jamesy, Deftone, Tas, Mother Superior, Craigle, PWCCA, MrCiccone, The One, The Immaculate, zephyr1977, mut1977, Robknight, Thomas and Paomad. Sorry if I have forgotten anyone.

WE’RE ON OUR WAY TO WEMBLEY!

Wembley 22nd

Jamesy and I have been hanging around for hours meeting fans and touring the venue.

Wembley I must say outside is very much a DUMP! I think once the stadium is built it will improve BUT hey back to Madge.

The new version of the tour program catches our eye tonight. The UK printed version has a different picture on one page.
On the right is the original pic BUT the new version has Madonna wearing a gold jacket and she has a lazy eye!

This is NOT the first time this picture has appeared to change. This first edition appeared on the VIP poster.

At the start of "Material Girl" she said "I swore I'd never do this song again and here I am about to do it.
Everyone has to sing along with me. You can do better than that”.

At the end of the song "and I am a Material girl" she adds "That was a long time ago".

At The beginning of “Like a Prayer” each night she says “we’re just getting this party started”.

She again seemed to have so much energy, I swear the show gets better and better.
This was the first night I had seen the show from the right and it’s just as amazing.
You realise that from whatever angle you see the show she has it covered, there is something new for you to see and you are constantly entertained.


Wembley 23rd (PIT NIGHT!........Ahh!)

Yes I won PIT tickets and I feel like the luckiest bitch alive!
I am taking fellow triber Jamesy in with me and much to our delight Kimmy and Simon join us in pit right (the left side of the stage, you know - where Crazy for you and Nothing Fails are).

There have been many special moments along the way. The birthday surprise in Manchester (thanks to Gareth aka Aussie G and Co).

The first night in Earls court with my mate Tas and meeting up with so many wonderful fans all day. This is it though, THE PIT experience!

It’s a great way to see Madonna up close and personal (along with all those gorgeous dancers *wink*), BUT you can’t really appreciate the whole show and you can’t hear what she says, when she has one of her little chats.
You can see Madonna preparing to come onstage (from under the stage) and all the fans are shouting and screaming. It’s absolutely boiling hot.
Oh look there’s me in the pit.

Plus the shared experience with friends, during “Crazy for you” myself, Jamesy, Kimmy and Simon all held hands and looking out into the crowd we could see our pals Raffaela and Lee.

Donna, Siedah and the dancers pay a lot of attention to both pits.
Cloud looks even more amazing and sexy close up *wink to Jamesy*. Madonna was having a lot of fun and was smiling throughout.

I know I’m slightly bias but the show was amazing this night.
Friends that I met up with afterwards said it was one of the best of the tour so far.

Wembley 25th

I am in A4 row 11 tonight.
I had several friends in the pit and although they enjoyed themselves Madonna was very ratty with the crowd and she had every right to be.

There were a group of people sitting down at the front, why come to a concert and sit on your arse!
Jokingly she said “Did I say you could sit down”.

She kept on for them to get up during “Like a Prayer” and you could tell she was pissed off.

This was the night of the infamous fight over the T shirt.
It had to be cut in half, as one of the catchers said “there was just no other compromise”.
By the end of the show I think Madonna had realised that the arseholes at the front were industry and that everyone else was enjoying themselves, including the dancers and backing singers, who looked like they were having so much fun during “Holiday”.

Hoorah for the male dancers with their tops off!

Wembley 26th

I am in Block A4 row 19 tonight. Fellow triber Tonybecks is in pit left. For me this was the most emotional show.

The last in the UK and it had been an amazing ride.
I will never forget Tony bobbing up and down during “Like a Prayer”, for those of you that know Tony this is HIS song.

Madonna may have cried but she’s got nothing on my wailing.

I met some lovely Australians that night that took this last picture for me, (in my
MadonnaSummer T shirt - Mark *wink*).

We all met for the last time at the burger van! Although many of our little Madonna family had left by then, they were with us all in spirit.

Just as well they weren’t there in person, Tony was sweating buckets and it wasn’t pleasant! I had to say farewell to Madonna, some friends and of course Cloud (he he!).

THE END

Well until Paris!