Music DVD Review: Madonna's The Confessions Tour - Live From London (DVD/CD)
Published January 29, 2007
After watching Madonna’s The Confessions Tour-Live From London DVD, one can only assume that the human Madonna no longer exists. After all, it is almost impossible to believe that a 48-year-old woman can run, twist, turn, krump and flip with the energy of a 15 year old. Instead, we have some Android Madonna who looks built unnaturally like a man who has the face of a woman in her thirties. But even if Madonna is now an Android, watching her is still a thrill.
The Confessions Tour is the most successful tour ever by a female artist. Despite the high price of $350 for a majority of tickets, Madonna had no problem playing multiple dates in each city. Her ticket prices may be ridiculously overpriced, but make no mistake: Madonna works hard for the money and even if you weren't able to see the show in person, this DVD shows why she is still the most successful female entertainer in the world.
From the moment she opens the show from inside a disco ball with “Future Lovers” to her jaw dropping performance of “Hung Up” at the end, Madonna can command an audience like none of her peers have been able to. Her voice may have a limited range, but Madonna sings with emotion, confidence, and poise. It’s unfortunate that her voice has been auto tuned and reverbed past the point of reality on this DVD. At her actual concerts, Madonna's singing, although imperfect at points, is fine enough. When she sang “Live to Tell” in New York City last July, the audience was clearly moved by the emotion and effort in her voice. She still sounds effective on the DVD, but it’s hard for the listener to appreciate the post manipulation of her voice.
Speaking of “Live to Tell,” there has been a lot of controversy about Madonna supposedly mocking Jesus Christ as she performs this song. Right wing Christians would have you believe that Madonna’s performance of “Live to Tell” was a bigger travesty than the war in Iraq. However, this is not the case. While Madonna performs this song, posing as Jesus Christ on the cross, we see flashing numbers rise to 12,000,000. When Madonna gets down from the cross, we realize that this is the number of African children orphaned because of the Aids crisis. We then see quotes from the Bible, such as “For I was hungry and you gave me food.” It really is an effective performance as Madonna pleads for us to stop ignoring this travesty. Then again, Madonna has pushed our buttons so much that’s it’s easy to see why some people take her message as a “publicity stunt” rather than a truly philanthropic statement.
Thankfully, The Confessions Tour-Live From London is filled with more fun than political messages. She plays a horse master during “Future Lovers,” “Get Together,” and “Like A Virgin.” She plays an acrobatic, crazy chick during “Sorry,” “Like It or Not,” and “Let It Will Be.” She’s surprisingly successful as “rock chick” when she effectively plays the guitar during “I Love New York” and “Ray of Light.” She’s most effective, however, as the dancing queen during “Music,” (where she effectively shows off her Saturday Night Fever moves), “Erotica,” “La Isla Bonita,” “Lucky Star,” and the finale, “Hung Up.”
Daryl, who thinks that both Democrats and Republicans are ruining our country, is a freelance writer who writes articles on politics, technology, and entertainment. If you want to send him feedback on any of his articles (good or bad) don't hesitate to email him at report345@yahoo.com.
- Music DVD Review: Madonna's The Confessions Tour - Live From London (DVD/CD)
- Published: January 29, 2007
- Type: Review
- Section: Music: Emo
- Filed Under: Music: Pop, Music: Video, Video: Music
- Writer: Daryl D
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Wow! Great review. Honest, but not attacking as so many critics seem to do. The live show was in fact amazing, and I agree that many of the "special effects" on the DVD (voice, and disappearing act into the floor) are a bit overdone. But, she still captivates us.
Madonna's Confessions Tour sucked. If you want to see a real concert, get Mariah Carey's "The Emancipation of Mimi" tour. She's a real performer, unlike hagdonna.
green pepper lamb, you could never compare Madonna with Mariah. Madonna is Madonna like her or not. Yes, Mariah has a "nice" voice but not the force to take her fans into a journey like Madonna does on every tour.
Please no comparison between Madonna and Mariah. Is obvious who's the diva. Mariah should start taking yoga classes. She could loose some of her baby fat...
The Queen of Pop and the best-selling female artist of all time deserves to have this fair review. Madonna is incomparable , an avante garde artist.
I hope the dvd is better than the pathetic NBC television special: all censored and cut apart to the point of making me turn it off after 10 minutes. I am a fan of M's, but I just don't want to pay the high price to see her in concert. Nobody can be worth $350. Anyhow, I may actually buy the dvd after reading this.
I saw her show and that was one of the greatest moment of my life. She is the real icon of entertainment. Mariah may be able to sing 100 octaves, but that is not the only factor to be an artist. Talent comes in many shapes and forms. Madonna is one of very few (if not the only) entertainer in the world that is able to combine song, music, dance, video image, and pop culture to a different persona. A closed minded people often downgrade her ability to sell millions records because she can manipulate the media, or simply because she is Madonna. I look at it as many shapes of entertainment. When you buy a Madonna product, you are entertained by all the news media, radio, and the buzz over her controversial act/thoughts in the papers around you. It is like you have a whole new kind of entertainment at a price of a CD. And, tell me, who other artist can do that better than Madonna ??
"If you want to see a real concert, get Mariah Carey's "The Emancipation of Mimi" tour."
This tour you speak of, is that the one which had a hard time selling out and had to be scaled down? Moo!
I have always found Madonna completely devoid of talent whatsoever. Personally, I like someone who has a great voice range and can sing any type of song from Country to Gospel, Blues to R & B. Watching Madonna is like watching a strip artist.
Completely overated.
That's silly, Brian. Obviously Madonna has talent; equally obviously you don't enjoy her work.
Someone who sings Country, Gospel, Blues and R'n'B - who the hell is that?
Someone who sings Country, Gospel, Blues and R'n'B - who the hell is that?
Emmylou Harris. but that's beside the point.
Madonna has talent, she's just not to everybody's liking.
Emmylou Harris sings the Blues and R'n'B?
In which parallel universe is that?
you ever seen her live?
No I haven't Mark. Maybe you're thinking of Howlin' Emmylou Harris? lol
You may not like Madonna's singing. Actually, I don't either. But "talent" just isn't about having a great voice. Madonna writes the lyrics and melodies to all her songs. She plays guitar. She has an ear for what producers to work with. Those are all talents upon themselves. I just think it's hilarious that after 25 years of being on top of the world, people would still debate her talent. She is a great marketer, but as any marketer will tell you: you can only last so long if your product isn't good.
i thought the reviewer was very very fair (something that doesnt always happen when it comes to Madonna) i think the woman is AMAZING. and believe it or not she has sang country, blues and R&B (dont let the disco fool you). you can have the most fantastic voice in the world but if your songs aren't any good...what's the point. (and if you combine that with no stage presence then you have Mariah "even my $10 concert tixs dont sell" Carey). i think her CONFESSIONS TOUR was BRILLIANT the DVD can never capture the real thing...but it comes close. i hope Madonna is around for 25 more years!!!! VIVA LA DIVA!!!!
I don't care about the octaves Madonna lacks, nor do i care about "Whor-iah Carey" comparisons! The fact is if I can get a boner by watching a 48 year old women stretching her crotch beyond human agility, then she STILL HAS IT! PERIOD! IT'S OVER- ALL THE JUSTIFICATION EVER NEEDED!
Madonna is over with, plain and simple.
Her career is in the toilet and this tour, which flopped in every market she played in, proves it.
IT'S ALL OVER WITH!!!!!
Madonna is NOT done nor she will be anytime soon.
A WORLD WIDE SOLD OUT SHOW. Yes overpriced tickets (because she can sell overpriced tickets)again and again. mariah sell out RIGHT !!!! DVD is amazing. Lets see mariah Move, Sing, Dance, go crazy....lets NOT ! That girl will jiggle all over the place. Big girls do jiggle. Someone, in every which shape and form try to bring Madonna down and we all know that. but its ok....she will never STOP
Not sure where you got your information Roger, but this is the most successful tour by a female artist in history. (Read paragraph two.)
I've watched this a couple times more and it is absolutely exhausting. If the viewer is exhausted watching it, how does Madonna survive this type of show. I really think she's really overdoing herself. It's great to entertain people, but as long as you don't hurt yourself physically.
I am quite surprised that this DVD/CD packasge has sold over 40,000 copies and will be in the Billboard top 15 next week. Usually, live albums don't even chart and this is more of a dvd than an album. Perhaps people read my review (I give myself way too much credit).
My lord, all these commenters comparing Madonna and Mariah, like... who cares?
Both artists are wonderful DIFFERENT types of performers. Who said there had to be one type of performance for it to be good? So many closed minds.
I'd pay $200 to see either of them ($350's a bit of a stretch for me though), and from what I've seen, they both put on a good concert.
I bought the Confessions Tour DVD and CD package, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I did find a few shortcomings in the show, but hello, she's human! (Not everything she does is utterly brilliant, but I will say the American Life album was!) But I'm getting off topic, I enjoyed just about all of the show. And I thought the conceptual imagery used in "Live to Tell" was wonderful - I just didn't care for the song itself. I would have preferred something a little bit more ballad-melodic-driven for the part.
WELL BY THE WAY MADONNA IS SHIT. SHE CAN'T EVEN SING PROPERLY. SHE'S THE MOST OVER RATED PERSON IN POP HISTORY! ALL YOU PPL HITTING AT MARIAH SHE'S THE BEST WHY IS SHE THE MOST SELLING FEMALE ARTIST ALL TIME THEN?
good on you sadie i totally agree. madonna is over rated!
Whoredonna is probably the most disgusting creature we see nowadays in videos....But don't you compare her to The One and Only MARIAH!!!Mariah is a real singer and a fantastic performer!I love MARIAH 4 EVA!
Well, well, you poor souls. Some just lack understanding but we must still accept them in our world.
I suppose the best thing is just to know they are pathetic. Write them off as intellectually/emotionally deprived. The problem is they are so insecure they compare themselves to everyone, they have not yet realized that they too are special in their own way. Even if they did, it is never enough because they are desperate for approval.
I know how this works unfortunately in my own household. I am the only one to have the courage to feel and speak of the admiration, awe,and total amazement of her numerous talents. It is so evident in my household that it is sickening, all adults, shifting nervously and verbally trashing her while watching her DVD. I don't turn it off however, it is even more entertaining to see them looking in total awe, actually intimidated to the point of needing a pacifier to comfort them. But they continue to look when they think no one sees. I will tell you what it is very simply: they are too uncomfortable with their own inadequacies, they simply can't stand the incredible power she has. I have even seen so much envy they simply walk out of the room. It is clearly evident.
If you observe these same people they are intimidated by everything and rarely say anything good about anyone. They can't even take someone who is different or a mover/shaker in their own environment.
I am very fortunate in that I will never be a Madonna or many other people, not even a Mariah. But I do have the freedom in my soul to admire those that have much more than I do, even in my own world. The rest of them are leeches, stay away from them, they will suck the life out of you.
One truth remains: She has done it. She is # 1, there is no debate.
well, I was looking through my email today. Apparently, Madonna's publicist Liz Rosenberg got a hold of this review and wanted to tell me how much both she and Madonna enjoyed it. I can't believe the exposure that this is getting! I emailed her back and asked her if could interview Madonna for a feature that would mostly be music related. She emailed me back and said that Madonna's next big project isn't until October and they were going to decide on what press they want to do later this summer. It sort of sounded like a "no" but I'm still pretty fascinated that Madonna saw my review.
Personal attacks are not allowed. If Madonna was ever to read this i'm sure she would feel hurt or upset. Be kind to each other, treat others how you would like to be treated
Great review! And everybody says Madonna's over every year and truns out she's still here. She's stilll selling out concerts and she's still getting played on MTV which is rare for an artist her age.
Sadie, that is so mean what you have said about madonna!!!!
I've already watched The Confessions Tour DVD about ten times and I love it. The review is great. I have to agree on the comment which says that there's no need of comparing Madonna and Mariah, both are different performers, both great and talented in their own ways.
I'm an Indian, I'm living at the North- Eastern states of the Himalayan Mountain Range, we can't even send picture messages through our cellphones yet and network failure spuns in ocassionally. - Just so you could see the picture - Judging on how far my world is even from the nearest metrapolitan city of India, I can say that Madonna sure is one hell of a human, her inspiration spreads all over the world, even way over here!
I wonder what she thinks of me, it is my wildest dream to meet her in person.
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I saw Madonna last June. I was never a huge fan, but have to admit that I agree with this author's review. She is simply amazing on stage. She owns her audience. I do agree that the "Live To Tell" bit had good intentions, but really didn't fit with the rest of the show.