BKonthescene

It was day two of the sold out back-to-back concerts by the pop superstar, -Madonna. The 65-year-old icon,currently on her Celebration Tour, a retrospective spectacle covering a four-decade career.The 140-minute show was a dance-oriented,visual spectacle with stunning backdrops,videos and her amazing choreographed dancers

The concert began with an appearance from RuPaul’s Drag Race winner Bob the Drag Queen, who served as an emcee and wore an elaborate gown ala -Marie Antoinette.

Madonna arrived on stage at Scotiabank Arena wearing all black and a halo to sing “Nothing Really Matters”, Standing alone on a multi-level circular stage, and then moving along one of the three cat walk stages to the greet the frenzy crowd.

Now in chains, corset and a short, black skirt, she sang “Into the Groove” and a group of dancers surrounded her while she strutted around the cat walk.

The North American  tour was postponed last year and any  lasting effects of her illness were not in evidence on stage. While she did dance less than she has on past tours.

There was no live band – the music, with a few exceptions, was pre-recorded. Remembering her previous concerts, her rendition of Pantera’s -Another Level was epic. Madonna did put on a black Les Paul electric guitar for “Burning Up. “ An energized guitar solo and Madonna said she had debuted the song at New York’s long-gone punk club CBGB,then the backdrop showcased a collage of the iconic place to coincide with the song.

“Open Your Heart “used the same peep-show backdrop as the original video. One of her biggest hits of her career and the song had the fans dancing in the aisle.

“Live to Tell” is a song of the AIDS crisis. Suspended screens displayed the faces of victims.A banner at the end of the song read, “In loving memory of all the best lights we lost to AIDS.”

There were other tributes: a Prince clone appeared at the end of “Like a Prayer “and a silhouetted Michael Jackson danced with a Madonna-like shadow to Billie Jean and “Like a Virgin.”

Like mother,like son and daughter ,as the Madonna family took the stage for – Bad Girl ,La Isla Bonita and Vogue.playing the piano and acoustic guitar.

The song “Erotica “was choreographed using a boxing ring and a group of male/female boxers.Another highlight included a thumping rendition of  “Ray of Light” and a defiant Bitch I’m Madonna.

The red velvet bed from her Truth or Dare tour also made an appearance during the intro for “Papa Don’t Preach” and she was later joined by nearly naked/ topless dancers for “Justify My Love“ and “Hung Up. “Madonna was not afraid of flying either, as she hovered over the crowd in a box and the fans were cheering their approval of her flight.

During a costume change, the crowd heard the Billboard Women in Music speech from 2016 with Madonna saying-“The most controversial thing I’ve ever done is to stick around,” She has stuck around and it appears there will be future tours and retirement isn’t in the equation for Madonna.

It’s a Celebration Tour Set List:
(Bob the drag queen; “D&D”,… more )
Nothing Really Matters
(contains elements from the Club 69 Remix)
Everybody
(contains elements of “Where’s the Party”)
Into the Groove
(contains elements of “Into the Hollywood Groove”)
Causing a Commotion
(a cappella snippet)
Burning Up
Open Your Heart
Holiday
(contains elements of “I Want… more )
Act II
The Storm
(contains elements of “In This Life”)
Live to Tell
The Ritual
(Dancers interlude; contains… more )
Like a Prayer
(contains elements of “Birjina… more )
Act III
Living for Love
(contains elements of contains… more )
Erotica
(contains elements of “Justify… more )
Justify My Love
(contains elements of “Gangsta”… more )
Hung Up
(contains elements of “Hung Up… more )
Bad Girl
(contains elements of “Le Regret, op. 332”) 
Act IV
Ballroom
(dancers interlude; contains… more )
Vogue
Human Nature
(shortened)
Crazy for You
(shortened)
Act V
The Beast Within
Die Another Day
Don’t Tell Me
(contains elements of “The… more )
Mother and Father
Express Yourself
(acoustic)
La Isla Bonita
(shortened)
Don’t Cry for Me Argentina
(Andrew Lloyd Webber cover) (shortened)
Act VI
Madonna
(video interlude; contains… more )
Bedtime Story
(contains elements of the Sound Factory Remix)
Ray of Light
(Sasha Ultra Violet Remix)
Frozen
(contains elements of Sickick Remix)
Act VII
Billie Jean / Like a Virgin
(contains elements of Express… more )
Bitch I’m Madonna
(contains elements of “Give Me All Your Luvin”)
Celebration
(Benny Benassi Remix outro)