Magical Madonna holds Court

Taking its title from the pop icon's obsession with matters global this concert is a brave attempt to embrace a broader over view of popular music, from its street level insanity to its overblown inanity. In Madge's own words, it's a theatrical presentation: "I've taken inspiration from many things - martial arts, Flamenco, country and western, punk, rock and roll, Butoh dance and the circus."

The latter ingredient is her initial starting point. Emerging from subterranean pits, the band and dancers appear out of the staged smoke spraying beer, aerosols and extinguishers over a rabid audience, because the atmosphere before any Madonna concert has to be felt to be believed. After Drowned World comes Impressive Instant and a chance to marvel at the blonde with the centre parting, the build of a female welterweight and various accessories - like her S&M forearm bandage, Kings Road circa 1977 chains and zips and hands-off demeanour.

As the night progresses Madonna loosens that tough grip as she systematically swaps the somewhat over-the-top dancing manoeuvres for a far more down-home Stars'n' Stripes techno line dance, with a large side order of Hispanic R&B, mechanical bull riding and even a pretty acoustic guitar figure dedicated to the Guy indoors.

If you are impressed by big bangs for your buck then she delivers those too, thanks to some nifty Kung Fu choreography and a few "gosh, wow, what the hell was that" type flying sequences. Personally I prefer Madonna in her more natural guise as the Music Lady.

The video-friendly Paradise Not For Me and Frozen are impressive coups but Lo Que Siente La Mujer and a totally revamped la Isla Bonita herald the human touch that she lays on so well.

It being 4 July Madonna treated last night's crowd to a specially penned faux Tammy Wynette tune, complete with pseudo Deep South "how y'all doin'" speech before the mega-hits Holiday and Music send everyone off buzzing, probably talking about her F*** Off guitar strap, her Blonde Ambition and her continual ability to vogue. She may never have Elvis Presley's charisma but Madonna has more sleight of hand than anyone else.

Madonna