Every little thing that you say or do.
Madonna at Madison Square Garden, NYC. June 28, 2006
photos by Kenyon from section 424.


If her previous record was shit, Madonna's 2005 release Confessions on a Dancefloor is THE shit. Like the flowing trance-based tracks on Confessions, the event--Madonna's first date in New York City on this tour--was a non-stop run of glittery disco-electro dance that featured a whirlwind of lights, dancefloors with lights, dancefloors with trap doors, dancers doing headspins and gliding on rollerblades, and moving stage floors. Just when you thought the visuals at U2 and Nine Inch Nails had blown your mind, Madonna takes it one step further, without looking back at much of her past if only to modify it. When she did treat us to classic hits ("Like a Virgin" and "Lucky Star"), it was in an updated fashion that would fit in with the rest of her latest style. The new, more uptempo songs from Confessions were just as exciting as "Ray of Light" or "Music," the latter of which was mashed-up with "Disco Inferno." After an unbelievable 2 hours with no real breaks for an encore (although Madonna did get breathers while the visuals on screens took over or other people danced or sang), "Lucky Star" segued into "Hung Up" for a strong finish that had everyone singing about time moving slowly. Yea, she was on a cross for "Live to Tell." Calm down.


set list included: Confessions on a Dancefloor, Like a Virgin, Live to Tell, Ray of Light, Music, Lucky Star, La Isla Bonita

crowd report: we had a wave going just before showtime, hell yea! gay guy next to me says to his friend- "oh i have to call Francesco during "Sorry." blech. girl in front of me was friendly. Overall the usual but not bad, and definitely the most enthusiastic crowd at MSG i can remember, with the wave and all.

i see the dustcloud disappear without a trace. (U2 setlist spoiler!) by Kenyon Hopkin


i got tickets the day before the show! holy wow! this is much better than star wars opening nite! this review is also at u2tours.com.

lots of great photos at INTERFERENCE


U2 at Continental Airlines Arena, the Meadowlands. May 18, 2005.
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short version!

favorite moments were: obviously, the minute or so between when the lights went out and the band first came on, the lyrics from "stories for boys" during "vertigo", "zoo station" to start the first encore and "bad" closing the show. none of those i expected. "streets" was awesome too. anytime a band member was walking on the ramp on our side, we were pretty close. i would say those were the moments where i definitely had tears in my eyes i was so ecstatic. oh, and the people who actually sang "40" with me after the show. oh and our seats were freaking sweet!


least favorite moments: people around me not more excited just before the show was going to start, some guy dancing in the aisle to the music on the PA well before the show, holding a beer bottle which i was scared would fling from his hand and hit someone in the head, "elevation" which i don't like at all, very few peopel knowing "the ocean" and sitting down during slow songs, bono talking about social/political stuff, not enough people singing "40" during "bad," and the people who didn't sing it with me after the show.


wierd moments: the local band on stage for "still haven't found" and that deal with the cell phones.


unmoment: no "with or without you"


set list: City of Blinding Lights, Vertigo (snippets from Stories for Boys, Pump It Up), Elevation, Gloria, The Ocean, Beautiful Day, Miracle Drug, Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own, Love and Peace or Else, Sunday Bloody Sunday, Bullet the Blue Sky (snippet from When Johnny Comes Marching Home), Running to Stand Still, Pride, Where the Streets Have No Name,One

first encore:Zoo Station, The Fly, Mysterious Ways
second encore:All Because Of You, Yahweh, I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For, Bad (chorus from 40).