frozen

It had been a long four-year gap in between albums but Madonna was back, and boy, was she back. Channelling her new-found love of Kabbalah, she and William Orbit produced one of the best – if not the best – of her LPs to date. 1998 was sure to be a great year. The lead single, “Frozen” was released in February of that year and its video, directed by Chris Cunningham blew me away.

The look chosen for the album photo shoot was flawless and so was that of the video that accompanies its lead single. Many people chose to describe Madonna’s look as that of an “Earth Mother” (take from that what you will).  I think it was the only way they could think of describing her after giving birth to her daughter, Lourdes.  When this video came out, I remember many of my friends describing her look as that of a witch.  The mind boggles as to how people come to these conclusions (obviously it was because she wore black in the video, had jet-black hair and so on, and so on).

Regardless of these malformed opinions, this song still remains to be one of my favourite Madonna tracks and is definitely a highlight of any live show that she performs it at.  The second leg of the Sticky & Sweet Tour in 2009 is probably my favourite live performance of this song.  It is for this reason and for many others that I have chosen it to be my ‘Song for the Weekend’ this week.

celebration

The rain is coming down outside but I am warm and dry, sat in front of my iMac.  Five months ago, the situation couldn’t have been more different.  I was overly excited and had just witnessed my second show of the tour the night before.  Madonna was back on the road, showing off what she does best to her world of fans.  The MDNA Tour was selling out show after show, and it was easy to see why.

Funnily enough, I hadn’t actually seen the show in its entirety thus far (due to technical issues and curfews), but it didn’t matter.  She was breathtaking in every sense of the word.  The show had a sweat-inducing finale, as per previous tour – Madonna gives it her all throughout.

Tonight, Madonna ends the tour in Cordoba, Argentina.  A few of my friends are seeing the final show (part of me thinks they’re crazy and part of me is entirely envious).  The shows final number is “Celebration”, a song written for her pseudo-greatest hits collection of the same name.  The remix of the live version was near perfection but part of me wishes she’d performed the original version, part of me doesn’t.  I’ve chosen it as my ‘Song for the Weekend’ this week to honour the tour and the amazing times I had with some equally amazing friends.

Madonna: MDNA – Live in Paris

After a whirlwind mini-tour with Madonna on her MDNA Tour, I have returned home with a bump.  I’m still on a high from my three shows, and my two close encounters with the queen of pop.  I managed to get into the Golden Triangle (a small area built into the stage) twice, and twice managed to get a high-five from Madonna herself during one of the final songs of the show, Like A Prayer.  There are videos floating around on YouTube showing myself and my friends dancing away like lunatics, which I’m sure will be posted in due course.

Eight days ago, Madonna announced a second show in Paris which will take place in a matter of hours. This time though, it will be a ‘For One Night Only’ style show, which everyone I know is speculating about.  My guess is it will be a full show, mainly aimed at promoting her new MDNA album, but with a few twists.  The Olympia in Paris is a tiny venue in comparison to the Stade de France, where she played to a sold out crowd on 14th July.

During the sound checks for the shows so far, she has been witnessed rehearsing fan favourites such as Love Spent (which sadly isn’t in the main show).  On Tuesday I saw my third and final show in Dublin, and whilst me and two of my friends stood outside the stadium queuing, we heard her rehearse Beautiful Killer mixed with Die Another Day.  I had heard the rumour of this being rehearsed when the tour crew returned to London, the day after the Edinburgh show to rehearse for the intimate Paris show.  I couldn’t quite believe my ears when the music started – the mix of these two songs is sheer perfection and should most definitely have been worked into the show.  So I’m saying a little prayer that it will indeed be included in tonight’s show.  Other rumoured tracks to be included in the show are Love Spent, La Isla Bonita, Superstar (sung with her daughter Lourdes), Hollywood, Give It 2 Me and Beautiful Killer/Die Another Day.

At 9:15pm GMT we will find out.  The show will be streamed live online for those who weren’t fortunate enough to get tickets for the spur-of-the-moment show.  Go to the LoveLive YouTube channel to watch the show.

turn up the radio

We were teased over the weekend with a 30 second snippet from the video, we were given the single’s cover artwork and now, we finally have the full (explicit) music video to the third single taken from Madonna’s twelfth studio album, MDNA.  And it’s pretty damn good.  Madonna looks smoking hot in it, not bad for 53 (for all the ageist among you).  I think the only cringe-worthy moment in the video, is the scene with the contortionists she is currently using on her MDNA Tour.  It made my stomach turn.  Ouch!

With just three days until I get my first taste of the tour, this has really helped to lift my excitement levels for the shows (not that any help was needed right now).  I think Rob will be pleased when I get back on the 25th, after my three shows.  I think he thinks I will finally shut up about it all then, I don’t think so. I’m going to watch the video again, I suggest you all do the same…until the speakers BLOW!

MDNA: photos from tour rehearsals

Trying to stay spoiler free for this tour is proving quite difficult of late.  First we have all the rumoured set lists making the rounds, then Guy Oseary himself posts photos from the tour rehearsals (admittedly these don’t give too much away), and now we get these gloriously colourful pictures from the (I’m guessing) dress rehearsals.  They’re troubling me for two reasons: 1. The wait for my three shows will be even more difficult and 2. I see clown masks, and I don’t like clowns hate clowns.

I’m going to need to have some pretty effective therapy between now and July, if I’m going to stand a chance of sitting through that segment of the show without collapsing into a cowering ball on the floor. I’m sure I’ll be okay, although I might need to up my dosage of anxiety tablets.  I suggest if you don’t want to see these photos, or if you too have a phobia of clowns, look away now.  If neither apply to you, feel free to look as much as you like.

MDNA World Tour – South American dates

While Europe and North America had their dates announced as soon as the tour was confirmed, South America has been waiting (not so) patiently for the announcement of their dates.  Today they need wait no longer.  Madonna.com has confirmed the first few tour dates, starting in Mexico on 24th November and through December.  If I had the money (which I don’t),  I would happily board a plane to Brazil for one or two shows.  Maybe I’ll win the lottery.  Most likely I won’t.  Anyway, for those fans interested, here are those elusive dates.  For more details, check out the official Madonna fan site for more details.

24-Nov – Mexico City, Mexico – Foro Sol – On sale 4.27 – Fan club pre-sale starts April 18 at 11am local time for Legacy members (12noon for Live Pass members)

28-Nov – Medellin, Colombia – Estadio Atanasio Girardot – On sale 4.26 – Fan club pre-sale starts April 17 at 11am local time for Legacy members (12noon for Live Pass members)

01-Dec – Rio de Janeiro, Brazil – Parque Dos Atletas – On sale 5.4 – Live Pass registrations will begin April 23.

04-Dec – Sao Paulo, Brazil – Estadio do Morumbi – On sale 4.25 – Fan club pre-sale will start April 18 at 10am for Legacy members (11am for Live Pass members)

09-Dec – Porto Alegre, Brazil – Estadio Olimpico – On sale 4.26 – Fan club pre-sale will start April 18 at 10am for Legacy members (11am for Live Pass members)

19-Dec – Santiago, Chile – Estadio Nacional – On sale 5.2 – Live Pass registrations will begin April 23.

[good] girl gone wild

I’m sorry if you don’t like Madonna but I do.  It’s pretty much a given that at this time, as a her new album is almost with us that I will be posting quite a lot about her.  When I first heard Girl Gone Wild, I have to admit that I wasn’t immediately taken by it.  After seeing the video however, I was pretty much hooked.  Madonna hasn’t given us a music video as good as this one for quite some time now.  I’m thinking Ray Of Light era or before.

What can you expect to see when watching this video?  At least four references to Madonna’s past videos (including bondage, skimpy outfits, pvc/leather, writhing around with semi-naked men), some pretty hot male dancers wearing next to nothing and those that are, prance around behind Madge in nothing but stockings and stilettos.  Interesting.  You also get to see a fair bit of oiled up male flesh, which works for me.  And since this is the uncensored version of the video, it gives you an extra five or so seconds worth to stare at.  I would say it was pretty obvious that this might be my choice of ‘Song for the Weekend.’  I’ll certainly be watching it a few more times.

deeper and deeper

It’s that time of week again when I give you a piece of my mind.  My musical mind.  I have a bad headache at the moment, so I don’t want to think too much and make it worse.

Over the last few days, several thousand of you have been going wild at the little tasters of Madonna’s new album that have been trickling out.  First it was I’m Addicted, then we had Love Spent and now we have Gang Bang.  Get your mind back out of the gutter for a minute though, Madonna hasn’t decided to have an all out orgy on this song – far from it.  It’s about taking revenge on an ex, who shall no doubt remain anonymous (I think we all know who it’s about though).  It’s a song in a similar vein as the classic Bang Bang by Nancy Sinatra.

Getting back to the point of this post – my choice of ‘Song for the Weekend’ – I chose to go with Deeper and Deeper from Madonna’s Erotica album. This was by far my favourite song from the ‘Dita’ era.  Having taken a look at the taster video for Girl Gone Wild this morning, it seems like Dita is back, and up to her old tricks again.  This can only be a good thing (music video wise), as let’s face it, they were getting a bit stale.  Sadly, I could only find an audio video to embed in this post but you can still enjoy the music.  If you really want to watch the video as well, I’ve put a link to the video on YouTube.  Have a great weekend everyone!

Deeper and Deeper music video

I’m addicted and love spent

Having woken up this morning on ‘the wrong side of the bed’ and in a particularly foul mood, finishing work early was the first thing to turn the tables in a more positive direction.  Finding that Perez Hilton had posted a 60 second clip of I’m Addicted, one of the new songs from Madonna’s new album MDNA on his website was just what I needed.  Another of the tracks produced by Benny Benassi, it’s a pulsating, trance/electro dance floor filler of a song.  Well this is what I’m getting from the short clip.  I’m not entirely sure about this sound for Madonna, but I will wait to hear the song in its full form before I judge it.  The sound quality isn’t the greatest but it does give you an idea of what to expect from the song. Just twenty more days until we Madonna fans get to hear the album in all its glory.  Give it a listen and let me know what you think.*

*Unfortunately, UMG have taken the video down.  I know it is floating around on other sites, so you can still find it if you want to listen to the song before the album is released.  I had another couple of listens this morning, and I have to say that I think the song may be growing on me.

No more than 24 hours later and the snippet is back for you to listen to, and in HD no doubt.  Seems [they] didn’t want to miss out on a bit of promotion in the run up to the albums’ release.  And, there’s also a 60 second snippet of Love Spent.  I take it that as they are both on the official Madonna YouTube page, they won’t be taken down due to copyright issues.  Enjoy.  Again.

I’m Addicted

Love Spent

M-Dolla

Back in 2008, Madonna earned herself a new title – M-Dolla.  It was obviously due to the ring she wore on the photo shoot for her album released in the same year, Hard Candy.  When the tickets for her Sticky & Sweet Tour went on sale that spring, the phrase became more relevant, mainly thanks to the hiked up prices of said tickets.  This is pretty much a given these days with major artists such as Madonna and the like.  And as much as us fans grumble each time she tours, we still pay out to see her perform; once, twice, and some as many as ten or more times.  I am sticking with two shows.  That said, if a stash of money suddenly became available and time off from work was no issue, I would gladly shell out to see her another half-dozen times.

Only four days ago I posted about the revision of her upcoming album’s track listing.  Yesterday it was announced that MDNA would in fact have five different versions.  Confused doesn’t quite describe it.  To say Live Nation/Interscope Records aren’t trying to earn as much money off her back would be a rather large lie.  I have already pre-ordered the album on iTunes, and both the ‘original’ original version and deluxe version from HMV (to get my Virgin Air Miles).  I’ve got to get something back from this.  Now the question ahead of me is; Do I buy all five versions and declare myself an uber fan, or do I stick with the versions I have already pre-ordered?  Only time will tell.  For those of you interested, the information relating to these five versions are posted below.  I just have to lock my credit card away for the next year or so, in order to stop me buying all five.

Standard Edition (Explicit) – Digital & Physical – 12 tracks
Standard Edition (Edited) – Digital & Physical – 11 tracks
Deluxe Edition (Explicit) – Digital & Physical – 17 tracks
Deluxe Edition (Edited) – Physical only – 16 tracks
Super Bowl Deluxe Edition (Explicit) – Digital only – 18 tracks

Girl Gone Wild
Gang Bang (*)
I’m Addicted
Turn up the Radio
Give me all your Luvin’ (ft. M.I.A. and Nicki Minaj)
Some Girls
Superstar
I Don’t Give A (ft. Nicki Minaj)
I’m a Sinner
Love Spent
Masterpiece
Falling Free

– Deluxe Edition tracks
Beautiful Killer
I F****d Up (**)
B-Day Song (ft. M.I.A.)
Best Friend
Give me all your Luvin’ (LMFAO Remix – ft. Nicki Minaj and LMFAO)
Give me all your Luvin’ (Laidback Luke Remix) (***)
Love Spent (Acoustic Version) (****)

(*) NOT included on the Standard Edition (Edited) and Deluxe Edition (Edited)
(**) ONLY included on the Deluxe Edition (Explicit) and Super Bowl Deluxe Edition (Explicit)
(***) ONLY included on the Deluxe Edition (Edited)
(****) ONLY included on the Super Bowl Deluxe Edition (Explicit)

(Source: Madonnarama.com)