The Set List

Adding Transparency to a Critical Process: Madonna, Alicia Keys Take The Concert Biz On Test Drives

It would not surprise me if many people who went to their first concerts in the 1970s or earlier remember being taken aback the first time they saw a corporate sponsor on a bill. Case in point: the Who on their alleged final trek under the sponsorship banner of Schlitz. It was not the quality of the product that troubled music fans, it was the idea that an entity not in the business of concert promotion was now involved in a show, forcing its agenda, possibly stealth-like, and somehow tampering with the fans’ altruistic idea of the performer.
Twenty five years later and distrust out the door: We’re shocked when there is not a sponsor listed on the ticket along side the name of the promoter. Oddly enough, this week saw two events that may well become new models for the concert business and I’m not sure if the one that involves just the standard promoter is the safer bet for consumers.
First, Alicia Keys came to Los Angeles on a tour overseen by Lexus. Not Lexus and a promoter, just the car company. Call it subliminal propositional marketing: You came for a concert, but you need a car and if you can afford these tickets, you might well soon want a bit of affordable luxury in your next vehicle. Care to test drive an ES or IS?
On Thursday Madonna announced her first tour with Live Nation under her 10-year, $100 million pact with the concert promoter. The dates themselves were of paramount concern, but deep in the details on the trek was a note that can be translated thusly: In Europe, Madonna and Live Nation are in bed with a company that facilitates the resale of concert tickets, aka, the secondary marketplace. It’s not scalping per se, just a facilitator of the resale of tickets, most likely at a price significantly above face value.

Madonna Sweetens Live Nation's Pot With Tour of Stadiums and Arenas

"Hard Candy" is the album, "Sweet & Sticky" is the name of the tour.
Madonna will tour Europe before coming to the States in October, where she will perform 18 shows at stadiums and arena from Oct. 3 through Thanksgiving weekend.
Tour starts  Aug. 23 in Cardiff, Wales and hits  London on Sept. 11 and Paris on the 20th.
U.S. legs opens in the basketball arena at the Meadowlands in New Jersey on Oct. 3. She plays New York's Madison Square Garden on Oct. 6 and 7. She will be at Dodger Stadium on Nov. 6. (Brrrrrr). Mexico and South America dates will follow.
On sale dates start as early as May 16 (London, Paris, Cardiff and Nice), 17 (Amsterdam, Boston and Chicago) and 19 (E. Rutherford, N.J.) and New York. Tour is the first one under her $100 million deal with Live Nation.
Tickets will be as high as $300 and, of course, there will be "premium tickets" and VIP packages sold as well.
Jamie King will direct the show; Kevin Antunes is musical director.
The tour dates followed by on sale date:

AUGUST
23 Cardiff Millennium Stadium - Fri. May 16
26 Nice Stade Charles Ehrmann - Fri. May 16
28 Berlin Olympic Stadium - Wed. May 21
SEPTEMBER
02 Amsterdam Arena - Sat. May 17
04 Dusseldorf LTU Arena - Wed. May 21
06 Rome Olympic Stadium - Fri. May 23
09 Frankfurt Commerzbank Arena - Wed. May 21
11 London Wembley Stadium - Fri. May 16
20 Paris Stade de France - Fri. May 16
OCTOBER
03- E. Rutherford Izod Center - Mon. May 19
06 New York City Madison Square Garden - Mon. May 19
07- New York City Madison Square Garden - Mon. May 19
15 Boston TD BankNorth Garden - Sat. May 17
18 Toronto Air Canada Centre - Sat. May 24
22 Montreal Bell Centre - Sat. May 24
26- Chicago United Center - Sat. May 17
30 Vancouver BC Place Stadium - Sat. May 24
NOVEMBER
01 Oakland Oracle Arena - Sun. June 1
04 San Diego Petco Park - Sun. June 1
06 Los Angeles Dodger Stadium - Sun. June 1
08 Las Vegas MGM Grand Garden Arena - Sat. May 31
11 Denver Pepsi Center - Sat. May 31
16 Houston Minute Maid Park - Sat. May 31
19 Philadelphia Wachovia Center - Mon. June 2
22 Atlantic City Boardwalk Hall - Mon. June 2
24 Atlanta Philips Arena - Sat. May 31
26 Miami Dolphin Stadium - Sat. May 31

Madonna Provides a Taste of 'Candy'

Madonna performed Wednesday at the Roseland Ballroom in New York. David Sprague reports:
Despite the fact that the gig fell into the blink-and-you-missed-it category — Madge was on and off the stage in less than 40 minutes — there wasn’t a whole lot missing, other than a few of the singer’s bigger hits. Since the show was designed to wave the flag for “Hard Candy,” which was released the day before, four of the set’s six songs came from that album.
Hitting the stage promptly at 10 p.m. -- in deference to MSN, which was airing a live webcast -- Madonna led her four-piece band through a bump ‘n grind “Candy Shop," exuding a sensuality that seemed utterly natural (a contrast to the often forced burlesque of her recent live oeuvre). Momentum seemed to flag a bit when she picked up an acoustic guitar to strum through the wistful ‘Miles Away,” a song that would’ve made for a nice interlude midway through a lengthier perf, but seemed misplaced at the front end of such a brief program.
Things got back on track quickly, however, when she -- not entirely unexpectedly -- called on Justin Timberlake to join her on “4 Minutes,” the duet they recorded for “Hard Candy.” Timberlake proved an admirable foil, both vocally and in a bit of pantomime that cast him as a submissive in a realm ruled by the woman of the hour.
The peripatetic singer exorcised her inner rock star on a deconstructed “Hung Up,” strapping on an electric guitar for some riffing that was intended to elicit head-banging, but merely brought on some mild nods. She recovered nicely with a one-two closing salvo that culminated with an animated “Music” that showcased some dazzling choreography and an outsized light show, both of which bode well for the arena jaunt that’s likely to follow.

Warner Takes Stock In Madonna's Value

The day after news leaked that Madonna was packing her conical bras and hitting the road with concert promoter Live Nation, the folks at her home of 24 years, Warner Music, were quick to issue a report from Bank of America that explained how the former material girl was no longer worth a nine-digit payday.
Under the title of “For $120 Million, She’s All Yours…,” Banc of America Securities  analysts wrote
There is “headline risk associated with a Madonna defection. However, the bigger risk would be to overpay for an artist that does not seem to be generating the revenue to support the contract being discussed;
  Besides the fact that Madonna will turn 60 years old in the last year of the proposed deal, it is “fantastic “ for her but does not “make economic sense” for WMG;
  “Her loss will not meaningfully impact Warner’s near-term sales.”
The key, analysts, say, is that Warner will get an album from Madonna next year before she goes her merry way. (And yes it is is spelled Bank and Banc).

Madonna, Mellencamp, Beasties on Rock Hall Ballot

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has sent out its ballots with Madonna, the Beastie Boys and John Mellencamp leading the way. Returning to the ballot are the previously overlooked  Leonard Cohen, Africa Bambatta, the Ventures, Donna Summer, Chic and Dave Clark 5.
The cutoff point for eligibility is now 1982, which doesn't seem all that long ago.