Ciao Italia: Live

Now the show itself didn't start out in the way I am about to describe, but it needs to be included into my description. It starts off with the crew setting everything up for the night's concert, while Madonna's three back-up singers, Niki Harris, Donna DeLory, and Debra Parson, are rehearsing their ad-libs on Into The Groove and La Isla Bonita, where after, the title flashes across your screen. That is when the show officially starts. The band begins playing OPEN YOUR HEART as Christopher Finch, one-third of Madonna's three male dancers, who is about the age of 11-13, takes the stage in the same outfit worn by the kid in the music video to the same song. Madonna finally takes the stage, wearing the same boustier she wore in the music video. She amazingly sweeps through OPEN YOUR HEART without a problem. After OPEN YOUR HEART, she talks a little to her Italian audience, where she then goes into her performance of LUCKY STAR. Following LUCKY STAR is TRUE BLUE. She comes out in an outfit similar to the one she wore in the video. This performance is my favorite. After TRUE BLUE is PAPA DON'T PREACH, where Madonna puts on her trusty leather jacket. After PAPA DON'T PREACH, she comes out dressed like a mobster and sweeps gracefully through WHITE HEAT. After her mobster-rendition of WHITE HEAT, she gears up for CAUSING A COMMOTION. THE LOOK OF LOVE follows CAUSING A COMMOTION.

After THE LOOK OF LOVE, a British telephone booth is wheeled out to centerstage, where Madonna quickly puts on a pink dress, pink top hat, and nerdy glasses to perform DRESS YOU UP. She rearranged DRESS YOU UP a little, where she sang the chorus first and then sang the first verse. After the first verse, she sings the chorus and then goes into the second chorus. Instead of finishing DRESS YOU UP, she goes into a comical performance of MATERIAL GIRL, where her two other male dancers are dressed up as geeks. She sings all the way up to, "A MATERIAL, A MATERIAL, A MATERIAL..." and then goes into LIKE A VIRGIN. Before singing the third verse in LIKE A VIRGIN, she sings a little of I CAN'T HELP MYSELF (SUGAR PIE HONEY BUNCH) and then finishes up LIKE A VIRGIN.

After her comical performance of the DRESS YOU UP/MATERIAL GIRL/LIKE A VIRGIN medley, she comes out, still wearing the boustier, but with a black feathered scarf, black tophat and, fancy glasses, to perform WHERE'S THE PARTY. LIVE TO TELL immediately follows, where her voice sounds the strongest. After LIVE TO TELL is INTO THE GROOVE.

Just when you though the show was over, she comes out to perform her three encores: LA ISLA BONITA, WHO'S THAT GIRL, and HOLIDAY. Don't you think that I will tell you the encores. Remember, I can't tell you everything. But you can see it for yourselves by buying this amazing DVD. Below is the tour's setlist.

OPEN YOUR HEART
LUCKY STAR
TRUE BLUE
PAPA DON'T PREACH
WHITE HEAT
CAUSING A COMMOTION
THE LOOK OF LOVE
DRESS YOU UP/MATERIAL GIRL/LIKE A VIRGIN (medley)
WHERE'S THE PARTY
LIVE TO TELL
INTO THE GROOVE
LA ISLA BONITA
WHO'S THAT GIRL
HOLIDAY

This is an energetic and exciting show, and the only reason I gave the show 4 out of 5, is that some of the costumes have dated considerably.

A stunning opening as she performs behind a screen, her Silhouette magnified 10 fold to the opening chords of Open Your Heart, and she comes out recreating the video the song, and moving through a string of hits, "Lucky Star," "True Blue," (a bit twee and a particularly dated moment of the show) "Papa Don't Preach" is a poignant moment, "White Heat," and the energetic "Causing A Commotion," (sung badly).
The medley of songs sees Madonna in a humourous moment, during which ("Dress You up / Material Girl / Like a Virgin") she is dressed more like Dame Edna Everidge, removing her knickers, rubbing them between her crotch and throwing them into the audience.
"Into The Groove" is a particular highlight, very energetic, with Madonna and her dancers really letting go to a long, honky tonk remix of the classic. "La Isla Bonita" and "Whos That Girl" (the one and only time she has included this song in a tour) are also particular highlights.
The concert finishes with a rocked up version of "Holiday" which is stunning.
A really exciting (though slightly dated) concert.