The audience, some of whom camped out for more than 48 hours to nab wristbands for admittance to the free show, was primed by an energetic DJ playing early MTV-era hits, many by artists long left in Madonna's dust. At the appointed moment, the DJ platform swiveled to reveal Her Madgesty brandishing a scepter on an "M"-emblazoned throne.
Clad in black tails, satin track pants, and high-heeled boxing boots, Madonna shimmied off her perch and from the first downbeat of the throbbing "Candy Shop" got into her groove and rarely paused for breath, reveling in the cleansing powers of her first love.
She may be turning 50 in August, but AARP membership will have to wait as the latest Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee danced with a vigor that would shame performers half her age. (Although she sang live throughout, all that aerobicizing meant that Madonna relied on the assistance of prerecorded vocal tracks as well as back-up singers.)
After a quick hello, she segued neatly into "Miles Away." The five video screens - one central and two smaller pairs flanking the stage - featured quick-cut images of air travel, boarding passes, and airports. The backdrop underscored the disco-fied lament about long-distance love affairs, which Madonna sang while strumming an acoustic guitar with a sparkly silver strap.
When Timbaland's image appeared on the central screen, the already-frantic crowd whooped even louder. As the band rocked the synth line and martial tempo of "4 Minutes," a duet with Timberlake, the side screens began to slide across the stage, their frames filled with images of speakers shuddering under a booming beat.
As Timberlake's visage appeared on one screen, it revolved to reveal the man himself clad in a white jacket and black scarf. The pair teasingly orbited each other in tight choreography, then let loose with a jubilant freestyle dance that was the high point both for the crowd and seemingly Madonna herself. For all her admirable perfectionism, Madonna rarely acts like she's having any fun.
