The Farr Side: Madonna brings her best in new tour

Madonna brought her successful Celebration Tour back home to Detroit last Monday night at Little Caesars Arena for a show that truly embodied a career that has spanned four decades.

I’ve been looking forward to this show for a year, as I purchased my tickets last January. The Detroit show was originally scheduled for August, but was rescheduled to January due to serious health complications she experienced last summer. The fact the tour dates were being put to later dates was assuring news, considering the serious nature of her ICU stay in a New York hospital stemming from a dangerous bacterial infection.

I’ve been a fan of the Material Girl since the beginning so having the opportunity to see her live and experience some of the iconic songs from each stage of her career was a no brainer for me. It also gave me the opportunity to sport my concert shirt from her famed live HBO show at The Palace in Auburn Hills in 2001. Her Drowned World Tour was where I first saw her live. To this day, it still remains one of my all-time favorite concert experiences.

The Diva lived up to the madness as the show was a full two hours behind schedule.

That didn’t seem to pose a problem as most already knew that about her. The sparse arena filled quickly close to 10 p.m.

Bob the Drag Queen fueled the anticipation as he made his way about the arena floor spewing truths about the singer’s legacy and calling the night “a celebration.” Once he let it be known that Madonna was about to make herself present the noise levels escalated to extreme heights. Once again, the hairs on my arms stood on end and felt like needles when she appeared on stage. Me, my buddy Doug and everyone else in the house were on their feet in honor of The Queen!

She opened with “Nothing Really Matters” from her 1998 album, “Ray Of Light,” before segueing into “Everybody.” “Everybody” was the song that started everything for Madonna. It was almost hard to believe she recorded it 41 years ago. The club song was included on her self-titled debut album.

When you’re Madonna and have nearly 100 charting singles and 50 No. 1 singles over various Billboard charts, how do you narrow down your repertoire for a celebration like this? It’s mind-boggling, but the show consisted of 27 tracks broken down over seven different stylish acts, or phases. That first phase included other Madonna gems as “Into the Groove,” “Open Your Heart,” “Causing A Commotion” and “Holiday” to name a few. “Burning Up” was significant, as it was one of her first she actively wrote on her own.

Act two was quite poignant and moving as she was suspended in a cube that hovered about the front portions of the arena. She sang “Live to Tell” while multiple screens displayed the names and faces of so many of her friends and peers whose lives were cut short by AIDS.

Madonna is not Madonna without a little controversy. The stage dynamics for “Like a Prayer” were just stunning and, unlike anything I’ve ever seen. The steamy nature of “Justify My Love,” “Erotica” and “Hung Up” drew much fanfare, but things calmed down when her daughter, Mercy, appeared on stage with a grand piano. She played beautifully the interlude of “Bad Girl” to which Madonna was adorned in lingeree and sitting on the piano.

“Vogue” was incredible! The iconic song is one of her biggest and this show accentuated its power. Multiple dancers made their way about the stage. Her vocals were top-notch and just as powerful as ever. Sixty-five years old what?!

“Die Another Day,” “Don’t Tell Me,” “La Isla Bonita,” “Frozen,” “Bed Time Story,” “Human Nature,” “Don’t Cry For Me Argentina,” and some others were all spectacular and utilized some of the greatest pyrotechnics I’ve ever seen. My favorite moment of the show came when the stage went dark revealing a white screen backdrop.

A male dancer depicting the likeness of Michael Jackson accompanied by a female dancer as Madonna danced to “Billie Jean” and “Like a Virgin.” The segment showcased the two megastars and their close friendship. It was quite touching as the words “Never Can Say Goodbye” appeared when the music stopped.

Equally touching was when Madonna stepped away from the “icon” and “diva” motif we know her as and the personal, intimate side of her is revealed. That came out when she spoke of her father who, at 92, was present in the audience for the show. Her words of love for him and the sacrifices he made to support his family were moving — not to mention his tough love and strong work ethic that she credited for her career.

Highlights for me included the acoustic version of “Express Yourself” and the freaking amazing “Ray of Light.” She toured the arena again in this cube, while her entourage of dancers tore up the stage to the song’s magnetic beat. Numerous lasers, a spinning circular platform and the incredible energy from the crowd were something else.

She closed with “Bitch I’m Madonna” and “Celebration,” a song and word that summed up a night full of great memories.

— David T. Farr is a Journal correspondent. Email him at farrboy@hotmail.com.

This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: The Farr Side: Madonna brings her best in new tour