Madonna MDNA Tour

It is no secret that I love Madonna. I've loved Madonna since I was six years old. Her music, her fashion, her style, her moxie, her politics--everything. In high school we had to write a compare and contrast paper and I did mine on Eva Peron & Madonna. When I got married, my bridesmaids walked down the aisle to a string quartet version of "Crazy for You." She's one of my feminist and fashion idols and I was excited to go see her live for a second time (I saw the Re-Invention Tour in DC, 2004) in Edinburgh last night and knew she'd put on an amazing show.

I've seen a few tweets about people being disappointed she performed too many new songs--unless it is a "best of" tour of course she's going to perform songs from the new album; tours are meant to help promote albums. I didn't have a problem with that, although the new stuff was used a lot of Auto Tune, my problem was with the violence.


During the performance of "Gang Bang" Madonna brandished several guns and shot at masked dancers while graphic blood splatters appeared on the screen behind her. For me it was just too much and in extremely bad taste following the tragedy in Colorado this past week. I know Madonna likes to shock, much has been made over her flashing her nipple in Istanbul, but this was just not needed. Sex or sexual reference doesn't shock or surprise me but graphic violence does.


I don't allow Blondie Boy to have any toy weapons. Right now it isn't that big of an issue but no guns, swords, knives, ninja stars---whatever no weapons. To me that also includes water guns; he can have squirting animals but no guns. I won't let him play with video games where you kill or hurt people when he is old enough either. I know a lot of people will say it is taking things too far but for me I don't want to encourage or indirectly support violence in any way shape or form.


When I was little and growing up you didn't have to worry about going to see a movie and getting shot. I'm not saying toy weapons or video games are the cause of the horrible mass shooting that keep happening but why would I encourage my child to act out violence? Why would I allow him to pretend to hurt people? What good does that do?


So for me, as a mother, the biggest disappointment on the MDNA tour was the overt violence. Yes it sucked there wasn't an encore but what sucked more was that she was glorifying guns and violence--not indirectly but directly. I wish that her tour manager, choreographer or someone along the way would have said YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO THIS. YOU ARE MOTHERF*ING MADONNA! VIOLENCE IS NOT COOL AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO TRY AND SHOCK EVERYONE THIS WAY.


She looked amazing and other than the lack of an encore the violence was the only thing that spoiled a great show for me. It did not top 2004 for me but even Madonna on her worst day is worth seeing--she's Madonna. I just wish she'd realize she doesn't have to shock us all, we love her already.

What I Wore Wednesday: Guns N Roses Glasgow

This week's What I Wore Wednesday day is brought to you by the power of Social Media. I had just finished putting on after-sun after getting my first sunburn of the year and was settling in for a night alone on the couch when I saw that Julie, who I used to work with at a bar over 6 years ago, had a spare Guns N Roses ticket for the Glasgow show. Seriously I don't think I've ever loved Facebook more than this moment. I got to go see one of my favourite bands of all time because of a very generous friend and it was AWESOME.

Julie and I: I may be just a little excited

I fully expected to go and be really sad I never got to see Guns N Roses back in the day but holy crap Axl Rose has still got it. He sang, screeched, swayed and shimmied just like in all the videos I loved so much that I dressed up like him and stuck a hairbrush in a broomstick to make a microphone and recreate his moves (luckily for me I have no idea where these photos now are).

Axl has still got it

November Rain was *the* song to dance to with the guy you liked at my Junior High dances not just because the song was AMAZING but because you got to dance with that guy for almost double the time of any other song. I can remember getting really pissed off when radio stations cut out the piano break and shortened the song-- how dare they? I'm shocked my cassingle didn't wear out from being overplayed on my boombox. 

Axl started playing "November Rain" on the piano & no shit I cried

They played for over three hours and the show didn't end until after 1:30am--Glasgow has a concert curfew so how they got around that I don't know. I really can't complain about anything about the show; yes Axl did sneak off stage quite a lot during guitar solos and such so maybe there is some truth to those oxygen tank rumours but he did not disappoint when he was on stage in the slightest. They played all of my favourite Use your Illusion I and II songs plus pretty much every single released since 1987. 

Dark venue, plus break stage lights= crappy iPhone pics

I freaked out when they played "Patience" during the encore which is my all time favourite Guns N Roses song. No one really knows the song but I adore it so much we had a string quartet version of it at our wedding. I'd post the video I took but umm yea you can hear me in the background and my vocal stylings weren't up to their normal standards after singing along for three hours!


I didn't take a picture before I left the house so I took this photo when I got home at 3am---it took ages to get a taxi--so I'm not my freshest but I was definitely still on a major high from the show! I can not express how grateful and appreciative I am that Julie let me have her extra Glasgow ticket.

Cropped Blazer- HM

Multicoloured Skull Tank- HM

Skullie Bracelet-Amima

Fiji Friendship Bracelet-Monica Vinader

Black Hoops Earrings- Walmart

The Flirt Jeans-Old Navy

Blue Flip Flops- Old Navy

Ideally I would have worn heels but I know me and I knew I'd be jumping up and down and dancing and flip flops seemed way more practical. I ditched the blazer inside the venue because like most shows it was super hot (even more so since we were having a heat wave). So now I've actually worn the things I posted looking for advice on how to wear! Thanks to everyone who suggested pairing the skull tank with the blazer.

Is there any band from back in the day that are still touring and you are dying to see? Or did you finally see your favourite band recently? Did it live up to the hype or not?