Sweating With The Material Girl

Our friend C from LA has been visiting the past few days. Last night, the real reason for her visit became apparent.

I've always wanted to go to a Madonna concert. For one reason or another - bad timing, couldn't talk anyone else into going, fear of being mocked ;-) I never got to go. A few months ago, I heard about her going on tour and asked C (who is a self-proclaimed concert whore - she used that exact phrase, don't blame me!) and who has connections, to get some tickets. I'd even travel to LA if I had to. But it just wasn't possible. We couldn't seem to get tickets on dates that would fit both our schedules. And then a few weeks ago, I looked for tickets in Beantown and found seats going for a few grand in the front row. Yeah, right. NFW I was paying that even for Madonna.

So fast forward to last night. S and C decide they want to go to the south end for dinner (We went to Stella. Get the mussels. Yum!) but they wanted to go at 6pm. I figured, well, they're getting to be early-bird-special age but what the heck. Perhaps we could catch a movie afterward.

Halfway through the birthday celebratory bottle of champagne and the aforementioned mussels, they handed me a birthday card. Inside, two tickets to the Madonna concert that night. I was a bit confused since there were two tix and three of us. Were they taunting me and nominating me as designated limo driver while they bopped away to Ray of Light all night? Would I have to find a friend in the next 90 minutes to go with me? Was I going to have to pull some random off the street? Then it started to make sense..... S doesn't particularly care for Madonna's music, C was in town for really no particular reason....light dawns on marblehead .C and I were headed to the concert.

And it couldn't really be called a concert. More like a theatrical show. As the first song started (Future Lovers), this giant disco ball descended from the ceiling. And inside was this little, tiny blonde dressed in riding gear. It looked like Madonna. She sounded like Madonna. Who knew the Material Girl was so little! (I think my new mountain bike would fit her perfectly!

Our seats were fantastic. We were 17 rows back from the main stage and about 5 seats away from the runway that extended from the main stage out in into the middle of the arena. I was close enough so I could check out each pair of the eight shoes she wore. How she dances in some of those is a mystery to me - I'd have two broken ankles.

She played her heart out for two, hot, frantic hours and the entire garden danced and sweated like crazy. I found out later Madonna doesn't like to perform with AC on. Good thing I was wearing capris and a tank top. We were all burning up with her. And that's ok - I'll get sweaty with Madonna anytime!

And before I forget - every year I have a spectacular birthday and this year was no exception. Thank you, S, for the ticket. And C, thanks for suffering on that red-eye, buying your own ticket, and enduring my constant dancing all through the evening! You guys rock!