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Gigs of the week
Evening Standard 03.07.09
Sweet and sticky: Madonna is at the O2
Hyde Park finale: Kanye West
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Madonna, Wireless, Grace Jones, Bella Union, Rough Trade and Beggars are all playing in the capital.
Madonna
After appearing at Wembley Stadium last summer, Madonna's Sticky & Sweet tour returns to the relatively intimate O2 Arena for some indoor fun. Expect to hear classics including Vogue and Like A Prayer as well as highlights from latest album Hard Candy.
Tomorrow and Sunday, O2 Arena, SE10 (0871 984 0002; www.the02.co.uk).
Wireless
Hyde Park concludes its summer of concerts with Wireless, now truncated from four days to two and focusing on dance and hip hop with sets by Basement Jaxx and Dizzee Rascal tomorrow, then Kanye West and Q-Tip.
Tomorrow and Sunday, Hyde Park (08444 771 000; www.wirelessfestival.co.uk).
AIM Week
The Association of Independent Music presents a tempting week of gigs showcasing the best of British indie labels: Bella Union (Mon), Rough Trade (Tue), Beggars (Wed), One Little Indian (Thur) and Ninja Tune (Fri). Look out for performances by St Vincent on Wednesday and The Twilight Sad on Thursday.
6-10 July, ICA, SW1 (020 7930 3647; www.ica.org.uk).
Grace Jones
Bonkers Grace kicks off one of the essential events in the summer music calendar, the series of gigs that take place in the serene courtyard of Somerset House. Others taking part include Lily Allen (11 July), Bat For Lashes (16 July) and Calvin Harris (20 July).
From Thursday, Somerset House, WC2 (0844 847 2461; www.somersethouse.org.uk/music).
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Reader views (1)
The O2 proudly boasts that 75% of the audience arrive by public transport. Thanks to a tube strike buses were laid on to cart 10,000 or so fans from Stratford to Greenwich. You'd think someone at the O2 might have mentioned this to Madonna who didn't take to the satge till 21.30 and consequently my wife and I had to join several hundred other fans who left the show early to avoid the inevitable crush to ensure we caught or last train home.
There were slow hand claps and scores of boos when Madonna finally appeared. The choreography was outstanding and Madonna demonstrated that she could still skip with a rope. Her band and backing singers were consigned to the shadows and it wasn't easy to distinguish between live vocals and recorded vocals.
I only paid £30 for tickets on Ebay but I'd have been cheated if I had paid more despite the spectacular stage and lighting.
- David Slater, Essex. UK
