Madonna had an exclusive performance in New York City’s Roseland Ballroom on Wednesday (April 30th) celebrating the release of her 11th studio album “Hard Candy” where she performed seven songs from around 2,000 people. “I feel like the luckiest girl in the world to have been able to make a record with Justin, Timbaland, Pharrell, Kanye,” she told the crowd.
Madonna’s DJ flipped on 50 Cent’s “Candy Shop” and dropped in a bit of “I Want Candy.” Eventually the tracks faded, making way for the sound of Madonna singing the chorus from Hard Candy opener “Candy Shop,” at which point the lights dropped and the night’s main attraction emerged on a throne swinging a cane. Giant projection screens flanking the stage displayed mesmerizing animations of spinning candy as Madonna strutted around the stage in tall lace-up boots and a lacey black top with six dancers in tow.
Madonna returned after an extremely swift outfit change in a sleeveless jacket for “Give It 2 Me,” the Pharrell-produced club track that will serve as Hard Candy’s second single, surrounded by two male dancers in doo-rags who encouraged the crowd to hop up on the track’s synth-amped chorus. Pharrell appeared on the video screens throughout the song, and green lasers cut across the stage, pulsing in time to the thumpy track. “I don’t see people jumping up and down enough,” Madonna complained, singing the chorus to “Music” accompanied only by the beat from her new album’s “Heartbeat.” At the end of the song the Kangol-topped crew returned to the subway and the lights came up signifying the conclusion of the set, but the beat went on — literally — as the PA blasted “Beat Goes On” from Hard Candy and fans danced their way out the door.
*rollingstone.com
Madonna – Live @ Roseland, NY (USA) (2008)
01 – Candy Shop feat. Pharrell (Live)
02 – Miles Away (Live)
03 – 4 Minutes feat. Justin Timberlake & Timbaland (Live)
04 – Hung Up (Rock Mix) (Live)
05 – Give It 2 Me feat. Pharrell (Live)
06 – Music (Fedde Le Grand Mix) (Live)
07 – Beat Goes On feat. Pharrell (Live)