Madonna's 'Sticky and Sweet' Performance

I saw Madonna in her Sticky and Sweet tour last night (yes, Madonna on a Monday!), and I have to say, I am blown away by that woman. If I had half the energy now that she has at 50, I would be a happy lady. Madonna's sheer unflagging energy onstage, from her double-dutch jump-rope dancing and general high level of physical exertion and ability, to her enthusiastic shouts to the crowd, was phenomenal. The show began somewhere around 9:30 p.m., a large video candyland projection introducing us to the spectacular spectacle of the evening which momentarily was eclipsed by a swiveling of the stage, revealing Madonna's dancers and then Madonna herself, sitting at the throne.

A NY Times article on Madonna's previous performance in New Jersey gives a more critical look at Madonna's performance, in an article entitled, Aerobic, Not Erotic: The Concert as Workout, emphasizing how cold-hearted and driven her performance and general aesthetic was, a feat basically of sheer willpower. I would have to say I disagree; the erotic and aerobic are not incompatible, especially in Madonna' case. While her performance was an odd mish-mash of both music and theatrical effects, with themes ranging from hip-hop to club kid to Europen gypsy and spiritual, Madonna's show offered barely, if ever, a dull moment.

In one break from her live onstage performance, the audience was treated to a large projection of her very politically-oriented video, "Get Stupid":



Upon the video's closing, the audience erupted into loud applause. Madonna also made it clear during the performance, "Palin is NOT invited." She did, however, thank everyone there yesterday for attending her "party," and proclaimed that sitting down wasn't allowed during her show. "This is not the Streissand show," she said. Yes, Madonna is still going strong: with her attitude, her looks, her energy, and her performances. She is a worthy icon.