Well first of all I should explain that I went to this concert with extremely high expectations. I have seen Madonna in concert before, so I know what she is capable of doing. Last time I saw her was in 2008 at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff and it completely blew me away. She was totally awesome. This time however I had the completely opposite experience, it was like the difference between night and day.
The first problem was the warm-up act - a DJ, and I'm so glad that I missed him, because according to my friend who got there early and saw everything – it was a little bit rubbish. Second problem – Madonna's part of the show started VERY late, it apparently started around 45 minutes after she was due to be on stage - but it definitely felt longer. That was very disappointing because she had to cut a couple of songs from the show. It didn't however stop her filling the show with four different video interludes, which - because of her late start, now felt like a complete waste of our valuable time. If I wanted to watch Madonna on a TV screen I would have stayed at home.
Third problem – the sound quality was TERRIBLE. Admittedly I was sitting rather high up, but it sounded like the music was coming from the inside of a tin can. Every time Madonna spoke – which wasn't very often, my friend would look at me with a confused look upon his face and ask “Did you catch any of that?” To which I would look at him and shake my head in response with an equally confused and saddened look upon my face. The weird thing was we were able to speak to each other at a completely normal volume, never once having to raise our voices to be heard over the music. It really did seem to be that quiet.
The fourth problem – the song choices. Okay I understand Madonna was there to promote her new album MDNA, but she could have added a few more of her golden oldies to the set list. I'm not dissing her newer stuff completely, but lets be completely honest here, her last couple of albums were a little bit disappointing. They simply cannot hold a candle to the quality of her older songs – the music that we all know and love her for – the music that helped to turn her into a global superstar. When she played 'Like A Prayer' near the end of the show the crowd erupted with happiness, and then their excitement simmered down again when she went back to playing a lesser known song to end the show with. She didn't even have the courtesy to reappear for an encore, which was probably due to the fact she turned up so late in the first place. Madonna should really start embracing her amazing back-catalogue of music before that Queen of Pop crown slips off her head completely. There is nothing wrong with glorifying the past, especially when it means so much to so many people.
Rather shockingly - and especially upsetting for an older fan to witness like myself, I also noticed that a lot of people who were sitting around me had began leaving the show long before it had finished. Whole rows and sections were just standing up and walking out intermittently. My friend and I stayed faithfully to the end, but we gradually began to feel rather lonely up there. It was a very sad thing to see, and I couldn't help but feel sorry for those fans who had paid full price for their tickets. I was lucky enough to win a couple of tickets for free, but I do feel that the show was overpriced for the entertainment we all received. If I had travelled a long distance to be there like some fans do, I probably would have been feeling greatly disappointed – and possibly very angry too.
Madonna can do so much better than this. I know she can, because I've seen it with my own eyes. This entire show just felt very rushed and she didn't seem to be enjoying herself. Hopefully the next tour will be different - if there is a next time. Sadly I cannot predict how many fans will be willing to show up after this fiasco, but I'm pretty sure it won't be attended by a lot of the people who came to see this concert. But if she ever does a Greatest Hits tour, you can definitely still count me in. :-)
Murrayfield Stadium @
- Edinburgh @
- Sat 21 Jul 2012 @
Favourite moment: Like A Prayer @
Setlist: The Prayer Overture: Act of Contrition, Girl Gone Wild, Revolver, Gang Bang, Papa Don't Preach, Hung Up, I Don't Give A, Best Friend (video interlude), Express Yourself - Born This Way, Give Me All Your Luvin', Turning Up the Hits (video interlude), Turn Up the Radio, Open Your Heart, Masterpiece, Justify My Love (video interlude), Vogue, Candy Shop, Human Nature, Nobody Knows Me (video interlude), I'm a Sinner, Like a Prayer, Celebration. @
Opening act(s): Swedish DJ Alesso. @