Steven Corfe writes:

I saw Madonna at the Forum last night for the second time, having impulsively bought tickets after loving Sunday’s show. They turned out to be amazing seats, two rows from the front of the stage and thisclose to Madonna. I drank heavily to numb the fear that a Ticketmaster official was going to tap me on the shoulder and tell me there’d been a horrible mix-up. But there hadn’t, the show started, and everyone screamed at the huge mirrored ball descending from the ceiling. Apart from me, who had figured out that Madonna cheats and just climbs into it from a trapdoor below the stage once it has landed. I’m clever like that.

Madonna up close is a pretty awesome spectacle. Every turn of her head is a calculated pose, as if she’s on a two-hour fashion shoot. It’s kind of robotic. She certainly knows her angles. I even noticed that she changed into diamond-studded false eyelashes for the Disco section. Did I mention I was close? In fact, the only thing between me and Madonna was Dave Grohl’s head, which was distracting in that I felt obliged to check out how much an ex-Nirvana rocker digs Madonna, or whether his wife had dragged him along. I’m happy to say he clapped enthusiastically to “Like a Virgin,” and there was some definite hip-shaking going on during “La Isla Bonita.” I guess he likes the old songs.

I snuck a few pictures and shot a quick video, but fumbled the audio whilst trying to hide the camera from the guards. The show ended with gold balloons falling from the ceiling, which I’m sure Madonna had envisioned being hit around in a playful manner, rather than grabbed and held onto for dear life by hungry fags to sell on eBay. Needless to say, I got a balloon. I package securely and ship priority mail. Happy bidding!

– Steven Corfe

(Photos, from top: Dave Grohl’s head; James McGowan, Chris McKim, Madonna, Steven Corfe)