From albee:
Just got back from MSG. Wow - what a big difference from seeing her at Staples Center on 6/3.
1) She was incredible. She did one helluva job with I Love New York. The difference was she extended with the guitar and afterwards said 'Come on Mother fuckers, I wrote this song thinking about you....I expect you to jump up and down for this next song.' Then Ray Of Light came on.
2) She was 1 hour late. However, MSG was super late themselves letting people in. Show started at 9:05. There was an annoucement said Madonna apologizes for some technical challenges that will not be the way she intended the show. To be quite honest, I couldn't tell as the seats I had from the Staples center I was fine with.
3) After Like It Or Not, she said, 'I keep fucking up with the words and dance steps. But then again I'm here at home, I dont need to impress you guys....right?'
4) After Future Lovers when she goes back on stage, she sung more 'I Feel Love'. I loved it, something different from all the clips weve seen and from the original show.
Its nice to have an eye for detail huh :) All in all, Im happy I flew out from LA to see her.

From Carlos:
Well, I was there on Wednesday, June 28. After waiting so long, we were allowed in, and the show kicked off a little after 9PM. It was a great show, despite the screens not working well. But I think something was holding Madonna back a bit – she often seemed a bit disconnected and lost. Overall, she sounded great, aside for a few songs that were sung half-asses (such as Like It Or Not). The dancers were certainly amazing and kept the energy on the stage going. I hope the problems have been fixed for the rest of the NYC shows. I wish I could see it again.

From Colin:
I think this was a very standard show for this Confessions tour (this was my first time). Totally incredible, so visual - so much energy - Like A Virgin, Sorry and Hung Up are the best!
Jump is cool too, with the acrobatics - most of this you have heard before - the one thing that really stuck out is that she referenced New York City and it being her 'home' - she jokingly said that she did not have to 'impress nobody' - she also did say 'Come on Manhattan (I thought that was cool) - show me what you got!'

From Danialle:
She didnt start til after 9, I heard a security guard talking, saying she was pissed because the stage wasnt right. Then they made an announcement for Madonna apologizing that one of the screens (top center) was cut off....and said she hopes we enjoy the show despite that imperfection....WELL....WE DID!
The crowd was great (except for the guy SLEEPING in the section next to us). Madonna was ON FIRE and workin it - and DAMN IT WAS HOT IN THERE! The show was AMAZING....she sang Lucky Star and I don't know if that was a suprise or what because I don't remember reading that she plays it!
It was a great version of the song! Pod seats weren't all they were cracked up to be....maybe she spent more time on the catwalk in other cities....but she only did 1 full song there, then was only down there for seconds for 2 or 3 other songs. I'm short, and couldn't see unless she was at the end of the catwalk! Can't wait to go again though so I can see more!
Also I cant express how BEAUTIFUL Live To Tell was. All this drama in the media about Madonna crucifying herself....nobody took the time to just look at it and appreciate the artistic beauty. Seeing her up there, she looked like an angel....and singing those haunting words almost brought me to tears, it moved me. Thank you Madonna for that lovely moment in time.
I love when M told the crowd that she was trying to impress us....AND CALLED NY HOME! Then she asked the crowd to puff her ego....then puff it a litte more....shes so cute!

From HeyMrJason:
OK, first I wanna say....I LOVE Madonna and she is an AWESOME performer, I mean, NOBODY puts on a SHOW like her! I was SOOOOOO excited to see the Confessions Tour in New York City especially after reading all the RAVE reviews on Madonnalicious and other Madonna websites! My EXPECTATIONS were EXTREMELY high so, naturally, I was a little disappointed with this tour! It wasn't nearly as EXCITING as the ReInvention Tour which was an energetic SPECTACLE, I'm sure because it was a GREATEST HITS tour!
I strongly believe that the majority of people would get MORE into a show if it contained more hits than new material! Don't get me wrong, I LOVE the Confessions On a Dance Floor CD and I play it all the time BUT....10 songs from a new CD is WAY too many to perform in a 20 song show!
Most audiences DON'T get into new material in a concert because its unfamiliar and they aren't as ENTHUSIASTIC! They most often will just sit down and watch! Which in this case they did! I couldn't wait to see this show in fabulous NEW YORK CITY where the ReInvention Tour practically blew the roof off the Garden from the constant ROAR of the audience! The Confessions Tour got its roars in the usually places....the BIG entrance and the GREAT dance numbers which unfortunately came mostly at the END of the show!
'MUSIC' was DEFINITELY the BIG showstopper which made Madison Square Garden come ALIVE! It was spectacular, it could of went on forever as far as I'm concerned! Other ENJOYABLE moments....Get Together, Like A Virgin, Sorry, Ray Of Light, Let It Will Be, Lucky Star and Hung Up! All these achieved Madonna EXCELLENCE but unfortunately the enthusiasm wasn't there in between!
AND....as far as Madonna's VOCAL performance she seemed pretty NERVOUS and her timing was a little OFF during the first half of the show! It strongly improved from I Love New York till the end! She actually forgot lyrics a few times and even stated that she was nervous and trying TOO HARD to IMPRESS New York City! I DID get that impression!
So....like I said, the expectations in NYC were VERY HIGH so in the end, naturally, we ENJOYED the Confessions Tour BUT left the arena a LITTLE disappointed and wanting MORE! Maybe I'll enjoy the show MORE tonight when I see it for the second time, this time I can watch it WITHOUT expectations and ENJOY it for what it is....a PROMO tour! I'm sure it will grow on me and I'll come out liking this tour a lot more! I and MANY others CAN'T get ENOUGH of MADONNA, she is an AMAZING PERFORMER and hopefully....she will always be back to give us even MORE!

From John:
Just got in from opening night of the Confessions Tour in NYC....the show was fabulous despite some minor glitches. Firstly two of the big screens were down and an announcement was made to the audience that Madonna apologized for this 'imperfection'....truly though it made no difference to us. The crowd was on their feet from beginning to end with I love New York being an obvious high point.
Madonna also fell during her performance of Ray Of Light. Given the size of the Garden the two side catwalks were on an incline heading up toward the loge seats. As Madonna was playing guitar heading back towards the main stage she fell on her knees but got right up and kept going. She made mention of it before she sang Drowned World. She said something along the lines of 'I keep fucking up the words and falling all over the place, I guess I just want to impress you guys.' I don't know where she fucked up the words but it was cool. She was pouring everything into this show and she delivered.
Rumor has it Madonna cursed up a storm during sound check about the broken monitors.
Also I dont think anyone has mentioned that 'Music Inferno' starts off with the lyrics to 'Where's the Party?'
Again I had a great time I couldn't stop screaming....Madonna always delivers...and best of all I get to see her again on 7-19....hope this is of interest to fellow fans :-)

From Joni:
This is my combined highlights on Hartford, Connecticut and NYC concerts. Power and grace emanated from her Madgesty as she emerged from the crystal disco ball and worked her way around the catwalks.
Clearly the Queen, she was gorgeous and in control as she handled the male dancers dressed as wild stallions. The video backdrop on the semi-circular curtain over the stage was very imaginative and impressive.
The combined humanitarian and artistic display leading into 'Live To Tell' was thought provoking and extremely well choreographed while her singing during the song moved the audience. It’s too bad some critics focused on the cross instead of the important message she was portraying.
The dancers were out of this world during Jump which is one of my lyrical favorites from COADF.
Of course, I loved the hard beat of 'I Love New York' which drove the NYC crowd mad. Her rapid fire of her shows – sort of music, Las Vegas, and Cirque du Soleil all rolled into one – are like no other in the entertainment business and rule supreme but hearing her gentle vocals on 'Drowned World' and 'Paradise (Not for Me)' were awesome. Yes Elton, she really does sing and it’s very beautiful.
At Hartford on Sunday, she remarked about how life was boring unless you take chances. Well dear M, we all love you for giving it all you’ve got in everything that you do, for providing lessons learned along the adventure called life, and continuing with your head held high!
Thanks for the entertainment, the fun and the memories. M, you are a shining example as well as the Queen of Dance and Pop!

From Robert L:
The show started an hour late, but it was DEFINITELY worth the wait! There was an announcement about how the screens were being blocked and some wouldn't get a full view and how 'Madonna apologizes for this inconvenience and hopes that you will enjoy the show in spite of this!' I don't know what the issue was cuz I saw everything.
Anywho, AMAZING SHOW! She was on fire and very demanding, asking everyone to jump up and down. During Ray Of Light she scolded us, 'You're not jumping!' I love it when Madonna scolds her audience! The venue was hot and she was too!

From Scotty P:
It was the best Madonna show I've ever seen, and I am not just saying that. Even the songs that aren't my favorite on the record - Isaac, Let It Will Be - had major mojo. Isaac was haunting-yet-rocking, and on Let It Will Be - boy, did Girlfriend rock out! Striking the most glam, ostentatious poses - it was fierce. I felt the show really got going after Isaac.
The numbers that really cooked were: Sorry, I Love New York, Ray Of Light, Music, La Isla Bonita, Lucky Star and Hung Up. The Disco Inferno-ized Music and Hung Up finale were the most fun I've ever had at a Madonna show, period. But it's worth noting how beautiful Live To Tell was, and boy, does Paradise (Not For Me) really work when arranged as an acoustic duet. And Like It Or Not really hit its mark as an unapologetic update of her self-statement.
When I Love New York came up, I was hoping for some type of 'Finally, I get to sing this song and let it rip, without having to apologize for it, etc,' but she didn't give us that kind of intro. Our love letter came a few numbers later, when she said, 'I feel like I'm messing up lines and falling all over the place....I feel like I wanna impress you guys....but what do I have to be nervous about, this is my home.. The place roared.
She commanded us to, 'Pump it up!' We did. She wasn't satisfied - 'Pump it up more.' We did that, too. Again, 'Pump it up more.' So, we did. She wasn't doing this in a cliche showbiz way; it was more like she had us in the palm of her hands, and we would do whatever she wanted. It was a really cute moment.
At the end, she CONFESSED, 'I know it's an illusion, but it's a really nice one.' Also, I think it was Ray Of Light when she told us to, 'Jump up and down....whadda ya need an invitation, you're New Yorkers!' Hot. We ate it up. Half-way thru that song, we weren't jumping enough to her satisfaction. She says three words - 'You're not jumping.' Immediately, 16,000 people begin hopping up and down in unison. We were SO her bitches.

From Steve:
The scene out front was a mob scene. I've never seen so many people. It sort of turned into an angry mob as it got later and later. At 7:30, I thought, 'Something's wrong.' When they opened the doors, there was a mad dash for the seats and I almost got trampled. The vibe inside the room was intense so I just took my seat. Angela Becker was there and I said hello to her - she is extremely lovely. I also saw Jamie King and he looked like he was on the brink of snapping. It got later and later - and there was no music playing. The stage was NOTHING to look at - they were still putting it together at 8:45.
At 9:05 an announcer stepped up to the microphone and said: 'Ladies and Gentlemen. Ladies and gentlemen, please.' Everyone became silent. 20,000 silent people. I knew something was wrong. My heart stopped. He said, 'I'm sorry to report that due to technical difficulties, tonight's concert cannot be performed as it was conceived by Madonna. Madonna apologizes to you. The show will begin in 15 minutes. Madonna asks that you understand that the concert will go on with imperfections.'
Lights out at 9:25 - rather late. I thought the first act was great. Madonna seemed in delicious spirits and was clearly enjoying her Dita routine in New York - which MUST be considered the leather and fetish capital of the world. I cannot say enough good things about her dancers - they are the best she has ever had. The entire first act was everything you pay to see Madonna for.
The second act started out fine, but I could tell that the stage began crumbling in a state of disarray as video screens, the cross, the Sorry cage, and the instrument panels all tried to jiggle into some state that made sense. I noticed that Madonna was not involved in the audience very much and barely spoke a word or smiled - I saw that she looked at the ground the entire time dancing to 'Isaac.' But 'Forbidden Love' was great. I had a marvelous seat - Row A off the floor, just elevated about four feet from the floor. I saw that she hurled her stool at a roadie and glared at a few people to her right.
The third act was....well, it was rough. Madonna was stone-faced. I was AMAZED that she did not introduce 'I Love New York' or smile during it. Just shocked. I have to say, she looked miserable. Maybe it was her Glam Rock pose, but I don't think so. The crowd on the floor did take over, though - and Madonna dropped to her knees and delivered a memorable guitar solo that really shook the house. 'Ray Of Light' was also a highlight - every time the dancers arrived on the scene, the concert took off. But she seemed mechanical during a lot of it, I must say.
Her stage, always so beautiful, seemed devoid of a center. There was just nothing to look at but Madonna. She barely communicated with Stuart. Ironically, I thought the third show in L.A. a month ago made THIS look like the Friends and Family concert!
But it was okay. Personally, I thought it was fascinating. Let It Will Be is hard to ruin. After LIWB, Madonna sat on the edge of the stage and said, 'Okay, I've been fucking everything up tonight. You guys are making me nervous. I really wanted to impress you. But then I realized - you don't care anyway, right?' She seemed lost and seemed to ramble. She continued, 'C'mon make me feel better. My ego needs stroking.' The crowd gave her a huge cheer. She then continued with a perfunctory, uneventful Drowned World and Paradise.
Fortunately, 'Music Inferno' absolutely seized the room and Madonna clearly had a good time with it. Don't forget, 'Saturday Night Fever' is set in NYC. Again, those dancers are too wonderful to describe. 'Erotica' and 'La Isla Bonita' were terrific, if a bit on autopilot. Her little cape number during 'Lucky Star' is really shaping up - she looks like a little superhero. Supergirl.
When she trotted over to my side of the catwalk, her hair and makeup were a disaster area. Her hair looked like it had gotten caught in a vacuum cleaner. Her makeup had melted off of her face and onto her outfit. She seemed relatively uninvolved, but the crowd loves this number. Actually, I thought it was a very good, responsive crowd considering a very trying night. (Heat that would melt wax.) She vanishes briefly for the fastest touch up in history and returned for 'Hung Up.'
While she certainly worked her little 'Time Goes By' thing, she looked completely over it. She didn't even dance during her entrance or exit. She was more striking poses than dancing. After an awkward period of at least three minutes, 'Have you confessed?' No one was even looking at the stage anymore. End of concert: a late 11:25.
Personally, I loved it! I'm so glad I went! I love drama and I love watching Madonna work on the edge. I mean, who cares? It's Madonna and I watched My Gal dance and sing and do her thang - on a night that she will not soon forget. I hope the critics are kind. The show was not suitable for reviewing. It produced some real highlights, though. 'Isaac' is always a surprise - I don't know why. And now....I guess I have to go again. I need one perfect New York show, wouldn't you say?

From Steve E:
I traveled from Toronto to New York City to see Madonna in concert at Madison Square Garden in New York City on June 28. This was my third time seeing Madonna in concert....the two previous times was during the Re-Invention Tour in Toronto....and she keeps getting better and better!
Many of the reviews I've read thus far are from the floor seats. I was in section 402, way up top and I must say, as much as I would've preferred to be on the floor, the view from up top was very good! Her stages and screens are set up in a way that no matter where you're seated in the MSG, you can have a decent view!
Her performance of 'Ray Of Light' was spectacular. She didn't perform it during Re-Invention so my goal was to see her perform that song one day in concert....and my goal was acheived in NYC on June 28! It was beyond amazing....a dream come true to see her perform my favorite song!
It's so difficult to pin-point highlights from the show because the whole thing was fantastic, however, some highlights were definitely 'Hung Up' where she had the audience sing 'time goes by so slowly' over and over and over again! It was phenomenal! Also, the energy in the room during 'Music/Disco Inferno' and 'I Love New York' was undeniable. Her voice was flawless during all the 'sit-down' songs!
She messed up some of the lyrics during 'Ray Of Light' and made mention of it later on. The crowd was very forgiving though....she was surrounded by thousands of her bitches!

From Vidis:
WOWOWOWOW! She emerges from her disco ball and it was like a UFO landing the second coming. The spectacle is passionate foreplay which leads up to the most luscious climax you've ever had with unbelievable in-synch dancing and release of hundreds of silver and gold Mylar balloons.
'Erotica' was a remarkably beautiful piece, wonderfully hot new rendition, so sexy. Belting out another one of her countless hits whipping the air with a riding crop, she tantalizes stage right, as she straddles a mechanical bull/saddle producing a fantasy carousel in motion all up in the faces of the audience - very haunting!
The orgy sequence in 'Hung Up' is undoubtedly the most extraordinarily completely brilliant choreography ever constructed and loads the atmosphere with sensations of visiting a lascivious bathhouse jamboree.
It is just entirely mesmerizing when she morphs into a dazzling butterfly and sprawls her cape to flaunt her glistening illuminated wings. Absolutely stunning!
It was the first time she played 'I Love New York' in NYC and I was so disappointed that the crowd didn't break the house down in a stampede to rush the stage and smother her in hugs and kisses, even though some of us lost our voices screaming like rioting lunatics for her.
'Let It Will Be' is my favorite track but this version seemed like the music was missing something, like when, a bad demo cassette recording is missing a generation, but it was kind of underground old school and SHE sounded awesome. Still, she let us have it and kept out doing herself with every subsequent number.
It was the most outrageous magical progression and it just kept getting better and better. You definitely have to catch this exposition a few times because it's carnival-esque and there is no way you can grasp everything in just one sitting. Fortunately I am going back on Monday or else I'd be really depressed.
YOU MUST CONFESS - THANK GOD FOR MADONNA!

From Colin:
Tonight's show was great. She did the Like A Virgin horse ride a bit longer and the band played more music as she rode around. She also said she had 'three hours of sleep this morning' but, the energy of the crowd was keeping her going. She did seem sort of half committed to the dance moves during one of the songs - not sure which one. Also Madvia was sitting at the front of the catwalk dressed exaclty as Madonna is when she comes out at the start of the Confessions Tour show - he was just standing there watching Madonna. It was interesting to see such idol worship (and the look on the face).
I am really into the Issac parts - both of the times he sings with her. I Love New York is not a favorite for me (even though I love New York), not into Madonna's rocker/guitar experments. She should just stick to the dancing and upbeat songs.

From David:
The show was awesome and Madonna's voice was crystal clear from section 4. We saw Kevin Spacey and Lenny Kravitz with front row middle cat walk seats. Cloud is the sexiest dancer! And I made some neat friends as we all danced the concert away!
Madonna put on the best show money could buy and I will never miss any future tour and will from now on always pay top dollar to be right up in the action. So worth this majestic appearance. Jeers to the losers that spent so much time watching Kravitz and Spacey watch Madonna. They missed far too much Madonna and Company watching the celebrities!

From HeyMrJason:
OK....I stated a few days ago that I was majorly disappointed with Madonna's opening night at Madison Square Garden in NYC on June 28th! I NOW understand a lot of this was due to technical difficulties at the beginning of the show as well as my GREAT EXPECTATIONS! I really wanted to LOVE this 'opening night' show in NYC but I could tell something was wrong early on! The musical timing seemed to be off, Madonna seemed nervous and a bit unhappy, her voice very shaky! I really think the audience picked up on this and wasn't as rowdy as I thought they would be, I mean....this is NEW YORK!
I later read about the panic backstage throughout this show! SO....all is now very CLEAR and all is forgiven!
NOW....I wanna THANK GOD that I got to go again the next night on the 29th because this show was fuckin' FLAWLESS! I don't know if Madonna yelled and screamed at her crew to get it right this time but they pulled it off PERFECTLY!
This was the SPECTACULAR Confessions Tour I read about all over! The one I wanted to see on opening night with my best friend! Oh well :(
But....I THANK GOD again that I got to see the show the second night! Madonna was EXTREMELY CONFIDENT, her voice STRONG and her dancing AMAZING!
The ENERGY level of the show and the NY audience was at an all-time HIGH and I will NEVER forget it! This is 'THE SHOW' they should put on DVD! It was a TRULY MAGNIFICENT experience! A TOTALLY different show than the night before!
A SPECTACLE! Thanks Madonna for the GREAT TIME!

From J. Erik:
This tour is amazing, Madonna definitely turned the stage into one giant dance floor! She took fewer off-stage breaks/costume changes than previous tours. She effectively used slow songs to give herself a break. But her dancing is so intense and amazing, that at 47 she showed up 30,000 fans!
The show started at 9pm and did not seem to have the techincal difficulties I read had plaqued her the previous night. Her entrance in the disco ball was so amazing I did not notice the dancers on the side catwalks until the song was half over! The intensity was built by adding the I Feel Love music to Future Lovers! The big crowd pleasers of the night were Like A Virgin, Sorry, Ray Of Light, Music, La Isla Bonita, Lucky Star, and Hung Up. But the great thing about the crowd was that they loved EVERY song!
The dancing and choreography were breathtaking, and I was particularly speechless in amazement during the Disco Inferno/Music roller skating and the surprising remix of Erotica! The prelude to Live To Tell where some of the dancers were telling stories of overcoming hardship and tragedy was profound and very powerful! That cross is simply stunning!
I was pleased to hear the crowd cheer during the video montage of the Sorry Remix when pictures of Madonna singing 'Don't Talk, Don't Speak' were mixed with images of political figures and war - it was right on target when the screens showed Bush looking dazed and his eyes fluttering in time to the music - hilarious! I like the end message of that montage 'The audience is watching'.
Isaac was particularly powerful when she was joined on stage by the real Isaac whose haunting voice added a touching element. The batlike dancer in the cage during that song was fun to watch. Let It Will Be was stunning - Madonna danced so intensely all over the stage that she had trouble getting the vocals out. But it was proof that she is the Dancing Queen!
I Love New York was great to see and I worried the crowd was not fully appreciating the song, but she told us that she had only slept 3 hours the night before and that is was our love and energy that were keeping her going doing a fabulous show! She also said at the end of Like It Or Not that she dies a little with each show and it is worth it, and that she knew New Yorkers could relate to that - we'd die just trying to get a taxi cab! Bringing Isaac back out for Paradise (Not For Me) was extremely effective and suddenly that song sounded more moving as a ballad!
From Disco Inferno/Music through the end of the show was a thumping techno club extravaganza and the crowd loved it! Hung Up was a great ending, it seemed to go on for an hour with Madonna telling the crowd it was our chance to sing along with her and we did, but never loud enough for her! But who had a voice left at that moment? Certainly not me!
One of my most memorable moments was Forbidden Love when 2 (hot!) male dancers did this wonderfully understated routine mostly with interlocking arms on 2 sides of the stage. At the end Madonna joined in an approving manner with the message 'just one love' at the end of the song. It was beautiful and a testament to why the gay community so loves her! It brought tears to my eyes - thank you Madonna for touching our hearts! I cannot wait to see this show again! To all the fans who have not seen it yet, put your dancing shoes on and get ready to be amazed!

From Michael:
The show was amazing! She had great energy. She said in one of her speeches that she only had 3 hours of sleep the night before and that the energy we were giving to her was contagious!

From Natalie:
I have never had so much fun at a concert then I did during Madonna's Confessions Tour. I was dancing in at my seat and singing to every song. Madonna sang every song so great and the dancing was incredible.
When talking to the audience she was humerous, showing how multi-talented she is. Madonna can do everything. This concert was so good it cant be explained. I traveled 7 hours to see the show and it was worth every effort x's 10. I love Madonna and my love for her grew after seeing this amazing concert. No one can put on a better show then Madonna!

From Scotty P:
After Let It Will Be on Thursday night, Madonna talked for a much longer spell than she did on Wednesday night. She showed us some vulnerability when she said, 'Every time I do a show, I die a little bit, but no shit is worth doing unless you're willing to die for it. You guys can understand that - you're New Yorkers. You're willing to die for a taxi cab!'
Then she got very humble and told us, 'You're energy and enthusiasm is contagious!' and she earnestly thanked us for that.

From Steve:
Madonna's second night in New York City was a world of difference. Her performance was absolutely astonishing tonight - the best of the five shows I've seen. Every moment of the show was flawless and graceful. Like A Virgin was breathtaking - she just devoured this number, and executed her pole dance with a vengeance. She has added some extra oomph to it.
The second act was as fluid as a waterfall - Madonna has finally mastered her desire to think AND dance, and this spiritual segment was hard to sit still to! I was dancing with everyone in my section. The third act was what we've been waiting for - sheer volcanic eruption at the first glimpse of 'I Love New York.' I couldn't quite understand what Madonna, but she said something like, 'A piece of me dies every time I sing this song.' (Drowned World.) I wonder if I misunderstood, because I didn't know what she meant by that.
I must say, the stage was particularly beautiful. I finally realize how much was missing from last night's misfortune. 'Music' was sheer dynamite, the New York crowd totally got into the 'Saturday Night Fever' tribute, and I think it's safe to say that every person in that room - age 7 to 70 - was thrilled. Just brilliant.
The entire final act rocked without a hitch. Last night she looked so awful - and tonight was such a difference. Maybe the thundershowers took some humidity out of the air, because she looked like a glam queen to the bitter end. 'Erotica' got a real burn to it - her dancers just cannot be praised enough. They never stop doing little bits of business - remarkable considering that all eyes are on You Know Who. Lucky Star hit the roof with ease. What a great night. Hung Up was the cherry on the cake.
I've seen five shows this tour, and this was the best, easily. I think she is at the peak of her performing abilities - depending on whether you prefer her 'Confessions' material or whether you prefer her 'Like A Prayer' period, I think this might be her best show ever, and last night's show was the best performance that you could possibly get from it. Fabulous.

From C-J:
First of all, a word about seating. I bought my tickets the second they went onsale for this show and was in Section 211 (paid $169 each) which was listed as 'Side Stage'. This basically means that you are nearly in the back of the stage and miss what's happening on the backdrop screens about 25% of the time.
When we first sat down we were pissed thinking that the seats were horrible but once the show began there were only a small handful of times that we looked up on the big screen to see what was going on (the biggest time was during 'Live To Tell' because we were looking at the back of the Cross.)
That said, the show was for the most part flawless. The first act came off without a hitch and she seemed really relaxed. During the interlude for 'Live To Tell' we could actually see her crawl onto the cross from the bottom and have a couple of people get her situated before it began to rise. This part of the show was really powerful although I couldn't help but think of 'The Life of Brian' the way it was lit up. Nonetheless, she really gets her point across and I personally don't see why so many people were annoyed by this.
When she came out to do 'I Love New York' the crowd went bezerk. You could tell that she was happy by the reception this got. BTW - someone threw a jacket on the stage and she kicked it back into the audience and yelled at everyone after the song about 'throwing shit onto her stage'.
The energy level kept up until she got to 'Drowned World' where you could tell that she really was getting tired and basically went through the motions for the last segment of the show. It was still entertaining but she seemed to just 'shut down' and was counting the minutes until she could go home.
Another funny thing was just before 'Music/Disco Inferno' I could see everyone below the stage on their skates. When the music started Cloud was playing air guitar and stopped just before that part of the stage began to rise.
All in all it was a really good show and I'm sad that this will likely be my only time seeing her on this tour due to work taking up all of my free time! For those of you out there who still have tickets you really are in for a ride!

From DJ Danny Echi:
Fact: Any and all die hard MADONNA fans should know by now that Madonna doesn't like any gifts being thrown at her while she's on stage. She's made it clear in the past, last year at her London 'Koko' show, her Coachella show, and then again at last night's (Sunday,July 2nd) New York City show at Madison Square Garden.
Last night I was dead smacked leaning against the catwalk around the 18th row. During 'Get Together' three rows up in front of me, on the left hand side of the stage, a fan threw up in the air a large amount of rainbow confetti. The timing was perfect. As Madonna sang on the catwalk, the line 'It's a illusion I don't care', the confetti was thrown up in the air falling on her. It was such a cool effect. For a second I thought it was a new part of the show. The fan not only threw it once but twice during 'Get Together'.
The second time she looked up in the air to see where it was coming from. The look on her face was a moment. She didn't like it. After the song, during her good evening ladies and gentlemen speech, right before 'Jump', she told the audience 'Don't throw things on my stage, it makes it dangerous'.
Later during 'Ray Of Light' someone threw flowers on the stage and she kicked them back, and said 'Don't throw shit on my stage'. So kids if you really wanna make her happy don't buy her any gifts, no flowers, no poems, no stuffed animals, don't sit in your seats (ever!) or throw anything on stage. (Take it from me as I've seen her 67 times now in concert) What really makes her happy at her show's is massive amounts of people: jumping, singing, dancing, cheering and giving her energy.

From Fernando:
I just got in from my 3rd show at MSG, JULY 2nd (5th show in total for the tour) and both Madonna and the crowd were in HIGH SPIRITS tonight!
Madonna exuberated so much energy, passion and emotion. The show was superb and so far the BEST NY show. Again, Lenny Kravitz was at the show along with Lucy Liu and her boyfriend. I sat in the catwalk aisle seats at the tip of the runway (EXCELLENT SEATS). Guy Oseary saw me again and gave me a warm hello.
After Get Together and before starting JUMP, Madge told the audience, 'Please do not throw anything onto the stage as it could be dangerous, BUT the night is young and the show has just begun!'
Right after I LOVE NEW YORK (the crowd went CRAZY) she told the audience, 'You guys gotta stop making me curse, my daughter is watching the show tonight' Yes, Lola was definitely watching. But then she said, 'I TOLD YOU GUYS TO STOP THROWING SHIT ON MY STAGE, WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU THINK THIS IS?!' That was hilarious and just awesome.
After performing Let It Will Be, Madonna laid on the steps near the main stage and told us how tired she was. She started to sing a verse of Frank Sinatra's New York New York while she playfully kicked her legs up in the air. She also mentioned again how there is something special about performing in New York and that we had SO MUCH GOOD ENERGY!
During La Isla Bonita, Madge came over to me. She noticed me again as this is now my 5th show up close and she sang to me AGAIN and I silently spelled out with my mouth 'I LOVE YOU'....she smiled, giggled and winked at me....ANOTHER HIGHLIGHT FOR ME....I LOVE IT!
The show was amazing and pure energy....Lucy Liu was having a blast and so was Lenny....they were really into it!

From Rodrigo:
The concert was amazing and Madonna seemed to be very excited with the crowd response. Madison Square Garden almost came down when madonna performed 'Sorry', which was one of the highlights of the show, with the crowd singing along.
Madonna did not want to see people sat down on her show and said everyone should stand up, because that was not a barbecue. She also told people not to throw things on her stage, because she did not want to use the F-word in the presence of her daughter, Lola, who attended the concert. Lenny Kravitz and Madiva were also there. It was an awesome concert and one of the best days of my life!

From Sammy:
Last night was the first time I have seen a concert at Madison Square Gardens and what better way to do it than at a Madonna show! Madonna was absolutely en fuego last night! LA really is for people who sleep because the NYC crowd was showing Madge some serious loving and Madonna was giving it right back.
At two points during the show (Ray Of Light and Music Inferno) you could actually feel the floor shaking. Only twice did Madonna get miffed with the crowd....during Get Together someone threw confetti into the air over the stage (which looked great but was very dangerous) and when someone else threw a t-shirt at her. In true Madonna form, Madonna yelled 'Stop throwing s**t on my stage! Where do you think you are?!' My favorite moment was at the end of Let It Will Be, Madonna rolled over on her back and began singing New York, New York and giving random chorus line kicks into the air.
The crowd (including Lenny Kravitz, Sarah Jessica Parker, Lucy Lui, David Blaine, Mayor Bloomberg, Guy, Lola and Madonna's dad and step mom) loved it! I am so happy I splurged and went to one more show!

From Scotty P:
Tonight was the best New York crowd so far, and it made for a terrific show. We were a little out of hand, though. In one of the first few numbers, some fans on the floor launched some colorful streamers in the air. It was a nice visual, but some of them landed on the stage. Right before Jump Madonna said, 'Ladies and Gentlemen....and I use that term losely....please do not throw things on my stage. It makes things very dangerous for me.'
I guess we didn't get the message. I didn't notice it, but people must've thrown something else onto the catwalk a little later on. Lola must've been in the house. After I Love New York she admonished us, 'My daughter is watching the show tonight, so please don't make me keep saying 'fuck'....but please don't throw shit on my stage...,' and then, '....Who do you think you are?! What do you think this is?!' But she couldn't stay mad at us for long.
After a particularly wild Let It Will Be, she was downright giddy. She started singing Frank Sinatra's New York, New York, and she was cracking herself up....'These little town blues, are melting away, I'm gonna make a brand new start of it - in old New York, If I can make it there, I'm gonna make it anywhere, It's up to you - New York, New York.' Then she said, 'There's something about doing a show for a New York audience....the energy is so fuckin' intense, you just gotta go with it, but now I'm fucking exhuasted!'
She had worked us up into such a frenzy, that the crowd wasn't quite ready to sit back and give her full attention during Paradise (Not For Me). I felt a restless energy throughout the song until she picked things back up with Music. Two other notes: tonight Isaac sang the final chorus of Drowned World with Madonna; I don't think he did that the first two shows. Also, Stuart Price is the one doing the 'Do you like to....Boogie-Woogie?' line in Music; the monitor showed a close-up of him with a headgear-mike singing the line. I hadn't noticed that before.

From Steve:
Last night was a mixed blessing - my (good) seat didn't exist, so they relocated me to an awesome seat. Unfortunately, three other people arrived at that same seat and everyone was throwing hissy fits as the lights went down. It was not good. Fortunately, the security guy was cool, and let us all just stand there at the edge of the catwalk.
The crowd was wild - too wild. A Sunday of a three-day weekend - I saw more people drinking beer than a tour of Germany.
A huge ball of confetti and glitter came down during 'Get Together,' and M evacuated the area, while they mopped it up. I guess a fan threw it. Then someone threw a jacket. Before 'I Love New York,' she said: 'Don't make me use the F word, because my daughter's in the audience! But DO NOT throw fucking shit on my stage. It is unsafe for the dancers.' And someone threw a bottle cap. The whole night was like that - a hot show, but an over the top crowd.
She sang a few bars of 'New York, New York' before Drowned World. There is a LOT of spontaneity during the last segment! La Isla Bonita has been different for each show. Last night, Jason did a prolonged dance during it, recreating the Drowned World tour. (Maybe I just finally noticed it because I was so close - there is just TOO MUCH to watch during this concert.)
I noticed that Tony, Madonna's dresser, is everywhere during the show. He's always either running inside the catwalk or surrounding the crowd, always making himself available. Lenny Kravitz was there again, and was REALLY enjoying it. He just seemed to be groovin' and singing along with Madonna during a lot of it (they've worked together).

From Wellington:
Well she was amazing, she sounded amazing. Right after Get Together she sat and asked people not to throw shit on her stage....and then I guess people did it again....so before she sang I Love New York she said....'What the fuck didn't I ask not to throw shit on my stage!'
Well everyone was there, I saw many of her crew, her makeup artist walking around, her hair dresser, her dresser Tony who I took a picture with and Guy Oseary who I shook hands with. Lenny Kravitz, Lucy Liu and Chris Rock were the celebrities that I could spot. Overall an amazing night!

From Colin:
This was BY FAR the best show I have seen so far. There was just so much energy - it had a new tone - everybody was well rested and rocked the house!
Some fun quotes:
'Are you guys going to wake up? Show me how happy you are to be living in this great city - New York City'
'Are we excited for the 4th of July? - Excited for freedom of expression and freedom to do what we want?'

From Danny:
I was a 'front row bitch' on Sundays show in NYC, but my shirt should of said 'luckiest bitch.' See, I was the guy who was brought up on stage to dance with Madonna at the Roxy back in October. I entered the Icon contest and happened to win two front row tickets!
I went with my best friend, Rachel, and we had an amazing time! Gus Oseary came over and took pictures of us and we were the only front row bitches who wore shirts that said 'front row bitch.' The Queen herself even commented on us. She said @I still see alot of people sitting in the crowd, except for my front row bitches!' then she laughed. She rocked the house and I cant wait to see her again !

From Fernando:
Once again, NYC rocked out as Madonna hit the stage at 8:50 PM sharp. The crowd was as energetic and crazy as the July 2 show! It was A-M-A-Z-I-N-G....And Madonna was VERY talkative tonight!
Celebrities spotted in the crowd included Chelsea Clinton, Kelly Ripa and designer, Kaballah pal Donna Karan! During 'I Love New York', the crowd went ballistic....prompting Madonna to yell 'Come on....let me hear you NYC' during the first verse! The place went nuts! After the song, she said 'I wanna see you out of your seats....you need to be appreciative', referring to her NY tribute.
Although the entire audience was on their feet from beginning to end, Madonna kept yelling at a few random people on the side that were sitting! 'I'm sorry to obsess over you people sitting down....but I want everyone to CELEBRATE! You sitting down is giving me bad energy....I need your energy, NY! It's almost July 4....I want you to celebrate. And my front row bitches don't appreciate you all sitting down! On July 4, I wish you all the power to THINK' The crowd went NUTS!
Unfortunately, there was no reprise of Sinatra's NY NY tonight! July 2 & 3 audiences were off the hook....Once again, a fun time had by all!

From Larry:
I live in Philadelphia and went to NYC to see Madonna, I have seen every concert but Like A Virgin and Who's That Girl. I know that I can count on Madonna to blow my mind every time a raise the bar of spectacular artistic evolution. However, I feel most importantly is the provocative imagery and political expression needs to be highlighted. Here is a woman that is strong enough to express her opinion and have the knowledge to back it up. This woman does not superficially chose a situation and exploit it, she has definite knowledge.
I would love to see the 'DONT SPEAK' montage aired in a realm that more of the general public can witness a person of Madonna's stature requires that people think, express themselves and make choices.
I have always felt that Madonna's presence in society enables me to not be ashamed of being me, speaking up and out about controversal issues.
I thank Madonna for allowing me to understand that I am not a sheep and can think on my own....
I have experienced negative situations for my outspokenness but I chalk it up to being me, and fuck them if they cannot handle me....hahaha

From Mike:
Monday night's show was amazing. We were at the front of the floor and she gave it her all.
I was amazed at her non-stop energy and intensity. It was a mind-blowing extrasensory experience. It was as if we were out at The Roxy dancing all night with Madonna. Definitely the ultimate disco dancing diva!
The show was so loaded with messages to do something with our lives. It was touching and even sad, she slapped us across the face (in a sexy way!) and told us to WAKE UP and CHANGE THE WORLD! Her message is that of outrage, but also of hope. She is going to change the world one song at a time. All I can say is MADONNA-MESSIAH!

From Mike S:
For all the reviews that discussed how tightly choreographed this show is, leaving little room for spauntaneity, I felt Madonna was totally relaxed and having fun with the crowd. After going wild on Let It Will Be, she laid at the front of stage and asked if she could take a moment's rest.
During the show, she slipped at one point as she was running to a side catwalk and yelled 'Shit!'. As usually, she was Hell-bent on having everyone up and jumping, which didn't seem to be problem. My friend, who had never seen her live before, was amazed at how she still dances like she did 20 years ago. She's just fucking awesome, and totally worth going to see twice (I'll be there the 18th!). Next time, floor seats :-)

From Rachna:
Lenny Kravitz was back again in the audience, boy he must really love her show. I was one of the lucky fans to have gotten the front row tickets via Icon Madonna's fan club's pre sale. It was an incredible rush being up close to the stage along with my friend Manny. Boy, what an amazing night it was.
I was a bit disappointed by the crowd in the first few rows. These people definitely must have gotten their tickets for free, for instance the girls next to us said they knew Madonna's housekeeper, which is fine, but does that mean they can't show their love for Madonna by dancing or keeping up with her energy? They stood there with no expression on their faces with their arms crossed as if they were watching some side street artist.
Madonna's energy was incredible, she connected with her audience and was very chatting all through the night. Having been to 3 other shows at MSG, this was the best audience in NY as yet. I was lucky enough to catch Madonna's attention during Lucky Star, I was jumping up and down like crazy singing along every word to Lucky Star and she walked right in front of me and pointed at me and smiled. It was a special moment, and I took a picture of her doing so. It was the best concert I've ever attended by far!

From Robert:
One of her best concerts since Blonde Ambition. What energy she's got. Biggest surprise for me was 'SORRY'. Everyone was singing along, the place was shaking.
What ruined my night was I was in section 'POD A' in the first row and security did not let us stand up against the runway. And they threatened to throw us out if we stepped away from our seats. They also kept stepping in front of me everytime I would go to snap a picture.
Who do they think they are, I paid good money to be up close and they pushed us back at least 8 feet from the barricades along the front of the runway. Big disappoinment, I'm trading my July 18 tickets for ones at her Miami shows. I'm sure we wont get treated like that elsewhere.

From Scotty P:
After Ray of Light she said, 'There are STILL some people sitting down and taking breaks. I'm NOT happy about that. My FRONT ROW BITCHES are not happy about that. You should be celebrating that you live in this motherfuckin' city by standing up! I'm sorry I'm obsessing about you people, but your energy is pulling me down. You should all be celebrating the 4th of July! Celebrating freedom! Celebrating that you can think and do what you what....within reason. I wish you all the ability to think for yourself.'

From Steve:
The show is becoming seamless at this point - as is her banter. I'm afraid I'm unable to recall any singular moments. But she was having a good night - everything hummed together like a Porsche. I think her hair finally adjusted to the New York humidity (either that or her stylist found her some good mousse), because she looked AMAZING to the bitter end.
She is a force of nature in the second act - it's probably her best dancing of the night, especially 'Isaac,' which will surprise one and all. As usual, the third act got the floor rising and falling like the sea - and she seemed to be very happy. She mentioned the Front Row Bitches before Drowned World, and, again, joked that she was too exhausted to go on and needed our energy. She mentioned 4th of July and said, 'I want you to celebrate. I want you to celebrate freedom. But this is not a barbecue - you need to stand and dance!'
The final act is always a delight - even when it's a disaster, which I have seen. Twice. (May 23 and June 28) But tonight Madonna was smokin'. 'Erotica' was particularly superb - the dance troupe felt like a well oiled machine.
During 'Hung Up,' Madonna is going down the runway holding the mike getting people to sing. She has already slapped hands with several people. This one guy tried to touch her, and she jerked her hand away. She said, 'No, no touching. SINGING. I want you to SING.' She stuck the mike into his face and he could only scream. She laughed.
Cloud just started goofing on the whole song. When they went back to the stage, he kept making faces at Madonna and the two of them kept cracking up - I've seen this before. I'm not sure what their personal joke is, but he always manages to tickle her just as the show is wrapping up. He's such a cut-up.
Great, great, great show.

From Yusef:
This show was amazing. I have seen Madonna 7 times now, and this was the first time I saw the Confessions Tour and it was truely amazing!
Fran Dreschlar (not sure about spelling) from the Nanny TV show, was in front of the catwalk. She was smiling the whole time! She sat briefly during an interlude but she was truely enjoying Lucky Star, Music and Like It Or Not!
Madonna's entrance was like unreal! We made Cloud and Reshma gifts and they loved it. Cloud looked stressed and he told us that all the dancers are sick and overworked. Reshma said she's an understudy this time, and she's in the final two songs. I've seen all the pictures, but until you exprience that disco ball hatching yourself, you will not know how amazing this show is.
She looked at us a couple of times, we were on the main catwalk. Cannot wait for Philly and Atlantic City!

From Bill:
I was lucky enough to get a ticket for Madison Square Garden Confessions Show #5 for the front row of the break right in front of the stage, angles slightly Stage Right. This is the closest I have ever been to watch Madonna performing and it was AMAZING! She sold the show from beginning to end I thought. I had also seen it on June 28th and July 3rd, and will be seeing it in London on August 1st.
She was amazing. The greatest thing was seeing her rock those disco moves in Music/Disco Inferno right in front of me, and also the smile on her face when the disco ball opens and the crowd goes nuts. It was a night to remember for sure!

From CJ:
It was totally worth the 4 hour drive from DC! Madonna's energy and the dancers as well as the audience was on FIRE! She started about 45 mins late, which was nothing compared to the last two times I saw her. I saw many past reviews of the sometimes slick comments she may have made to the audience in jest (although the 'my front row bitches' comment had the arena dying with laughter), but there were none this nite because the crowd was truly giving her the feedback she wanted.
There was much praise and approval during the controversial 'Live To Tell' performance, the 'Sorry' reprise remixed with the images of George Bush and others, and of course crazy energy during 'I Love New York'; 'Music Inferno' was a hit and 'Lucky Star' over the 'Hung Up' beat which later segued into the track itself went on forever just like the old 15-minute disco tracks did back in the day.
I thought I wouldn't have good seats being 3rd row almost under the right side catwalk where she performed 'Like A Virgin' and her having a main catwalk and all, but she worked every part of the stage and catwalks, proving that every seat in the house was indeed the best seat in the house. She made tons of eye contact and danced her ass off. It may have been 90-something degrees outside, but it was clearly 200+ inside the Garden lastnite!

From DJ Wes:
Wow! What a huge difference the Confessions tour was on the East Coast vs. West Coast. The energy in New York was truly amazing. I went to Tuesday nights show at the Garden. Madonna grabbed someones cowboy hat and strutted down the catwalk singing and then threw it into the crowd. Her guitiar playing at the end of I Love New York was very extended and breathtaking. She really tore it up.
I especially loved how she stripped down into her Erotica costume as if to be sure and throw it in your face....get a load of this body (New York style). Her accuracy on all her moves were on point!

From Fernando:
MADONNA WAS IN RARE FORM LAST NIGHT! A COMPLETE POWERHOUSE! The audience was OUT-OF-CONTROL!
Not a dance step missed, not a note out of tune – all so effortless and graceful. Madonna told us how it was here where it all started for her 20 years ago and she is grateful to be in a room full of people that love her....it is because of them she is in....it was an emotional moment....she even mentioned those who tried to bring her down and reject her....she stated 'Fuckers!' The crowd went WILD!
Again, SORRY, I LOVE NEW YORK AND RAY OF LIGHT were ULTIMATE and the crowd roared and the building shook! Can’t wait till tonight!

From Jason:
The best Madonna concert I've been too by far. She'll always be the Queen of Pop in my eyes. Her amazing body was worth seeing, The entire show was flawless, everything went smooth sailing. I would love to see the show 100 times if I could. I hope it comes out on DVD. Madonna is the GREATEST! I was so greatful to be in NY for the song 'I LOVE NEW YORK'.

From Jerry:
Last night was amazing! I can't really remember what happened or what songs she sang....I was in awe of everything. Now I see why you have to see the show more than once. I do remember her saying how much she loves New York and that she moved here chasing her dreams, and playing MSG was definitely a dream come true. Madonna said New York has a very special place in my heart and you are lucky you live here....you are lucky you live here!

From Lori:
This show was so amazing. Madonna's energy was endless and she had a little something extra during tonight's show. When the disco ball opened up and the sound of stampeding horses could be heard, the crowd went nuts! At one point, Madonna spoke about how special New York is, and how it all started for her here 20 years ago. She said 'Do you know how lucky you are to live here? Do you know how lucky you are to live?' She said not to ever let anyone get in the way of your dreams - 'Fuck the Fuckers!' she stated.
Her voice, during the duet with Isaac, was phenomenal. The show was so good and seemed to go so fast. The heat didn't even matter. Right before the show started, Kelly Ripa walked right past us. On Regis and Kelly she said she was so close she could feel the sweat come off of Madonna! Finally, at the end of the show, when she was asking the audience to sing during 'Hung Up' she yelled at the right side 'Come on you pussys I can't hear you! I'm going back to the left side!'

From Matthew:
Leo DiCaprio and Lukas Haas attended the show (Guy Oseary escorted them in and out) and Madonna's cowboy hat was back. She also said not to listen to people who say you can't do things (in relation to waxing nostalgic about her first MSG gig in 1985), saying, 'Fuck those fuckers!'

From Scott:
The show was insane! The lights went down at 8:52 and came up at 10:51. The audience was crazy! I was sitting in Box 67 (amazing seats that were directly behind the stage in the diagram but were directly in-front in actuality) where there seemed to be a constant breeze. High points for the audience were definately Jump, Sorry, Let It Will Be, Ray oOf Light, Like It Or Not, and Hung Up.
Madonna made a nice speech about the people in the Middle East and how lucky we all are to be living before Drowned World. The end of I Love New York seemed to go on forever with the crowd eating it up! During I Love New York when she said 'other places make me feel like a dork' everyone went nuts and she goes 'What can I say? It's true!' and the crowd went wild!
Unfortunately I couldn't take a decent picture as the floor was literally shaking where I was standing.

From Steve:
The first thing I saw in the arena was Chris Lamb and Guy Oseary, with some man who looked exactly like Bono and his assistant - they were quite occupied doing SOMETHING onstage and in the catwalk. Making measurements and taking notes. An upcoming TV broadcast?
The show got off to a good start. I could tell Madonna had energy to spare and 'Get Together' made it clear that she was having a good night. She and Stuart began exchanging smiles early on, and she was giving her usual banter a little something extra. 'Are you ready? I said ARE YOU READY?'
Madonna had a PARTICULARLY devoted front section tonight - ten Madonna Fan Clubs rolled into one. She connected with them instantly, and couldn't give them enough smiles and eye contact.
'Live To Tell' was exceptional tonight. She was really belting it out. Of course, it helps to have a sea of frenzied fans who are ecstatic to watch you sing 'Live To Tell' dangling from a cross, crucified in a tangerine-colored top with raspberry velvet trousers. But I noticed how delicate and artful the lighting is on her, how it changes constantly - especially important since she does not move for four minutes.
When she kicks into 'Forbidden Love,' she unveils that astonishing body and breaks into some sexy dance routines that erase 25 years off her age. Madonna is at her best: thinking and dancing. 'Isaac' always shines - it's such an expertly staged piece and elicits a surprisingly strong applause.
After a bit of zipper trouble peeling on her 'Sorry' jacket, the entire troupe assembles and delivers this number that is much more tightly choreographed than it appears on first viewing. And it's just very, very upbeat, getting the whole crowd moving.
This is followed by the best 'Like It Or Not' that I've seen on this tour. There is a touch of abandon in her tonight - but she is clearly at the wheel at all times. A controlled chaos, the Madonna recipe for 20 years. She whips that stool around like it's a feather, and is every inch the blonde bombshell.
Her appearance for 'I Love New York' was genuinely thrilling! Her pose, the lighting, the night - there was something larger than life about her tonight. A bona fide rock and roll queen, justifiably turning Courtney Love into a distant memory. While she asked that everyone jump up and down (which I saw on the first night of the tour and every night thereafter), this was not necessary tonight - the song came together like a tidal wave.
This is followed by 'Let It Will Be' - and Madonna focuses on someone against the catwalk. She thrusts her arms into the crowd and pulls out....a cowboy hat! I'm guessing Tony must be supplying them at this point, because I've seen him surround her during this number. She spins around in it for a bit - which the crowd seems to adore - before tossing it back into the crowd.
She returns to the stage and says: 'I'm exhausted. But you give me energy. I have a fine appreciation for New York. This city turns me on and tunes me in. I came here over 20 years ago, and a lot has happened to me in this city. The Garden is one of them. There are some special people in the audience tonight. I want to thank my front row bitches. When I first came to New York, a lot of people rejected me. And a lot of people helped me. I want to thank both of them. You guys are lucky to live here. You guys are lucky to LIVE.'
She then turned her stare on to someone in the front row - clearly a transfixed fan - and said, 'You can do whatever you want with your life. Your dreams can come true.' And she truly smiled at him/her. I was looking at her face thinking, 'Thank God she's not speaking to me. I'd faint.'
After 'Drowned World' and 'Paradise,' the dancers arrive on skates - in the city where Roller Boogie was born - and deliver one of the most exciting performances of the night. Cloud steals the day, of course, but they are all so splendid.
But when Madonna appears in her Travolta suit! Madness. People howled like wolves, and her dance routine is just genius. She flirts with her front row bitches, strips off her suit, tosses her vest at Stuart (who chuckles), and continues to amaze with 'Erotica.' Her dancing is so disciplined and elegant - so very, very impressive and beautiful. I was hypnotized - I could watch it every night.
She seems to be having a fine, wild time with 'La Isla Bonita' and 'Lucky Star.' She's just everywhere, giving everyone nice long looks, not afraid to come six inches away from hysterical fans, always willing to give a bawdy wink or radiant sexy smile.
For 'Hung Up,' she's sort of incorporated the ending of Reinvention. She goes around to every section and gets them to sing and gets them to compete against one another. (Her front row bitches were the winners, naturally).
As the entire troupe was lowered, I kept a close eye on the interaction between Cloud and Madonna, because they just have something going on, always. Cloud is on some sort of wonder drug - his body moves like a superhuman. He burns of more calories doing the 'Hung Up' dance than I do in a year. And that's just the beginning. He never, ever stops smiling, winking, licking his lips - he's just a one-man band. I look at his face and, to Madonna, I can see him say, 'C'mon, Mama.' Madonna smiles - he always manages to delight her and keep the energy at a 10 until the last second. Did I say 10? Make that 11.
He's a roman candle until the lights are out. It's taken me this long to see that she's lucky to have him - that he has legitimately joined Nile Rogers, Pat Leonard, Steve Bray, Donna DeLory, Jose and Luis, Stuart Price, and Jamie King. He is absolutely an ingredient in today's Madonna product brand name.
'Have you confessed?'
Truly a fantastic concert. I think she was at her most beautiful tonight. She seemed to be very fluid, very seized with performance - but tightly controlled as well. I've never been less than stunned with each performance of Confessions.

From Antonie:
Madonna's show was the best of all other shows I have gone to before. Let me tell you, nothing ever beat the Blond Ambition Tour, except last night's Confessions Tour at Madison Square Garden. She told us that she loved NYC and that she is going on STRIKE as she never ever wants to leave the city that made her what she is now. Madonna stopped and really laid down on the stage and was silent for a moment pretending to be on strike. It was a beautiful moment, in what seemed a Madonna that was very relaxed and enjoying herself. Great Great Show.

From bobbyblue:
Madonna 365 days a year!I was fearing that we had seats that were REALLY far away but, much to our suprise they were really quite nice seats.
The great thing about this show is that the stage spreads out throughout the floor and our seats not only provided a good view of Madonna but of the entire floor and with the audience, the lights, and the disco ball it was really amazing!
THE AUDIENCE WAS ON LAST NIGHT! You could feel the energy when you walked into the arena. You knew it was going to be a good show! Madonna was beautiful as usual and even though she expressed how tired she was the audience was so much fun that I think we truely energized her.
She didn't have to make anyone stand up because we (the audience) were crazy the whole night! She said that she just wanted to stop and always play MSG! She wanted to cancel all the basketball games, and such it just be Madonna 24/7, 365 days a year! Course I couldn't afford it but, hey!
My favorite concert by far! My favorite audience by far!

From Fernando:
WOW WOW WOW is all I can say! The final night at THE GARDEN was such an IMAPCT! Madonna spoke to the audience and said that we should protest and she never going to leave NY and she would just keep playing at THE GARDEN. The crowd roared, howled, whistled and screamed like never heard. The crowd was full of energy, dancing, singing and everything in between.
Madonna gave one hell of a performance....I had the pleasure of sitting center catwalk and it couldn’t of been any better! Madonna is going NOWHERE!

From Michael:
Show was amazing....as everyone has said....
I handed out 100 glow necklaces to my section and got everyone excited for bigbig Madonna fun....it was amazing to watch everyone come together, get sweaty, scream Madonna songs and almost pass out. I felt like one of those beast Michael Jackson fans that passes out and has to get carried out on a stretcher.
Good Times!

From Sam:
The show last night was great! Madonna had the energy and the crowd loved every minute of it. At one point, she said that we should all stage a protest that she never leaves Madison Square Garden. She laid down on the stage and said, 'The protest begins now.' Everyone went crazy.
The crowd also loved it when during 'I Love New York,' she sang, 'Go to Texas and Suck George Bush's Dick.' And of course at the beginning of the last segment of the show, she asked the audience, 'You ready to dance?' Well, we were and finished her last show in NY in style. All in all, another great show by her Madgesty.
And the biggest item of the night - it was not unbearably hot. Everyone was shocked. People only broke a slight sweat after dancing for an hour. There was definitely some air moving in their last night.

From Steve:
I had a great night! Very exhausted. The only way to NOT be sad at the show ending is to see it TOO many times, which I did! Nine concerts. All three Forum dates, all six Garden dates. In other words, ecstasy.
David Copperfield arrived with a girl who looked EXACTLY like Claudia Schiffer.
I'd say Madonna had a good, loud crowd tonight. They erupted at the sight of the Steven Klein video, which shook the room. The music, the lighting, the sound effects....it's all so detailed. It always feels like the first time I've seen it, every time.
This multi-faceted, multi-dimensional entertainer seemed to be in a serious mood tonight. I was wondering if she wasn't COMPLETELY exhausted after last night's firestorm of a performance.
The first act was pretty much business as usual. They had huge problems with people rushing the stage - both of them. The guards were taking it very seriously tonight and hauling off people left and right.
It was sort of distracting at first. But I got over it.
I was in Row N on the LAV side - I looked up at her and continue to be amazed at how giving she is. I've seen her up close many times now, and she seems so genuinely engaged with the people who are simply floored by her presence on the merry-go-round. It's an adult audience tonight, and she set that pole dance on fire - GLARING into the crowd, teasing them, giving them huge smiles....like a little girl performing for the first time. I can't imagine ever getting tired of watching her do this.
The second act started out in a very serious mood. Stuart brought out moods in 'Live To Tell' that were really haunting, and she seemed very powerful during 'Forbidden Love.'
I wasn't surprised that this sophisticated crowd was really receptive to 'Isaac.' I was really taken with this performance when I first I saw it. After her dance routine during it, she struck a very serious pose. I could see her face in the shadows. A huge, thunderous applause erupted DURING the song, the moment she struck this pose - I could see that she couldn't keep a straight face. God, she just LIVES for the applause. Her little determined face broke out in a smile, and the energy of the whole night completely changed right at that moment.
She broke into a seriously feisty 'Sorry' at that point and pointed at her crotch for a prolonged period before dashing out onto the catwalk, where there were more howls from zealous fans. 'A lot people can talk the talk,' she tells the crowd, 'But how many people can walk the walk? I can!'
She struts out to the runway, and deliciously strips off her leather jacket. Multi-show fans are already jammed against the runway, while newer audience members gasp as Madonna trots out to the center catwalk, where her stool is waiting. She tosses her hair around, and delivers a nice, sexy 'Like It Or Not' to her thrilled audience.
She returns for 'I Love New York.' As it's wrapping up, Madonna launches into a prolonged guitar solo tonight. Monte is right there, holding on to the moment, allowing Madonna to go on as long as she likes. Stuart is really enjoying this, giving her a big smile, and Nicki and Donna are behind Madonna cheering her on. I've seen this song before, obviously, and tonight - the last time she would perform it New York (for now) - was really the ultimate.
She seemed to be tingling when it was over - sort of wiped out, sort of energized. 'That's RIGHT Motherfuckahs! I LOVE New York. I LOVE it.' The crowd never stops cheering her at this point. 'Okay, I'm WAY more tired than you are! So I want everybody up out of their seats. Everybody jump up and down, now!' This crowd loves 'Ray Of Light.' As Cloud as coming down the runway, I can see he's just gone completely mad. His face literally never stops, even when he's in darkness. He will stick his tongue out at ANYONE, and just never stops cutting up.
Madonna's energy is ferocious tonight. She's really exciting tonight, hard to predict. She's fierce, less playful, but sexy, like an overactive child who can't settle down. Stuart takes off half of her top as he pulls off her jacket, and I thought she was going to lose it completely! She chuckles, then plays off the moment by doing an extremely elegant ballet pirouette across the stage to offset the clumsiness of the moment. It was very funny. But that didn't last long.
She thrust her hand down her pants - but didn't lick her fingers tonight. She just kept rubbing her underpants, as the crowd shrieked with delight.
She shot down the runway. Again, multi-show fans are ready with hats. I can see a few baseball caps and one guy DESPERATELY shoving a camouflage cap at her. And then I saw it: The cowboy hat. Obviously this has now entered the show - the [ ]'s Do It Better tee-shirt of CT. And I'm SO fucking pissed that I couldn't spot who handed it to her. But I'm positive it was Tony, because I saw him in that exact spot on a previous night.
Anyway, she grabs the hat and shoots out to the center stage. She tossed it into the astonished crowd.
Madonna is just ready to explode tonight. I can see the veins in her neck bulge out. She looks at the ceiling and cries out, explodes with rage and energy. She walks to the edge of the catwalk (I had gotten myself about four seats away from it by now) and shouts at the crowd, away from her mike, 'I LOVE YOU!' I got chills. It's rare to hear her voice in any way other than an electronic microphone, and she is just a force of nature tonight.
Amidst a deafening applause, Madonna staggers to the stage and settles down with her water.
I can't get OVER how fabulous she looks! I mean, you'd think she'd look like Courtney Love on a bad day by this point, but she looks ready for a Vanity Fair shoot. Her hair falls perfectly into place, and she has barely even smudged her lip liner!
She sniffs into the air and says, 'I smell weed.'
She looks down at the front rows and says, 'Is somebody smoking POT? Are you STONED?'
YESSS! is the response. 'All RIGHT!' she says.
The crowd literally freaks out. It is amazing.
She continues, 'You're my FAVORITE front row bitches!'
INSTANTLY loud boos come from the other side. 'Uh oh. Sorry. Are YOU my favorite front row bitches?!'
YEAH! they shout.
'Well, okay. I love you both. I love you ALL. Except, this is my last night in New York.' Loud boos.
'I know. I don't wanna leave. I'll tell you what. Let's stage a protest. I'll never leave, how's that?' Loud cheers.
'I will never stop singing tonight. We will stay here all night. Let's all lay down on the floor and refuse to leave after the concert.' Loud cheers.
'Let's not let them EVER have anything else at the Garden but me. No more basketball games. No more concerts by....OTHER pop stars..
This was hilarious. A HUGE laughter erupted from the crowd. It was so genuinely funny. She's so precious. It's rare to let out a good laugh during a pop concert - really a funny, funny moment coming from her. OTHER pop stars.
And without missing a beat, she delivered a stinging 'Drowned World' in a flawless voice. And again, looks just gorgeous in the light for 'Paradise.' With the hump over, I can tell that this is turning out to be an amazing show. he dancers shoot down the runway.
I have noticed that Mihran has picked up the move that Cloud had been entering with - although it's nearly impossible to pull it off. Mihran has modified that stunning move a bit and worked it into his routine. And Cloud has modified his own entrance, which allows him to shine a bit more. When I saw this in L.A., I was wondering if Cloud would be able to sustain it every night. (To satisfy your curiosity, he leaps over ALL the dancers and landed on both knees. Now Mihran arrives, drops to both knees. Cloud leaps over the dancers, skates for a second to control himself, and drops to ONE knee.
Cloud eats up attention - he's just too much. I'm really stuck on him tonight, and he's really wicked during 'Music Inferno.' He's demonic. 'Music Inferno' and 'Erotica' are both superb. There isn't a glitch in the whole show.
As they move into 'La Isla,' I can see that Cloud is making faces at absolutely everyone, goofing off, cutting up. He catches Madonna's attention, and she breaks into a laugh and she looks away from him immediately, and she seemed to avoid eye contact with him after that, because he's making her laugh.
LIB is a frenzy tonight, and Jason just knocks himself out during his routine, sweat flying off his body. 'Lucky Star' is a delight, especially for what seems to be a slightly older, but very New York crowd. For 'Hung Up,' Madonna has developed the sing-along into a contest (which I first saw her do on July 1, but she's developed it nicely. She has found a new leotard for 'Hung Up.' I thought I might just have a better seat - but no, it is now purple and glittery.
At the center catwalk, she gives her boombox a good humping. She scans the catwalk to see if there's anyone she's missed during the evening. I am just bowled over at how much she cares, how willing she is to give each person against the catwalk individual attention. Satisfied that she has given everyone the night of their lives, she trots to the main stage. Not ever even glancing at Cloud, who is sticking his tongue out at the front rows. She strikes that ultra-glam pose and begins to leave the arena. She is lowered from my vision for the last time, and I slowly watch M fade away. And go to OTHER cities.