From the Boston Herald By Sarah Rodman

Near the end of her show last night at the Worcester Centrum, Madonna dedicated the prom-night oldie, "Crazy For You," to all those people "who stuck by me for the last 20 years."
It was a sweet moment in what was a truly spectacular show. Yet, the entire joyously breathless affair had the feel of that dedication to the fans.
The hits-laden, 105-minute visual feast was like a mash note to everyone who's followed the twists and turns and avant garde detours on her trip from "boy toy" to Esther.
A stylish tip of the cap to the people who ponied up the ridiculously high price of 300 for last night's top ticket, to those who defended her notorious 'sex" book, went to see her movies and who have loved her in all her brash glory as well as her self-indulgent missteps.
It was firmly the former on display last night as Madonna kicked off her four-night stand with style and grace, giving good face and even better voice.
In fact, Mrs. Guy Ritchie, the first to admit that she's not the best singer, has never sounded more solid and self-assured even as she was in constant motion on moving catwalks, sliding conveyor belts and hoofing it alongside her cadre of precision dancers.
If she denied fans the hits last time out, "The Re-Invention Tour" is virtually nothing but, from the sleekly choreographed opener "Vogue" to a singalong of the enduringly cheeky "Material Girl" to the unbound closer "Holiday."
And in a neat trick that only Madonna could pull off, the 45-year-old singer gave the people what they wanted while reworking a few to suit her tastes.
That meant a little more electric guitar fire during "Burnin" Up," a more organic, acoustic take on the rapturous "Like a Prayer" and a burlesque reworking of "Deeper and Deeper."
An almost constant barrage of images accompanied the music and dancing on mammoth video screens on and surrounding the stage.
They ranged from photos of children in wartorn and poverty-stricken nations as she sang John Lennon's "Imagine" to Hebrew symbols during a rapturous "Like a Prayer."

From the Boston Globe By Joan Anderman

Even before the mohawked skateboarder began riding the half - pipe during 'Hollywood,' interest in the thin red string circling Madonna's left wrist had vanished. As well it should have. With a two - hour show this gorgeous and this artful, Madonna hardly needed to rely on a spiritual stunt to generate the sort of excitement that, 20 years into her iconic pop career, she's still capable of conceiving brilliantly and executing it masterfully. That said, she takes pleasure in keeping us guessing. Or maybe she's just an equal - opportunity disciple, happy to give props to Hebrew script and Jesus on the cross, which were both featured prominently on video screens.

More to the point - this is a concert, not a celebrity inquest - in the era of over - the - top arena spectacles, Madonna has taken the concept to a new level. Without a unifying thread and in defiance of every aesthetic law known to man, she wove elements of burlesque, extreme sports, rock concerts, Cirque du Soleil, military drills, art installations, dance theater, yoga, and antiwar rallies into a whole. And seamlessness was merely the icing.

The 'Re - Invention' tour, which sounded so desperately self - referential on paper, turns out to be impossibly accurate. Madonna manages to reinvent her reinventions. She gilded 'Vogue' with a French court twist, delivered an irony - free 'Material Girl,' deepened 'Into the Groove' with bagpipes and kilts, and redefined 'Express Yourself' as a drummer boy's march into battle.
The latter tune featured the fatigues and rifles from the proceeding number 'American Life,' but the jarring image neatly summed up what Madonna's career has been about: Mindful confrontation, artful provocation, and the use of every part of her body and mind to spark her own little culture wars.

She's never sounded better. The treated chirp of her early years, which morphed into the dreadful earnestness of the 'Evita' era, has matured into a strong, clear singing voice. A few years ago the idea of Madonna standing alone at a microphone singing 'Frozen' would have been a dubious one. Last night she commanded her spectacle and her music with equal clarity.

Describing the breath of the pageantry during 'American Life,' her most blatant political statements, images of firestorms, screaming helicopters, and wounded children flashed on video screens while dancers dressed in religious frocks (this being a Madonna show, the habits and burkas were minis) traversed a massive V - shaped catwalk above the audience. Sure it was preachy. Timely, too.

She's traded in her bullet bra for spangled hot pants, disco beats for finger popping, and transformed 'Hanky Panky' and 'Deeper and Deeper' into noir numbers. Likewise, the abstract ballroom choreography of 'Die Another Day' was an elegant antidote to the rote gyrations favored by the next generation of pop stars.

A blipping, bloated take on John Lennon's 'Imagine' was the evening's one misstep. But her heart was in the right place. And for the first time in a long time, so were all the artistic pieces.

From the Providence Journal By Rick Massimo

Madonna's Re - Invention Tour rolled into the Worcester Centrum for the first of four performances last night, and while there were new touches on several songs, the set - list emphasis was still on dance - floor thumpers, mostly from her last album, American Life. And the visual element was at least a co - star of the show.

The sheer scope was exhausting - costume changes after every few songs, a troupe of 10 backup dancers, a five - piece band, two backup singers, and four giant video screens showing different projections (as well as two more trained on the star of the show).

Heck, some of the interludes that covered Madonna's costume changes were more opulent than many bands' tours. Some were borderline offensive, as when beefy background dancers made war look like a particularly strenuous dance number, while the video screens showed graphic war footage, all to cover Madonna's change into faux Che - gear for 'American Life.'

The next interlude, with a belly dancer, break dancer, tap dancer, skateboarder and guitar soloist, on the other hand, made interesting connections between seemingly unrelated disciplines.

The near - sensory overload veered between moments of interesting juxtaposition and semiotic incoherence. The Weimar - style black - and - white 'set' for the acoustic guitar - driven 'Don't Tell Me' was lovely, but what 'American Life' was trying to say is anyone's guess. it's rare when an artist onstage gives an upturned middle finger, and you're not sure whom it's directed at. (The song also incorporated some of the video footage that was excised from the song's video.)
Similarly, 'Express Yourself' followed 'American Life,' with the martially - dressed Madonna doing rifle tricks while singing 'Don't settle for second - best/ Put your love to the test.' Huh?
And so it went: The sequence of a gently swinging 'Hanky Panky' and a hushed 'Deeper and Deeper' gave something to hang onto, but then there were images of x - rays and the elderly on the too - slight 'Die Another Day,' Hebrew letters and stigmata on 'Mother and Father' (which featured some of Madonna's best singing of the night).

Many of the songs worked as individual production numbers, but after a while the images became gimmicky - There she is with an electric guitar! There she is in an electric chair! - and detracted from each other.

Madonna's voice has never been the world's strongest (as she has said herself), but it was as strong as ever last night. There was some lip - synching, particularly on the first couple of songs. As has been widely noted, 'Get Into the Groove' began with an interlude of bagpipes and martial drums, and broke down to bagpipes on the bridge, but the effect was inconsequential - indeed, by the end of the show, nothing was a shock.

There's something about the widely varied looks and images that works in aradio or video context - it's a shot of variety and the unexpected, and in small doses it's invigorating. In a live setting, with the condensed, cascading effect of so many numbers in a row, it's easy to appreciate, even be wowed by, the sheer scope and the energy being expended. But to what end?

As a collection of dance - floor thumpers, the show had more than its share of moments - 'Nobody Knows Me,' 'Vogue,' the early 'Burning Up.' But if the gaudy show business was intended to make a deeper point, it's not immediately clear what it was.The tour continues with shows tonight, Wednesday and Thursday.

Fans in the UK should tune into TOTP this Friday at 7.30pm on BBC1 (Euro 2004 football schedule permitting) to enter a very exciting Madonna competition....

By Louise Hosie, Scottish Press Association


A piper who was hand-picked by Madonna to perform on her world tour is having the time of his life, his father said today.

Lorne Cousin, 31, was working as a lawyer in Edinburgh when he received a telephone call from the superstar asking him to play the bagpipes on her five-month Reinvention tour.

Mr Cousin, who is from Campbeltown, Kintyre, is now appearing with Madonna on stage in America, after taking leave from his job.

His father Alastair said his son was loving every minute of performing with one of the world's most famous women.

"I spoke to him a few days ago, and he seems to be enjoying the experience of being on the tour", said Mr Cousin Snr.

"He is having the time of his life, he gets on really well with Madonna, there are no problems there."

Madonna first noticed Mr Cousin when she heard him playing the bagpipes at her friend Stella McCartney's wedding on the Isle of Bute, last year.

Mr Cousin Snr, who is a vet in Campbeltown, became a friend of the McCartney family after looking after some of their animals.

He added that his son would continue with the tour of America and Canada until the middle of July, when he planned to take a 10-day break, before flying back for Madonna's European concerts.

Simon Mackintosh, a partner at the Turcan Connell law firm where Mr Cousin works, said today: "We are delighted that Lorne has been given this opportunity."

"He is recognised in piping circles as an outstanding piper and is also a valued member of our rural property team."

"It is not easy to lose him for six months, but for Lorne it really is a chance of a lifetime."

Another Scots piper Callum Spud Fraser from Aviemore, was initially reported to have been chosen as piper for Madonna's tour.

Mr Fraser had played the bagpipes at Madonna's wedding to Guy Ritchie at Skibo Castle in 2002.

It was reported he had been approached by the singer's staff during the wedding celebrations and asked to come on the tour but he had no contact again.

Madonna's new children's book "Yakov and the Seven Thieves" comes out today, June 21st. If you have not order your copy of the book already, do so at the Madonna Store:

Yakov & The Seven Thieves Book
14.49

ORDER NOW

Seven slippery scoundrels.
One tricky lock.
An unlikely solution...

Yakov, the kindly cobbler, and his wife, Olga, are heartbroken because their son, Mikhail, is very ill. They seek advice from a wise old man, who enlists the help of seven thieves and proves that miracles can occur if we do good deeds.

Written by Madonna and beautifully illustrated by Gennady Spirin.

From the NY Times

Who can a star rely on to create a spiritually enlightened, Pilates - inspired, military - saluting, career - extending international road show? Jamie King has created pop spectaculars for Prince, Ricky Martin, Britney Spears and Jennifer Lopez. Still, directing and choreographing Madonna's Reinvention Tour, which opened here late last month, made all his previous assignments look easy. By the time it completes its three - month run, with 55 concerts in the United States, Canada and Europe, it is expected to gross 0 million.
Mr. King, 32, has worked with Madonna since she asked him to choreograph her video for 'Human Nature' in 1996. He recently talked with Valerie Gladstone.

VALERIE GLADSTONE Describe how you and she come up with ideas.
JAMIE KING We've been working together for a long time, so we don't have to go through the whole introductory process. it's more like 'Jamie, I saw this Ninja movie, and it was cool, and it might be cool to do something like that on tour.' Or, 'My kids have been watching 'Chitty Chitty Bang Bang,' maybe we could do something like the dance with bamboo sticks from that as a transition into 'Get Into the Groove.' '
GLADSTONE What happens when you disagree?
KING We had one major disagreement. Only a few weeks ago, I told her I thought she should replace a song she had already relearned with "Material Girl." She'd spent a lot of time learning the other song on the guitar. She'd also said publicly that she would never sing "Material Girl" again. So I had to convince her that it was a bigger hit and worked much better at the end of a particular sequence.
GLADSTONE Were you worried that the song wouldn't go over?
KING If the audience hadn't responded enthusiastically, I'd never have heard the end of it.
GLADSTONE What did you do after choosing the 12 dancers?
KING I set up four rooms in the Culver City Studios: the band room where Madonna worked on the songs with the musical director and the musicians; the choreography room where we developed the dances; the technical room, where I had the theatrical props, like the swings for the acrobatic dances. That's also where we rehearsed the fire handling and rifle choreography and skateboarding.
In another room, I had the entire stage taped out to scale with mock screens and elements of the set, all made of wood. Madonna wants to know exactly what everything will actually look like in materials as close to the finals as possible.
GLADSTONE The show has a variety of dance styles: tango, popping, a Scottish bagpipe procession and something called the krump. What's the krump?
KING Madonna likes me to bring her the newest thing. The krump is very in - your - face, very angry and confrontational, with the arms spread wide in a threatening manner. My dancers told me about it. It looks like you're fighting. it's a way for kids in tough neighborhoods to express their aggression, without really fighting. That's what she and I like about it.

BY JAY LUSTIG
Star - Ledger Staff

NEW YORK - - Bagpipers and skateboarders. Yoga poses and a T - shirt reading "Kabbalists do it better." Rap and country music. Angry political statements and giddy party anthems.

Madonna's Wednesday night show at Madison Square Garden had all of the above, and more. A Madonna tour is, by definition, a spectacle. But she has never presented anything quite as dizzying and dazzling as her current "re - Invention Tour," which has four more dates at the Garden, as well as two at the Continental Airlines Arena.

Dancers turned into acrobats, spinning on swings high above the stage. They also breakdanced and tap - danced as images of Tarot cards flashed behind them. At two points in the show, a V - shaped ramp descended from the rafters and Madonna and the dancers ran out to the middle of the arena floor.

Without an album of new material to draw from, Madonna added new twists to some of her old songs. "Material Girl" and "Burning Up" took on a new - wave rock feel, and "Deeper and Deeper" became a jazzy ballad. Bagpipes and a filmed Missy Elliott rap were added to "Into the Groove," while "Don't Tell Me" had a strange country - techno interlude.

Madonna sang "Lament," from the rock opera "Evita," from an electric chair and added video footage of a gospel choir to "Like a Prayer." Artful film of entwined, slow - moving, near - naked bodies enhanced the yearning sentiment of the ballad "Frozen."

In general, though, sexual content was kept to a minimum. Madonna seems more interested these days in spirituality and the state of the world.

One of the show's low points came during "Express Yourself." Dancers dressed in military uniforms marched and twirled rifles with projections of tanks and planes behind them. Madonna herself held a rifle above her head as she sang the line, "What you need is a big strong hand to lift you to your higher ground."

One imagines she was making an anti - war statement, but the theatrics didn't make much sense accompanying a song about personal empowerment.

Better to be inscrutable, though, than heavy - handed.

"American Life" was accompanied by a video that showed, among other things, footage of a President Bush lookalike kissing a Saddam Hussein lookalike, and lovingly laying his head on the dictator's shoulder.

Shots of children suffering from malnutrition or violence were projected behind Madonna during her earnest cover of John Lennon's "Imagine." Toward the end of the song, though, happy children were shown, and a Jewish boy and an Arab boy walked off together, arm in arm.

Madonna made her longest speech of the night before this number, encouraging fans to see Michael Moore's upcoming documentary, "Fahrenheit 9/11," which explores links between the families of President Bush and Osama bin Laden.

"I don't think I ever cried so hard at a movie in my life," she said before thanking Moore, who was in the audience.

Later, she offered a more conventional thank - you, dedicating "Crazy for You" to the fans who have stuck by her through her entire career. She then sang a warm, relaxed version of the song. This was the concert's calmest moment, by far.

Then it was back to business as usual, with a manic "Music," featuring hip - hop record scratching, dancers gliding around the stage on conveyor belts, and the word F - R - E - E - D - O - M spelled out on the dancers' butts. The show ended with "Holiday," a celebratory dance - pop tune with prancing on the V - ramp, a blast of confetti, and a final video message: "Reinvent Yourself."

See the Material Girl in concert in the city of your choice! Party in the pit and be front and center for Madonna's shocking new tour. Enter now!

By GLENN GAMBOA
Staff Writer

For Madonna, necessity is the mother of "Re - Invention."

Super - savvy culture vulture that she is, the Material Mom knows that if she doesn't re - assert her relevance soon, she could quickly become a fringe best known for writing children's books and being Britney's gal - pal.

On the heels of disappointing sales for her "American Life" album and a hostile reception to her last movie, "Swept Away," the 45 - year - old entertainer has her back against the wall for the first time in her career.

"The Re - Invention Tour" is her way of proving she is not ready to retire to the London mansion with hubby Guy Ritchie and the kids just yet. At Madison Square Garden last night, the first of eight sold - out shows in New York in the next two weeks, she definitely made that point.

Many sing better. Others write better songs. But no one performs better than Madonna especially when she has something to prove.

In the nearly two - hour set, Madonna takes the audience on a whirlwind tour through her 20 - year career. Some songs get shaken up the disco jam "Deeper and Deeper" gets jazzy, "Like a Prayer" gets an electro - country twang and "Material Girl" becomes a pop - punk rave - up. But what is even more impressive is how her elaborate performance art pieces enhance many of the songs. The athletic swinging of her dancers during "Bedtime Story" provides the song a grace that it never would have seen in a straight performance. The intricate moves of her 16 - member dance troupe turned "Into the Groove" into a powerful dance piece instead of simply a dance - pop trifle. "Papa Don't Preach" was filled with playfulness and innocence, even including a ring - around - the - rosie dance.

This is a side of Madonna that she hasn't shown very often, the one that has fun, the one that enjoys the roar of the crowd. She offered genuine appreciation for the cheers much like her decision to bring back songs from her past that she has tired of.

Making peace with her past doesn't mean she's ready to give up on the interests of her present. Kabbala is present in the Hebrew letters that swirl on the big screens behind her and she even sports a t - shirt that says "Kabbalists Do It Better." Her anti - war, anti - Bush beliefs are clearly on display during "American Life," as well as her overwhelming endorsement of Michael Moore's "Fahrenheit 9/11," which she said had her in tears. With this tour, Madonna can give the song her full support unlike last year, when she yanked the video to avoid controversy about complaining about Middle East policies in the middle of the Iraqi war. She was rightfully worried about getting Dixie - Chicked if she proceeded, but as it turned out, her album was basically blacklisted anyway.

If anyone could have waged a successful media campaign to get her anti - war, pro - troops point across, it would be Team Madonna. The Material Mom, however, plays things a little safer, which is also evident on "The Re - Invention Tour."

When Madonna dedicated her ballad "Crazy For You" to all her fans who have "stuck with me through thick and thin for the past 20 years," she short - circuited all the critiques of her 2001 "Drowned World" tour, which was high on drama and production but low on fun and any sort of crowd interaction.

Madonna's latest reinvention may be her best one yet. She has not only become a champion of the underdogs but somehow an underdog herself. And as long as she offers amazing performances like this one, she will have an army of fans backing her up.