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27 Sep 2006

konichiwa, madonna

A life-long Madonna fanatic was in Tokyo last week to catch Her Madgesty's Confessions Tour and learns a few life lessons along the way — like always check where your seats are before buying the tickets.

It always starts with the manic widening of the eyes. That's followed very closely by a piercing, shrill scream. Random acts of melodramatic histrionics then take place here, sometimes involving me being physically attacked, ultimately ending with me being called a bitch. Yes, telling friends you're flying to Tokyo to catch Madonna's Confessions Tour is pretty similar to admitting to a lover you've slept with his best friend. "I didn't plan on doing it," I would defend myself, shielding my body from a steady succession of limp-wristed slaps. "It just happened!"

Photos by TEPPEI, provided by courtesy of Warner Music Japan.
My Madonna tryst really was unexpected. Boyfriend scored us tickets through a friend and a week later, we found ourselves in Narita Airport, broke from not having had time to put aside cash for a little vacation, a little nervous about not being able to speak the language in a notoriously monolingual country like Japan, and more than a little grumpy from the awful flight we had just endured. Apparently, heightened security means flight attendants no longer have smile or pretend they even give a shit.

No matter - I was in Tokyo (yay, tourism!), with my boyfriend (yay, romance!) holding two out of 80,000 tickets that were sold out in a record five minutes (yay, fate!). I shook off the negativity, smiled a big smile, and made my way through the wilderness of gay Madonna fans in aviator sunnies clearing through immigration. I was going to have a blast and nothing - not money, language, or trolley dollies - was going to stop me. Now if only I could actually see Madonna.

I don't know why I didn't expect my tickets to suck. After all, we did only pay S$200 (US$125) per ticket when there were people bidding US$800 for front-row seats on eBay. Boyfriend did warn me not to expect super seats, but I guess I'm just delusional that way. To be fair, the seats weren't completely awful. Sure, she did appear to be smaller than a Lego man from where I was perched, but it was a whole lot better than what the people up in the nosebleed seats of the Tokyo Dome must have experienced - they wouldn't have been able to tell if it was a bearded Japanese man in a leotard up there on stage lip-syncing to "Hung Up." Thank goodness for the big screens erected on both sides of the stage.

Several other quirks (and that's putting it nicely) of the Tokyo Dome didn't help my far-and-away situation either. Because of what I'm guessing is a security measure, the lights over my section of the stadium never got turned down. As if that wasn't bad enough, the sound seemed to only come from the front instead of all around. There was also a giant mesh netting that separated the elevated section of the stadium from the people on the floor, presumably to deter any potential freeloading section-jumpers. All that added to a feeling that I was looking in on a performance rather than actually being part of an experience. But despite all that, Madonna still rocked.

There are pop concerts and there are Madonna concerts. While fellow pop divas Beyoncé, Christina and even, dare I say, Kylie, simply shimmy and pose their way through an hour-and-a-half, Madonna's concerts are considerably more thought-through, painstakingly choreographed, and intelligent. Just look at Blond Ambition, The Girlie Show and the Drowned World Tour for further proof. These are not just a series of random songs being performed - they are part and parcel of a bigger picture. Not that it was by any means a perfect picture, of course. Even our Madonna has her missteps.

Let's get the bit with the cross out of the way, shall we? You've read about it - Madonna, crucifixion, the Pope is pissy, religious leaders are outraged, blah, blah, blah. I didn't think it was blasphemous. Was it offensive? Well, anything can be offensive to a person who will be offended. The American dude in front of me had his arms crossed and shook his head a lot. To me, it was a beautiful, striking scene.

As Madonna is slowly raised from the ground on her mirrored cross during "Live to Tell," a count begins above her, starting from zero until it hits 12 million, which you find out, is the number of orphans created by HIV/AIDS in Africa alone. Madonna has said in a statement that the performance is a "plea to the audience to encourage mankind to help one another and to see the world as a unified whole" and that it was "neither anti-Christian, sacrilegious or blasphemous". Was it moving? Very. Did it work as a piece of performance/installation art? Without a doubt. Did it work as a concert piece? No. It weighed the show down too early (it was the fifth song) and did nothing to propel the show forward.

But missteps like the mock cruxification, an awkward disco-fied "La Isla Bonita," and a painfully boring "Like It Or Not" were few and far between. The rest of the concert kicked ass. You may have read that "Forbidden Love" features two men - one with the Star of David painted on his body, another with a Muslim crescent - performing a homoerotic courtship-like dance using only their hands. Well, a gorgeous imagery also unfolds on the screen behind them, starting with a single cell that forms a red blood cell, which then multiplies, ultimately forming sacred symbols like the cross and Ying Yang symbol. A delicate, stripped-down version of the usually electronic "Paradise (But not for Me)" was also a thing of beauty, framed by a backdrop of Cherry Blossoms and light snow. I also loved, loved, loved when Madonna's dancers surprised her onstage wearing Power Rangers masks during "Ray of Light."

My favourite part of the show, however, was the Never Mind The Bollocks rock segment. Yes, I know most people spent their hard-earned money to watch a boogie woogie fest, but a guitar-strapped Madonna tearing through "I Love New York" and posturing around the stage like a wired-up Iggy Pop during "Let It Will Be" was priceless. It was also the only segment of the show big enough to fill an entire stadium and not let the people in the crappy seats feel left out.

By the time Madonna said goodbye with "Hung Up," I was sweaty, exhausted and inspired. I thought to myself, I want to be just like Madonna when I hit 48. I want to be wiser (or at least wise enough to find out where the seats are before buying tickets), richer (or at least be able to afford more than ramen the next time I return to Japan), and good golly, I want to be able to wear spandex.

讀者回應

1. 2006-09-27 18:04  
madonna in tokyo, mariah carey in hongkong.
kylie, come back to sg!!!
2. 2006-09-27 18:41  
i was there, she's hot and still looks great for 48 yeras old mom.
madonna is real queen of pop.
her album sold more than 9 millions in less than a year. and for tokyo tour the most expensive ticket is sold for 500.000 yen.
she need more donate her money to HIV/AIDS and poverty problem.
3. 2006-09-27 18:54  
Now my story is almost similar. Wasn't planning to go anywhere until I stumbled upon the news Madonna gearing up for her Confessions Tour. That got me into a frenzy causing me to spend hours on the net looking for the hot tickets. Ebay didn't help at all! So went to look for ticket seller and VOILA! found Ticketmaster website and was trying my luck and whaddya noe? Got tickets available! Click on it and got myself not one but 2 tickets for 2 nights dancing with Madonna! With tickets secured, went online to book the flight and hotel. Desperately seeking hotels near the Madison Square Garden and settled for the Holiday Inn Martinique. Now all these caused a huge explosion in my bank account that is still sending shockwaves through me cos I simply don't believe I'm gonna see Madonna LIVE in New York! Enduring the SQ 18 hour flight to New York just because I know whats waiting for me in the US. Checked in to hotel and out I go scouting the area so I won't get lost going to Madison Square Garden. My first night of the show, I got seats thats almost directly in front of the stage albeit a bit far but still can see Madonna in all her glory. I was stunned to say the least and almost cried in ecstasy. That was much better than having countless orgasms! The second night, I had the enviable seats next to the satellite stage where I can see Madonna up close! She was like THIS close to the seats and I was busy snapping away on my cam. Phew! The excitement is indescribable! My parting words, if you only have 1 concert to see, catch Madonna when she next perform! Its an experience no other ordinary singers can copy. Period.
4. 2006-09-27 19:22  
Those who went to see her could strike off one more on the "10 MUST-DO Things for a Gay Before Die List!"! I can only save for the next one.
Hope there's a NEXT one! hehehee....
5. 2006-09-27 20:01  

i was fortunate to catch that show while i was in vegas. i bought the ticket the same day as the concert. i was too relieved to get hold of the ticket to even care whether my seat was crappy or not.

then, just before the show, it turned out that they had to close that section i was supposed to be in. they mentioned sth like the screen was gonna come down from the ceiling and blocked our view.

so they relocated me to a much better place. not spectacular but still a hundred dollars more expensive seats. to think i just paid like $80 for that seat.

i was blessed ;)

/ed
6. 2006-09-27 20:17  
I was there to catch the first show in Tokyo too and I totally agree with all your comments. Great review. I had a similar experience with the seating and thought it was just me but then again it was Madonna in Japan, which rocked. I especially loved being part of the Japanese in-sync swaying and clapping... :) Genki desuka?
7. 2006-09-27 20:28  
There are pop shows (not concerts as the writer says), Madonna shows (not concerts) and then there are concerts with real people who play music, have audience interaction, and talent such as U2 or Depeche Mode. Most Madonna shows have been mostly glitz and glamor, little material. To the American in front of the writer (I am speaking as another American) we have seen Madonna parading around with her faux-Catholicism for a long time; its old, boring, and has little meaning. No one cares about what she says, the man was shaking his head because that scene is nothing new. When someone has to rely on such extravagant backdrops, scenes, and costumes, then you realize there isn't a whole lot of the basic qualities of a good show, ie dancing, singing, audience interaction. I have never scene anything intellegent in a Madonna show- its a show, entertainment! She makes silly political statements now because she already has done her sex book. If the writer enjoyed it, wonderful- that is the point of the show. However, if you want something intense, original, and emotional, look to other female artists such as Bjork or Tori Amos which unfortuately are hard to find in Asia.
8. 2006-09-27 23:19  
yeah, KYLIE COME BACK!!!!!!! WE WANT YOU!!!!!!!!!!!
9. 2006-09-28 00:31  
I saw her confessions tour in Phoenix both time!
First I bought tickets from the concert ticket booth (whatever they called) and the second day I just bought them from people who tried to seel tickets cheap just before concert started.
Can't believe that I got them for $35 each!!!! and very very good seats. (I paid $175 for the first day)
Anyway, I LOVE MADONNA!
10. 2006-09-28 01:10  
Just a note on the mesh netting at Tokyo Dome. The stadium was originally built for (boring) baseball games (yuk) and the netting is placed to protect the spectators from balls (or whateva they're capable of throwing) flying into your way.
Still, good to hear you had a great time in Tokyo and I had a blast too. Can't wait for the next one.
Never mind the bloody bollocks! ha
11. 2006-09-28 05:54  
I paid US$350 to see this concert in Chicago. I could see her very clearly. I have to say she looked gorgeous in her age. The most impressive song for me was "Live to Tell," where she performed on the cross. It was a truly beautiful song.

However I think both of her Reinvention Tour and Drown World Tour were much better than this one. This Confession Tour was too political, too bitter, and she didn't dance that much.
12. 2006-09-28 09:22  
Damn It!! I need to catch her in the her next concernt in THIS life!! Like what anagram said, I need to cross it out of my list!! This is so unfair that these people get to see her!! Damn Again!
13. 2006-09-28 09:39  
Yes, no one cares anymore about what she has to say. It's old tired and trite. Everyone is always saying that she's such a genius when it comes to self-promotion, so was Garbo. Maybe she could do a disappearing act like Garbo and give us a much needed break.
14. 2006-09-28 11:20  
she is no more creative genius...these whole horse riding concept she copyed from GOLDFRAPP glastonbury festival gig. if u want to be a follower, plz disappear with grace!!!
回應#15於被作者刪除。
回應#16於被作者刪除。
17. 2006-09-28 17:18  
ok. i flew all the way from kl to london to catch confessions tour on 15/8/06 i.e. a day before her birthday!

it was fantastic. she was FANTASTIC.

tell me who can pull something like that off at that age?

i love some of the songs that she did exclusively for the concert like erotica/you thrill me, lucky star cum hung up and sorry (the interlude). they're brilliant! can anyone send me the mp3s??

despite the negative reviews and all, catch a madonna concert if you can. it's worth every penny.

in the mean time, i'm reliving the confessions tour moments. you can join me watching the clips:

http://musicploitation.multiply.com/video/item/14
18. 2006-09-29 17:35  
Hmm...Madonna, an icon, who inspires, challenges and leads one to be aware of and be better than ourselves in both charity and existence, especially HIV/Aids issues, gets flaks from smaller than life nobodies here, whose collective existence does not amount to anything significant to the world at large....please !

Don't ask what Madonna can do for you but what you have done in comparison to her contributions to others !
19. 2006-10-08 13:12  
People, time to move on to see Mariah Carey in her amazing Mimi tour in Hong Kong!
Weeeee........Mimi, rock it girl!

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