With over 300 million records sold worldwide and recognised as the best-selling female recording artist of all time, Madonna Louise Ciccone was back in Quebec City.
Hard to believe this woman is 57 years old. She doesn’t look it, doesn’t act it, and has more energy than some people thirty years her junior.
After performing on the Plains of Abraham to mixed reviews back in the summer of 2012, Madonna was back in Quebec City for a show at the Centre Vidéotron.
12,000+ fans came out to see the ‘Queen of Pop’ and they got everything they could have hoped for.
The show kicked on after an early faux pas – Madonna, displaying a momentary lapse in concentration by confusing Quebec City with Montreal before quickly correcting herself. ‘My brain is Burning Up she joked.
The show was magic, the sets elaborate, the costume changes outlandish, and the woman herself raunchy, energetic, and constantly on the move.
She delivered an (as expected) expletive-riddled performance. ‘Are you with me motherfuckers?’
The dancers, of which there were many, added to the experience. It has to be said they probably have the most demanding boss in the business. Some of these dancers would be 30-35 years her junior but they needed to be fit to keep up with one of the hardest working artists out there. And they did, and didn’t stop.
Toughest dancing gig out there. You bet.
On her Rebel Heart Tour, The Queen of Pop performed songs from her latest album including Bitch I’m Madonna, Iconic, Body Shop, Immuninati, Unapolgetic Bitch, Devil Pray, and Holy Water.
The crowd remained seated for most of those tracks, but did get to their feet when the older songs were given an airing. Like A Virgin might seem like an odd choice for a woman in her mid-50’s, with four children of her own, but this is Madonna, and it worked. There was plenty of swearing, gyrating, and interaction with the crowd.
True Blue, Who’s That Girl, La Isla Bonita, and Material Girl were performed to much appreciation.
Who’s That Girl was particularly special. We already know this woman can sing (over 300 million records sold worldwide attest to that), but the acoustic version of this track was spectacular. Just the woman herself perched on a bar stool with her ukelele.
She brought the house down with her version of the Edith Piaf classic La Vie En Rose. Singing in French with the crowd joining in, this woman knew her audience.
The acoustic versions of her songs showed Madonna‘s true talent.
Although not to the taste of some, perhaps an acoustic tour might be on the cards down the line.
There were three ladies in front of me, roughly the same age as Madonna, and I’d hazard a guess had perhaps taken advantage of the refreshing beverages on offer, who were there for some more physical activity. Powerful, acoustic offerings not for them. ‘Awaille, on veut danser’ they exclaimed as they slumped further into their chairs in no fit state to dance at all.
I think they’d have liked a prayer. The didn’t get one and neither did we.
With the stage full of dancers and the audience on their feet, the icon, initially draped in a Canadian flag and then a Quebec one ended the evening with Holiday.
The setlist in full was:
Iconic, Bitch I’m Madonna, Burning Up, Holy Water, Devil Pray, Messiah, Body Shop, True Blue, Deeper And Deeper, HeartbreakCity, Like A Virgin, La Isla Bonita, Dress You Up, Who’s That Girl, Rebel Heart, Illuminati, Material Girl, La Vie En Rose, and Unapologetic Bitch.
Encore:
Source: Life in Québec
