By Josh Bell
MGM Grand 8 p.m. Oct. 13-14, $45-$380 plus tax and fee. 800.745.3000 Ticketmaster
Madonna has been putting on grand pop spectacles since before artists like Lady Gaga and Rihanna were even born. She started touring in 1985, and each time she goes out on the road, she puts together a new large-scale representation of her songs, a combination of performance art, stage production and musical performance that can still school younger singers on how things are done. This time around, Madonna is supporting her recent album MDNA, and her MDNA Tour has circled the globe, with performances in Israel, United Arab Emirates, Turkey and throughout Europe, before heading to North America.
In addition to showcasing songs from the top-selling MDNA (including hit singles “Give Me All Your Luvin’,” “Girl Gone Wild” and “Turn Up the Radio”), the tour features reimagined versions of some of Madonna’s best-known classics. Songs like “Papa Don’t Preach,” “Express Yourself” and “Like a Virgin” get exciting makeovers, allowing Madonna to please fans who want to hear their favorite songs while also keeping things fresh for the singer.
The New York Times called the show “an excellent excuse for extravagant, perpetually surprising production numbers involving more than three dozen performers, (which) turns some of Madonna’s past hits inside out.” Madonna worked with talents including fashion designer Jean Paul Gaultier, filmmaker Jonas Åkerlund and architect Mark Fisher, who has designed sets for Cirque du Soleil in Las Vegas, to craft the show. It all adds up to another immersive, grand concert experience. Upstart pop
singers, take note.
