Thursday, 16 October 2008

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Madonna's show must go on

Star confides in 30,000 fans

Madonna continues wowing audiences on her Sticky & Sweet tour

Madonna took to the stage in Boston Wednesday – the same day she announced the demise of her seven-and-a-half year marriage – but kept mum on her marital woes.

The 50-year-old singer tore through her athletic, two-hour set with her usual enthusiasm, as 30,000 fans at the TD Bank North Garden cheered her on.

The closest Madonna came to mentioning her soon-to-be-ex, Guy Ritchie, or her marriage came while introducing the song, "Miles Away." As she has in previous shows, she dedicated the song to the "emotionally retarded."

"You may know a few people like that," she said. "God knows I do."

Earlier this year, Madonna told Elle magazine, that the song – which includes the line "When I'm gone you'll realize/That I'm the best thing that happened to you" – was inspired by her director husband.

"So many people have to deal with long-distance relationships," she told the magazine at the time. "It's not easy. You have to work hard to make it work."

Now, as the mother-of-three copes with her very public split, Madonna's fans are rallying around her.

"On the day she announces her divorce from a guy she really did love, all the die-hard fans are here to support her," said Boston concert- goer Peggy Rose. "[We] love her no matter what."

Judy Rakowsky and Kate Stroup