Review: Madonna - Rebel Heart Tour

For the second of her two shows in Toronto for her Rebel Heart Tour, Madonna proved why she is and always will be recognized as the reigning Queen of Pop. Drawing largely from her latest album and oldies (but goodies) from the ‘80s, the two hour extravaganza was a stunning display of Her Madgesty’s talent and innate charisma.

For perhaps the first time ever in her illustrious career, Madonna doesn’t court a whole lot of controversy with the Rebel Heart Tour. Maybe this is because it’s 2015 and nothing much surprises us anymore, certainly not stripper nuns or topless dancers, especially from Madonna. Fans will have adjusted to her penchant for juxtaposing sex and religion, something which is on full display during the “Holy Water”/“Vogue” mashup. However, there are no grand political statements which have become a staple of Madonna’s concerts either. There’s no commentary on the current presidential race in the US, nor does she address any conflicts abroad or the many mass shootings that have rocked America in recent years. Instead, she makes her show about two things – herself and her fans. The show is both introspective and retrospective, much like the album it’s in support of. At its core, the Rebel Heart Tour is a love letter to her true blue fans.

Let’s get this straight, if you were a fan of Madonna during the ‘80s and dropped off somewhere around Erotica, this show is likely to only delight during its throwback moments (of which there are plenty). Still, the bulk of its material comes from her latest Rebel Heart. From the opener “Iconic” to the penultimate “Unapologetic Bitch,” Madonna shows that she has what it takes to stay relevant in this ever-changing world of pop music. The problem, of course, is that much of the album featured downtempo tracks that don’t translate well to arena tours. Unlike the frenzied MDNA Tour, the Rebel Heart Tour is much more intimate in its approach to Madonna’s material. This gives her plenty of opportunity to work the crowd, teasing and playing with them in between ballads.

The setlist for the show is near perfection. She pulls just the right songs from Rebel Heart, opting for a healthy mix of party anthems (“Bitch I’m Madonna”) and emotional ballads (“HeartBreakCity”). While some often debate the quality of her new material versus her tried-and-true hits, there’s no denying that some of the best moments of the night came while performing songs off of Rebel Heart. The titular track, in particular, saw Madonna taking up an acoustic guitar while singing in front of a video screen displaying artwork done by her legions of fans from around the world. It was a nostalgic moment of reflection, looking back on her many incarnations throughout the years. Similarly, “Ghosttown” provoked a thunderous response, with most singing loudly to the poignant love song.

There were plenty of surprises as well. Madonna dug deep into her catalogue, dusting off many of her oldest and most obscure songs from the ‘80s. She picked up an electric guitar to belt out “Burning Up,” held a singalong with fans for “Who’s That Girl” and transformed “Material Girl” into a Broadway ready showtune. While there was a medley of “Dress You Up,” “Into the Groove” and “Lucky Star” that didn’t quite it its mark, Madonna knocked it out of the park with a beautiful acoustic remix of “True Blue” and an abbreviated “Love Don’t Live Here Anymore.” It also goes without saying that the crowd went absolutely wild for “Like a Virgin.”

Still, there were a few flaws to the Rebel Heart Tour. While the setlist was fantastic overall, there were some oddities and ill-placed songs. For instance, “Like a Virgin” would have been better suited sung after “Material Girl” when she was decked out in a wedding veil. Similarly, the omitted “Like a Prayer” would have been the perfect closer to the first section of the show. For some reason or another she included “Candy Shop” and the cover song “La Vie en Rose.” The latter, made famous by French singer Edith Piaf, worked thematically in its Paris-themed segment, but fell flat amongst the largely English-speaking audience. The song would have been better served as a special treat for her Montreal dates and European shows. In its place, “Sooner or Later” would have actually been a brilliant throwback. “Candy Shop,” meanwhile, is a non-single track from her 2008 album Hard Candy. It’s far from being a hidden gem and doesn’t quite deserve its place on the setlist over more massive hits like “Express Yourself” or “Hung Up.” What’s more unfortunate is that it’s used in the same fashion it was during the MDNA Tour, during a cabaret-style sensual routine. This highlights the other issue with the Rebel Heart Tour – despite the overabundance of new material, the show feels very familiar.

Madonna is known for being a revolutionary artist who is constantly on the cutting edge when it comes to her performances. She continually shocks and titillates her audience with exciting routines and biting social commentary. The Rebel Heart Tour doesn’t do this. Yes, the choreography is great (seriously, her dancers are insanely talented) and the costuming is gorgeous, but it lacks the originality Madonna is synonymous for. With the exception of the mechanic-inspired second section, each segment of the show feels like they’ve been recycled from previous tours. This also emphasizes the overall lack of cohesion to the tour, since each one feels disparate in comparison to the other and since the songs don’t always pair perfectly with the staging. As such, it’s much more similar to Sticky & Sweet than the masterpiece that is the Confessions Tour.

The Rebel Heart Tour is a true nostalgic celebration of Madonna’s music. This intimate two hour spectacle showed a softer side to the veteran pop star, as she was all smiles and toyed with her audience. The mix of old and new material was just as on point as her wardrobe, giving her a setlist created as if to say thank you to her true diehard fans. While there will always be nitpicks here and there, it’s impossible for an artist like Madonna to put on a universally acclaimed tour at this point in her career. As the most successful female artist of all time, this is a woman who has hits in just about every decade since her debut and whose back catalogue is so large that her shows would exceed five hours if she were to sing them all. If there’s one thing that the Rebel Heart Tour showed me, it’s that Madonna has nothing left to prove. She is a legend in every sense of the word and has shaped both music and society in a way that no other artist has ever quite been able to do for such a long, sustained period of time. She doesn’t have to compete with the girls trying to snatch her crown, she doesn’t have to give drag queens new looks to emulate and she most certainly doesn’t have to please the middle-aged women who come to her shows to relive their youth. For me, as someone who has been fascinated by her image and music since I was a child, I am simply grateful to be able to be in the presence of such an accomplished woman and give my support and thanks to someone who has not only shaped who I am, but someone who has done so much for music and the LGBTQ+ community.