From Carelia:
First, the show starts with The Beast Within, and after that, she comes out from a platform from the ground singing Vogue! Sh*t that was so great that my heart was beating so fast that it almost exploded!
Then she sang Nobody Knows Me, also exellent, with a great dance moves, Really really good!
Then she sang Frozen, her voice sounded great on that one. Then she went off the stage and changed clothes in less then a minute, all of her changes were very quick.
She then sang American Life, and in the middle of the song there were 2 cages with a prisioner inside on each cage, dancing like crazy AND THEN! she catwalked on a platform that hangs over the entire floor of the audience followed by dancers dressed as priests, rabbis, islamis, sexi nuns, hehe pretty cool.
After that was Burning Up, then she played the guitar and sang Material Girl in a funky way, but not so different than the original.
She changes clothes again and came out singing Hanky Panky, that part was also great because she was dressed like an old-cabaret style performer - she looked gorgeous!
Deeper and Depper was next sang in a slowly-sexy way, with music and rythmn re-invented, just like the other songs but in this one the change was more notable.
Die Another Day - she danced pretty cool, with her dancers and everything. Men! At the end of the song, her dancers (males), took her to an electic chair in a very abrupt way! That scene was quite violent because they take her and they throw her onto the chair, and everyone was kind of surprised, my heart started to beat really fast and then the dancers leave her there and she sings Lament. Then the platform that the chair was on it, goes down into the stage, and the lights go down and from the ceiling 3 guys came down hanging on swings while a video of Bedtime Stories played.
Madonna then sang Nothing fails, and in the middlie of the song she sang a little bit of Intervention. She then followed with Don't Tell Me with all the dancers.
When she sang Like a Prayer, the whole crowd went crazy! In the audience there were thousands of raised hands clapping along to the song! After that was Mother and Father, also not very diferent from the original, but very nice. And at the end of that, the dancers left the stage and left her alone, and she sang Imagine. The most beautiful version you have ever heard! If you didn’t used to like it....let me tell you that you are going to love it now!
When the face of George Bush appeared on the video screens saying an speech, the whole crowd started to heckle at the screens! Giving Bush a long Booooooooooo!
Then 4 guys dressed in Scottish outfits, each playing different instruments each came on stage- Madonna comes out from the middle of the stage (in a new outfit), and sang Into The Groove, wearing a long black and white kilt, with a black shirt saying 'Kabbalists Do It Better' And at the end of the song, guess what? She took it off and threw it to the people!
Then was Papa Don’t Preach, re-invented obviously! Quite good. Then the dancers went off of the stage , and she goes up on the right platform (again, if you are in the right side, you will be VERY lucky because she spends a lot of the concert there), and she sang Crazy for you. This was the most intimate moment of the whole show, because she sang it almost acapella, and she dedicated this song to all her fans. The whole crowd went crazy at the end of it!
Then she went out of stage, the dancers came out, then she comes out on the top a pyramid of stairs (diferent color every step) singing her very favorite dance song....Music! WOW! Was so cool!
And then the last song of the show! Holiday! When the music started all of us were so freaking exited, jumping and dancing! She did an amazing perfonamnce on that one, with a great dance steps, and excellent choreography, different, not the typical holiday dance steps !and the end of it!! She raised her hand (in a fist), with Donna and Siedah behind her (also rising their hands), and behind this her male dancers (raising hands too), so it was like a triangle, and the the lights went red, and the stage goes down, and they just disappear! Then a big screen appears saying: 'RE-INVENT YOURSELF'.
No words to describe how great it was! The best show ever in the history of music!

From Christopher Sanchez:
I saw the Monday show at the Forum and I loved it. I was one of the people that got my seats through the VIP Platinum packages and my seats was great. I could see everything perfectly, the pits I think were very highly over rated, Madonna didn't have too much contact with them as she was busy dancing and singing center stage, and closer to me where she sang Crazy For You from the left hand corner of the stage.
While she was singing Crazy For You she made eye contact with me I swear to god I thought I was gonna die that made my night! And also I don’t think anything has been mentioned about celebrity sightings, sitting to the left of me on the row across from mine was one of the Olsen twins (don’t know which one) but she was there with a bunch of girlfrineds and her bodyguards, of course after the show they went backstage to go and meet Madonna. I also saw Christina Aguilera, Angelina Jolie and Sarah Jessica Parker.
It was an amazing show I loved it! Madonna is the best!

From Vance in West Hollywood:
First a note to all LA residents going to the Forum....leave early! Traffic was at a standstill and many people missed the first couple of songs....Madonna almost started at 8 on the dot!
Vogue was great and the crowd was insane. Frozen was terrific and the video behind M was very sexy.
American lfe was the beginning of the military theme....she really lets Bush have it. I think this will play well overseas since everyone hates America now. Express Yourself was great with the rifles and marching.
The rock version of Burning Up was amazing! Madonna has come a long way on the guitar since Drowned World. The Hanky Panky/Deeper and Deeper segment was great! The dancing was top notch. M is still the reigning queen! To present Deeper and Deeper as a mid tempo and ballad number was inspiring! Die Another Day was great but also started a trend for the rest of the night of TONS of Kaballah imagery and prayers.
Bedtime Stories - the new video....FANTASTIC! M never looked better....great remix of the song! Don't Tell Me was presented in a Parisian style instead of cowgirl....amazing. Again terrific dancing. The pits on stage wee a bit distracting but M played to them a lot.
Like a Prayer is now a full kaballah song....tons and tons of hebrew symbols on the screens. Her belief is in your face. Not a turn off for me but people around me were kind of sick of the bombardment. The tour book is all about the same symbols too.
Imagine worked....The bagpiper and dancers looked great in the kilts....more great dancing. Papa Don't Preach was great with the women starting in spins....like a group of girls at playtime.
Very touching, M dedicated Crazy For You to all her fans 'who stuck by her these past twenty years'....very sweet. Music's new remix was HOT and Holiday rocked as usual...confetti...great ending. the show went by quickly.
Still delirious.....

From Manuel Miranda:
The Beast Within - even though Madonna isn't in this, the video is really quite scarey and very artsy. It's very innovative, and quite frightening.
Everyone in the audience was a bit disturbed (in a good way) by this song. It's just a video though that leads to her entrance.
Vogue - awesome entrance, and incredible choreography. It was really good, and the overall presentation was fantastic. She looked beautiful, and this costume was beautiful as well.
Nobody Knows me - she sings this alone but danced along the stage. It was a good performance.
Frozen - a bit dull. She sings it alone in front of a mic. Nothing too exciting.
American life - the best performance of all. A major production. Choreography, and a lot of things going on. Very lively and energetic. This is the song that will be most memorable of all of them from this show.
At one point she dances on a platform that hangs over the entire bottom floor of audience members. This was, by far, the best song in terms of performance. Very spectacular.
Express Yourself - Incredible. Great choreography with the rifles. Very fun, and incredibley done. One of the better performances as well.
Burning Up - this was cool because it was done in a heavy metal theme. She plays the guitar and just sings this alone on stage.
Material Girl - done in the similar fashion as Burning Up. Rock version, it was alright. Nothing great about this one.
Hollywood - she didn't sing it. WHAT HAPPENED? Don't have an idea but this song wasn't sung even though it's in the official set list. And we were all excited about this song.
Hanky panky - this was fun, very circus like. She dances like in Chicago musical. Very fun and entertaining.
Deeper and Deeper - done as a slow song, but it was rather good.
Die Another Day - disappointing. Such a good song, with such mediocre choreography.
Lament - this is interesting, she gets placed on the electric chair, but she doesn't really get electrocuted like we thought she would. At least not in this show.
Bedtime Story - this is a video interlude and it is soooooo good. She looks BEAUTIFUL in this video. Incredible. It's a great video she did for this. All in white with a beautiful white horse running through the desert.
Nothing fails - disappointing. She just sings in in front of a mic and her guitar.
Don't tell me - by far the most disappointing of all. It's the EXACT same choreography as the Drowned World tour. EXACTLY the same, only difference? She gives it a French theme.
Like A Prayer - no choreography for this, but it was good because it had a video of many people singing this song, and it was moving and touching. It was a fun moment in the show.
Mother and Father - a religious point. Many Jesus Christ images on the screens. Very religious, and very Catholic. She sings this by guitar and it was actually very good. Nothing spectacular though.
Imagine - the most touching and sentimental part of the show. She has every one in tears. Beautiful rendition and the video images are sad and depressing. Images of poverty, war, and famine around the world. This was a key moment of the show.
Into The Groove - bagpipe man enters, and they do choreography with sticks. Though the costume is poor in originality, the choreography and performance is excellent.
Papa Don't preach - cute choreography, and well done.
Crazy For You - she dedicates this to her fans. Sings it beautifully by herself. Nice performance.
Music - very visual, and fun to dance to and what not. Cool choreography. Pretty cool.
Holiday - the finale, and what a good one. Confetti is thrown throughout the entire stadium, and the choreography is good. It is actually a rather short exit song. The show ends with a screen saying 'Reinvent yourself.'
Better than Drowned World! Depends. Better song set list, better choreography. Drowned World Tour had better costumes, and 'Sky Fits Heaven' is still incredibly untouchable and unbeatable. She could probably never top that performance. She sang GREAT. Her voice sounded incredible.
If people like this show better, it's not by a long shot. Many liked Drowned World better. This one is longer though. And there are many videos throughout this concert that Drowned World didn't have.
I liked it a bit better then drowned world, but not by a lot. It was a very close call. I did expect a bit more, but maybe that was just 2 months of anticipation building up.
Overall, it was a GREAT show. Well done, and great production. The best? American life, Vogue, and Express yourself, Imagine.

From Liz:
Woo hoo! Did I have a great time at the Forum! Anyone who saw Madonna's Drowned World Tour of 2001 and left unhappy (well, I was anyway....) fear not!
Because this time around it's a great concert! I was out of my seat singin' and dancin' in the aisle for nearly the entire show!
Dropped down $80 in merchandise (pins, keychain, coffee mug, poster, and program).
Madonna of course, looked phenomenal and more beautiful than ever before. And the reinvention tour lived up to its name; her voice sounded so awesome with the re-working of 'the favorites'.
It was so great to hear Like a Prayer, Material Girl, Papa Don't Preach - just a few of the songs we as fans don't often hear LIVE anymore.
Just before breaking into Crazy For You, she dedicated the song to her fans for sticking with her for 20 years - it was as though she speaks right to you.
I have been fascinated with Madonna (and a collector) since the early 80s (I'm 31!) Addtionally, the concert felt more intimate this time around, meaning, she gave the fans what they wanted - the good stuff - Madonna puts on a visually appealing and just flat out fun-to-be-at show!
To those that have tix & await your chance to see our beloved idol, you'll have a great time! I was impressed; it was worth every penny! And I'm worn out from all that singin' and dancin' ;)

From Josh:
There was so much traffic getting to the Forum that I missed The Beast Within Intro and Vogue, which I am so bummed out about. I jumped out from my car, made my boyfriend park, and ran as fast as I could to get there in time for the intro. It was like I was thirteen all over agin and I was running home to watch the Blond Ambition Tour on HBO.
I always love to see the way Madonna takes over a stage, and this was the first time I have seen her live (I grew up in Missouri and Madonna never visited there because nobody does). Alas I haven't got any news fot you on The Beast Within or Vogue.... very sad, I know....I can't believe I missed Vogue....What kind of Madonna fan am I? A truly amazed one!
This show rivals the Blond Ambition Tour with it's choreography and it's set list. She performs everything down to Burning Up and Material Girl, songs I thought I would never have an opportunity to see live. And she sounds great! She has clearly been in vocal training....It's just as sophisticated and carnival-esque/circus-like as The Girlie Show and it's a Multi-media extravaganza just like Drowned World.
It even has elements from the Who's That Girl? and Virgin Tours....there was a section of the stage that was a moving walkway (I forget what it's called for real) and she sang a killer version of Burning Up with her guitar.
Despite what people have said about the show being 'tamed down,'' I thought The Re-Invention Tour was an extremely risque political statement. There was a fantastic military section of the show where Madonna is in fatigues and a beret performing American Life, Express Yourself, and rock versions of Burning Up and Material Girl.
And she was so cute when she came out as a flapper girl in Hanky Panky. She sang flawlessly and the choreography with the girls was the most fun. She didn't ask anything about Dick Tracy in the end of the song like she did on the record, and I'm glad to know she got over him finally.
My favorite musical number followed Hanky Panky. She sang a torch version of Deeper and Deeper to the Fever vamp (kind of like the arrangement for Fever when she sang it on Arsenio Hall's 1000th show at The Hollywood Bowl in 1992). Then she performed a dazzling Die Another Day with a sexy, over-the-top, fast paced tango. At the end of the song, yes the rumors are true....she gets the electric chair....but before she dies she sings a chilling Lament from Evita that will give you goose-bumps!
Bedtime Stories is next on the video screen. She recorded a beautiful new video for the song where she is dressed in a white corset and seems to have gone either to heaven or to a padded cell. It's hard to say. I think this may be what people are talking about with the rebirth of Madonna section.... but it's not at all as sappy as you think it is. It's totally punk rock because you could also accert that Maddy was electrocuted because she was being punished for being a sexy smart, sassy girl and then she rose above the bullshit when she realized that it was unimportant.
And that's where Nothing Fails comes in with the guitar and a simple black outfit with a low back....much simpler than Gaultier's dress for W.I.F.L.F.A.G. on Drowned World. Don't Tell Me comes next and she pretty much just does what she did on the last tour as far as her recreation of the video's choreography. But whereas that was the highlight of Drowned World (except for the Kung Foo Fighting), it was standard fare for this time on the road.
Before Like a Prayer she told the audience, 'Now, I don't wanna see anybody in their seats for this one. I'm really gonna give it to you.' She sang it so well but I wanted to see more dancing for that song.
Mother and Father included a tad bit of Intervention, which was very touching and sweet and optimistic....'And I know, I know that love will keep us together,' in reference to her late mother....it made me think that Madonna may have found more peace with her mother's death since 'Promise To Try,' and if that's the case she found an effective way to illustrate that by combining those songs together.
Imagine was a pro-peace statement as well.
Into The Groove With The Bag-Pipes was so awesome although Missy's part was a little hard for me to swallow. Don't get me wrong, I love Missy Elliot but the video of her kept distracting me from Madonna's kick-ass choreography.
More fancy footwork and staging in Papa Don't Preach, but I thought that a bunch of pregnant dancers would have been funny there.
She dedicated Crazy For You to her fans that have stayed with her through the years, and at the end she removed her shirt that read Kabbalists Do It Better and tossed it into the audience. I wish I had caught it but no, I haven't got that kid of luck....I mean I am the guy who missed Vogue, c'mon!
The encores are Music and Holiday, two songs about folks needing to get together....again, the pro-peace, love one another theme and there were projections on the monitors of Iraqi flag.
Holiday was rad! The new mix is out of this world and it thundered through The Forum.
As the lights came up, there was a recording of George Bush but it was unclear to hear what it said because the crowd wanted more of Madonna. Two large screens with the writing 'Re-Invent Yourself' were then illuminated and the message was complete.

Re-Invention is the quintessential Madonna experience, because it's about having love in your life and also about having fun. I want to go see it again if I can afford another ticket to the third and last show here in L.A. I know it sounds weird but The Beast Within is one of my all time favorite Madonna recordings. It's brilliant....

From Matthew:

What a show!
I’ve waited 20 years of my life to even catch a glimpse of Madonna and this tour did not disappoint. Even though I was not up close, I had a great view and there were no problems at all hearing the music or Madonna singing live.
Her vocals were amazing and clear, her body and costumes were gorgeous and the set list was fantastic. I was quite surprised to hear her sing ‘Crazy For You’ and ‘Material Girl’. The time of concert went so fast, I was enjoying myself so much.
The crowds were enthusiastic and entertaining. Can’t wait to see the show again.

From Mark A:
MADONNA: Re-Invented and Re-Throned!
Having called this the 're-invention' tour might be a bit of an understatement for most of Madonna's followers, since she has constantly re-invented herself from day one. But the newly 're-formed' Ms. Ritchie certainly didn't disappoint the legions of fans during her world premiere opening night performance at the Great Western Forum in Los Angeles.
The show started a half-hour past the scheduled time as hordes of late-comers scurried into their seats in order to witness the aural and visual spectable about to unfold.
In essence, as with past tour performances - from the Virgin Tour in '85 down towards Drowned World in 2001 - Madonna continues to provide a technically seamless and visually stunning presentation. Fans were treated to hits spanning her more than twenty years in pop music. She turned up the heat Monday night almost immediately after a dramatic - though rather creepy video intro for 'The Beast Within' - which then immediately launched into 'Vogue.'
And within a blink of an eyelash, Madonna segued into re-worked versions of 'Burning Up,' 'Like A Prayer' 'Deeper and Deeper,' 'Papa Don't Preach' and others, closing with her signature celebratory party anthem, 'Holiday.'
Even though she strived to present a more politically charged stance on the current state of our nation - be it the war in Iraq, her ongoing stance on religion, or her current devotion to Kaballah - her evolution as a mature artist and solid vocal perfomer is certainly more evident than ever before.
She know exactly what her fans want, and when she delivers the goods, she will deliver beyond your wildest expectations. That is to say that the show as a whole didn't have it's set of flaws.
Her interpretation of Lennon's 'Imagine' might appear dated in this day and age. But I for one didn't believe for even a second that she intended it to be a grand protest song ala Joan Baez (contrary to Robert Hillburn's Los Angeles Times concert review). She simply saw it as almost a post 9/11 reminder that we all need to be less complacent and perhaps be a little bit more socially conscious and kinder to our friends and neighbors.
At 45, the former material girl may very well shed that annoying label for good, as the hundreds of thousands of fans the world over will witness in this monumental tour will tell you up front: 'This Diva Rules!'

From Frank:
I have been a Madonna fan from the very first day I heard Holiday. It has been a long and amazing journey following Madonna's career!
I have seen all of her concerts live with the exception of The Girlie Show which did not come to the West Coast. The Re-Invention tour is one of her best live shows EVER! If you are a true Madonna fan, you will be in heaven. The song list is amazing and draws from all of her studio albums.
The best part of this concert for me was not the 're-invention' of Madonna's music or image, it was the 're-invention' of Madonna as a vocalist. Her vocals blew the roof off the Forum!
Anyone who has ever complained that Madonna cannot sing, will not be able to say that anymore. She truly proved herself as a singer. She sang all the songs live (take that Ms. Jackson and Britney!), and she did so with the ability and grace that only the Queen of Pop could command. She has truly seated herself on the throne of legitimacy and will forever be remembered as a legend after this concert series has concluded. Congratulations Madonna!

From Scott:
Last night I saw the show for a second time. I think Madonna actually had more energy and fun the second time. Vocally stunning.
She may have been feeling ill the first night too, which led to her postponing the second.
Guy Oseary and Demi Moore were spotted sitting in the third row.
In Papa Don't Preach, she and the dancers spin during the number. Following their joined-hand spin, Madonna was laughing. She started laughing so much, she couldn't continue the song. She said she was dizzy.
The crowd kept screaming and she kept laughing. It was GREAT to see her having so much fun.

From Anonymous:
I went to Madonna's concert last night at the Forum. Rescheduled from Tuesday. She came out at around 8:45 pm. She apologised after about half an hour of doing the show, she was GREAT.
I sat on the right side, sideview seats which were terrific I got to see into the dressing area and see Madonna check out the stage 5 minutes before anybody else.
Demi Moore was in the audience enjoying herself to Madonna's glow. When Madonna apologised she said she thinks she is superwoman and could do it all, but she realized she can't, and it wasn't pretty!
I think everybody said in unison you are super to us! In the show her crawling around the stage reset her mike and it went dead and she had to get a new one. And after the twirling she did with her dancers she was so out of breath she just couldn't stop giggling and giggling it was great to see the perfectionist be human. She kept trying to start the song, but she would run out of breath and finally just collapsed laughing beating the mike on the floor laughing. It was so cute!
After the show behind the scenes her dancers gave her a group hug that lasted a couple minutes after the show ended, very emotional.

From Ahmad:
I just saw her for the second time again tonight, May 27th. She was superb!! She didn't spin around with the girls at the end of Papa Dont Preach as she got dizzy the night before.
She also apologized again to anyone who might have been inconvenienced with her cancelling the other night. Her voice sounded amazing but not as perfect as the night prior....there were also a couple mess ups: her mic went out during the 'American Life' chorus and also went out when she was telling her fans how much she loves them and thanks them for sticking with her, through thick and thin.

From Scott:
Last night, in my opinion, was one of the best shows. So much energy from Madonna and the crowd.
Only in recordings of shows from Europe have I heard the crowd singing out loud in unison. Last night, Los Angeles sang along with Madonna and sang loud.
You could hear everyone singing during Don't Tell Me, Like A Prayer, Into The Groove and Crazy For You. It felt like we as a crowd were all one.
Madonna apologized again for postponing Tuesday and admitted to not feeling very well before she went on. She stated that she wondered if she would make it through the show. She said all the positive energy we were emitting gave her the energy to keep going.

From Brian:
I saw last night's concert at The Forum in Los Angeles and it was an amazing spectacle of EPIC MADONNA PROPORTIONS.
It was such an introspective and emotional trip down memory lane. Her songs all took on new meanings and I came to realize that her music has always had many layers of messaging, just as she has always worn many faces.
The show opened in a very dark and surreal world of video projections featuring highly avant garde imagery from the W Magazine shoot....all set to The Beast Within. It felt like the end of days with Madonna's haunting vocals predicting the coming of the beast....a beautiful metaphor for what was to come next. She then suddenly appears on a rising pedastal and officially opens the show with the decadent Vogue....which was KICK ASS with new all new Yoga-inspired choreography. This show is definitely all about Re-birth.
As the show progressed, several themes continued to appear over and over....materialism, death, spiritual awakening and (yes) re-birth. From Material Girl to Like A Prayer to Die Another Day, each song hit the mark conceptually while also revisiting Madonna's landmark career of Number One Hits! It was dizzying how many years worth of music was covered in this 2-hour show.
Some of the set-ups were more interesting than others....Don't Tell Me was fascinating with a sassy French twist while Hanky Panky seemed entirely mis-placed on the set list. Burning Up was a HOT surprise but Mother & Father was a bit of a snore. Crazy For You was such a wonderful flashback and Deeper and Deeper was the most beautiful song of the night.
Her voice, as everyone has already noted, was exceptionally strong and yet surprisingly girlish. By the end of the show, I felt like Madonna had just opened her heart to us FINALLY....exposing us to the beautiful and ugly truths of her life while encouraging everyone to keep pushing, keep changing, keep re-inventing....never stop questioning who we are and never stop living life fully and truthfully. And while her truth may not be everyone's, I never tire of watching her pursue hers with complete and unbridaled passion.
This show really earmarks a triumphant career and beautifully celebrates Madonna's journey from the Disco Rebel to Sexy Siren to Spiritual Seeker to the woman she appeared as last night....a complete person who can now fully embrace all that she is and all the she has been. And she does it with a smile, not a smirk! Bravo!!!