After a witty opening set from acclaimed comedian Amy Schumer, the pop queen began her elaborate set with a noteworthy version of “Iconic,” which was a true work of art. “All right, New York, are you with me?” Madonna screamed, and it is safe to say that she had her New York fans in the palm of her hand.
She continued with “Bitch I’m Madonna,” where rapper Nicki Minaj appeared on a televised screen through the help of modern technology. “Are you ready to burn this place down?” Madonna asked, prior to breaking into “Burning Up.”
Her dancers were dressed as nuns for “Holy Water” and she delivered a seductive performance on poles that were reminiscent of crucifixes. She incorporated a medley of her smash hit “Vogue” towards the end of the performance, which resonated well with her fans in “The Big Apple.”
She sang “Devil Pray” while being tied up, backed by acoustic instruments, as an ethereal version of “Messiah” played in the background through a video screen, where the pop songstress looked as gorgeous as ever.
Madonna turned her stage into an auto body shop, with a car prop and loads of tires, for a grand scale performance of “Body Shop.” “I’m not as funny as Amy Schumer, but I’m trying. Wasn’t she amazing,” Madonna said, praising her opening act.
“Are you having a good time, New York?” she asked, prior to saying a few curse words. “You can’t play New York without swearing a lot. She shared that her following song, which she co-wrote, has no swear words, and she went on to deliver a stunning, acoustic rendition of “True Blue,” which garnered her a standing ovation.
“Are you ready to go deeper?” Madonna asked, prior to breaking into a soaring performance of “Deeper and Deeper,” which was followed by “Heart Break City,” which was juxtaposed with “Love Don’t Live Here Anymore.”
She took her fans on a trip down memory lane with such classics as “Like a Virgin” and “Justify My Love,” as well as “Living for Love,” her newest song from Rebel Heart CD. Equally impressive were her angelic versions of “La Isla Bonita,” “Dress You Up,” “Into the Groove” and “Lucky Star,” all of which left her audience in total awe of her timelessness and relevance in the music industry.
Madonna stripped “Who’s That Girl” down to a raw and authentic, acoustic performance, while she changed the pace with her mega hits “Music,” the sassy “Candy Shop” and her signature tune, “Material Girl,” which was perhaps the highlight vocal of the evening.
She paid homage to the late French songstress Edith Piaf with a ukulele rendition of “La Vie En Rose,” which was sheer perfection, prior to closing with her spitfire “Unapologetic Bitch,” which ended in a raucous applause. For her encore, Madonna ended her lengthy set on an uplifting note with another classic, “Holiday.”
“Madonna always puts on the greatest show on Earth,” exclaimed Vaggelis Samaras, Madonna fan and attendee.
The Verdict
Overall, Madonna’s “Rebel Heart” tour stop at New York’s Madison Square Garden was utterly fantastic. The New York crowd was well aware that they were in the presence of a true musical goddess. It is no wonder that she is the best-selling female artist of all time. She constantly proves that she is able to reinvent herself decade after decade, while keeping her music fresh and unique. Madonna possessed the voice of an angel, and this is one show that should not be missed. It should be on every music fan’s bucket list. Her Madison Square Garden show garnered 5 out of 5 stars.
