five stars
Madonna has set the bar very high for herself and make no mistake expectations are very high in every arena and stadium she sets up her stage. But as the show gets underway to the unmistakable Madonna mix of tight choreography, stunning sets and sheer star presence it is clear Rebel Heart will not disappoint.
Madonna fans will know this format of old having been used by the star on every world tour since her 1990 Blond Ambition spectacle
As elaborate and flamboyant as Madonna's performances are, there is one thing they are not, and that is gimmicky. After all, who needs flying cars, pantomime palm trees, giant tongues and blow-up hotdogs when there is really only one thing worth looking at on this platform - the most iconic pop performer of our generation.
She leaves the tacky props to those less ingrained in pop legend, there really is little comparison to be made between the 57-year-old powerhouse and the ever growing community of Rihanna's, Katy's, Taylor's and Gaga's.
Madonna displays an astonishing ability to evolve without appearing dated, the show contains all the elements of raunch, religious iconography and cheeky innuendo you would expect from the one-time 'Queen of Sleaze' but at no point does it ever seem cheesy.
Whether she's cavorting with male dancers a third her age or gyrating in a thigh-revealing flapper-girl getup, with every swish and flex of her athletic body she leaves the viewer in no doubt that she is in absolute control not only of her brand, but of how she is perceived.
When she grinds up and down a go-go pole trampling female dancers decked out as semi-clad nuns, she is not being ****ty but is once again testing the boundaries of social acceptance.
As Miley Cyrus has us cringing at her elongated tongue and childish 'twerking', Madonna, 35-years-her senior, has academics still pondering her message and infallible relevance as a cultural icon, expertly juxtapositioning sexuality and religion, vulnerability with power.
The show moves through a carefully-constructed set of themes - Joan of Arc, Samurai to Tokyo Rockabilly, Latin Gipsy and Party. Madonna fans will know this format of old having been used by the star on every world tour since her 1990 Blond Ambition spectacle.
There is less intensity in her presence and a softer, cheerier, 'let's just have a great night' vibe to the whole thing - perhaps she is mellowing, after all let's face it, she's nailed it.
http://www.express.co.uk/entertainme...+Music+Feed%29
Mess. Speak for yourself if you feel that watching a live stream on a smartphone in your home is not that different from being there in person at a packed, sold-out MSG. Speak for yourself, but don't say that I or anybody else is lying about what we saw and felt.
TEN MORE DAYS until I get to see it myself 
And that ****ing Illuminati interlude, OMG ppl were legit getting nervous 