Madonna: The Celebration Tour in Rio

Saw this tour in Paris. Absolutely amazing. I can't believe this woman is 65 years old. Always so much energy and presence on stage.

She redefined pop concerts in the 80s/90s with the Blond Ambition tour and the Girlie Show. With this twelfth tour, She's now pushing the lines for mature women in pop while paying tribute to her career and to all the people she met and who played an important role in her life. It is simply poetic, narrative and well constructed, moving, energetic and impressive. The scenography is sumptuous. The light is modern. Stuart Price's arrangements are perfect.

This concert in Rio is impressive. All this crowd. This is madness. Only Madonna can generate this and it is for this reason that she remains the queen of pop.

Right when the headline news were released that Madonna was going to perform in RIO and it will be a free concert, anticipation was already building high each day. It was especially so when Madonna had a bacterial infection which landed her in the ICU for days. Thank God she pull through and the will and determination to survive despite the illness. She still has so much to do and she had to get through it! AND SHE DID!

This final show encapsulated all of the essence in a live concert show should be. From stage, production, giant video screens, sound blasters, the music, the choreography, the dance, video interludes, the presence, wardrobe and costumes, the band, the dancers and a most special and heartfelt tribute to her friends and those lost to AIDS. The show brought an emotional ride for all who were there and for the viewers at home who were able to view the live broadcast in RIO and the countries who were lucky enough to catch it!

Of course there were songs which I wished Madonna would have performed in full - like Crazy For You but when it combined or it slowly morphed to the next song, it was done brilliantly and beautifully!

Highlights included the grand and spectacular opening of (ala Strange Encounters of the Third Kind) inspired Nothing Really Matters, Holiday, Into The Groove, Open Your Heart, Live To Tell, the Brazilian drum section with Pabllo Vittar, the great monologue by Bob The Drag Queen, Vogue and its various guest judges, Like A Prayer, Hung Up, Bad Girl (exquisite and beautiful vocals) ft. The incredible Mercy James on piano, cowboy inspired Don't Tell Me.... the list goes on and on...oh yes, her heartfelt tribute to her mother and David's mother in Mother and Father! Rain was beautiful!

You have to experience it for yourself. No amount of words could justify and testify the brilliant production of The Celebration Tour! It was indeed a celebration through her 4 decades of unparalled success in music, touring and being a performance artist that she is!

My review is a 10/10!

Several times we get to hear a playbacked version of Madonna's voice. THAT"S NOT REALLY LIVE MUSIC AT ALL! That is such a disappointment / shame and a real sin for a live concert.

I mean really, when I go to a LIVE concert I wanna hear live music and not some playback sound recording covering up for the fact that Madonna's voice isnt what it used to be.

Most of the time Madonna's voice gets WAY overpowered by a prerecorded soundtrack or a blasting backing choir.

Madonna's real voice (which we get to hear ocassionally) sounds really flat and small nowadays and not nearly as powerful and beautiful as it once was.

Not any good then? How about the show? It's big. And that's about the only thing that is out of the ordinary. But more people, more and bigger videoscreens dont make for a good concert. But for those who like big and lots of dancing by others on stage, go ahead and give it a try...

I would rather put on any older concert from the nineties than this shameful PLAYBACK show. Such a shame that she often doesnt use her own voice or is overpowered by a backing choir, because Madonna's voice has gone flat and small.

The Celebration Tour in Rio was performed in front of 1.6 million Brazilian fans, and celebrated Madonna's four decades in the music industry. Before the tour Madonna did a truth or dare and Amy Schumer dared Madonna to do a greatest hits tour, which Madonna agreed to do.

Unfortunately, just as the tour was to begin Madonna suffered a bacterial infection and was admitted to hospital, so dates were cancelled and the tour postponed.

Like all Madonna shows the lighting and the sets were amazing, and the choreography reflected the themes for the songs. It is unclear whether a video will be released for this show, or a live CD made available.

The feeling of actually being there it's indescribable. Despite have already seen it in LA before, the vibe of this Rio concert was different.

It's a visual and musical spectacle, commanded by the queen of pop herself. If you are a younger Madonna fan, you'll definitely be interested to know the older songs more after that.

It's emotive, fun and incredibly beautiful. All Madonna eras are covered, most of her famous songs are here. There are a few controversial segments that the conservative will dislike, but that's Madonna. She's still provocative, and everything she does on that stage has a purpose.

Thank you Madonna for that gift to Brazil! We love you.