Some of the fan reports on social media and on clickbait sites following Madonna’s Saturday show at KFC YUM! Center would have you think the pop idol was a wreck on stage.
While it’s true she at times rambled — and didn’t take the stage until about 10:30 p.m — there should be no doubt that she’s in charge of her image and her art, just as she’s always been.
The 21-song set was blocked into four themes — Joan of Arc/Samurai; Rockabilly Meets Tokyo; Latin/Gypsy; and Party/Flapper — and featured a nearly 50/50 split of songs from her new album, Rebel Heart, and classic Madonna tracks.
Madonna clearly doesn’t want to be a legacy artist, as much as some of the fans dressed up in the 1980s fashion that helped make her famous would like her to be. Rather, she’s someone who needs to constantly evolve and push the envelope to function as a Musician.
She certainly pushed the limits visually — with elaborate set changes and aerials by herself and from dancers. At times, it was as much Cirque de Soleil as Music show. Madonna also showcased her versatility, interspersing athletic dance numbers with a toned-down acoustic version of classic True Blue with the Queen herself on ukulele.
There also was lots of stage banter — some a bit bizarre — from Madonna, leading some fans to claim she was intoxicated. I can’t say for sure one way or another, but her physical performance and mostly fine singing point to sobriety.
Reflecting on the show, it was classic Madonna, even if she omitted some of her signature songs. She ruled the stage on her first stop in Louisville on her terms, and what else would we expect?
Source: News and Tribune
