Madonna Confessions Tour

I would like to take this opportunity to come out of the closet... I like Madonna.

In the past I've been ashamed to admit this, but admitting that you have a Madge addiction is the first step, right? I've even bashed her in public in order to hide my shameful secret. But I guess I really do like her. I don' t listen to her music often at all, but when I do I find myself enjoying it... for the most part. I can't say I like her earlier stuff- it was a bit on the whiny side for me. And she hit just a fraction too late for me to be enthralled with her back in the 80's. I watched her on MTV with the rest of my generation, but just gave her a passing nod.

But then came along Dick Tracy. And I began to like her. And the Blonde Ambition tour sort of sealed it. She really put on a production and I remember watching that concert on TV and actually ENJOYING it.

After that I tried to deny my Madonna-ness. After all, I wasn't going to be one of those fags who loved the holy trinity of Cher, Barbra, and Madonna. (sometimes Bette gets included, but it depends on the generation). I refused to be one of "those" gays.

And I successfully ignored her. Until I saw the "Girly Show" tour. I LOVED the leather and the spectacle of it all. And the Like A Virgin done as Marlene Dietrich or Edith Piaf or whomever was bloody brilliant. DAMN her!!!

Oh, and I must admit, I DID my share of "Voguing". How embarassing...

She helped me avoid becoming more addicted with her Evita performance. After listening to her butcher her song "you must love me" at the Academy Awards, I thought "Now THAT oughta do it." But no.

Then Ray of Light came along- and I actually bought the album right when it came out due to all the buzz surrounding it. It appealed to my Far Eastern sensibilities which I liked. (So did Alanis's album that was released around the same time.) And I found that I actually LIKED the album- oh my GOD. I actually APPRECIATED it!

And Damn if I didn't like "Music"-- not ALL of it, but several songs. I enjoyed the whole vocal modulation stuff, and the heavy electronica nature of it.

I successfully avoided her "Confessions" album- writing it off to her throwing together a last ditch album to resurrect her sagging career (and simultaneously trying to resurrrect Disco). Sure she's in excellent shape and looks great. But shouldn't she be DONE already??

The fucking concert was pretty damn cool, if I must say so. I watched it this past Wednesday on NBC, and after it was done I was pissed that I didn't "pony" up the dough (pun intended) to see it in person. The dancers were incredible and the action non-stop. And the Gaultier costumes and leather ponyplay getups were awesome!

Who knew?

So- now I'm ready to say to the world "I LIKE MADONNA."

So there.