The tour received generally mixed reviews from critics. Jason Stratley from "The Philadelphia Inquirer" said that "On stage, wiggling and writhing, a rock-video vision of messy, bleached- blond hair, bare skin, sequined paisley and dime store diamonds was the flash-and-trash rock queen Madonna. Behold the Madonna clones—she is turning into one fine legend." Jeff Sewald from the "Pittsburgh Post-Gazette" felt that "the modus operandi [of the tour] was clear. Madonna was not only selling her music to throngs of teen-agers and adults alike, but she was selling herself and the entire package proved to be a joy for the 14,500 screaming fans.
Critical reception
The Virgin Tour
The Virgin Tour | Critical reception
The tour received generally mixed reviews from critics The tour received generally mixed reviews from critics. The tour received generally mixed reviews from critics. It received generally mixed reviews.
what is into the groove?
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"Into the Groove" is a song
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who sang it?
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American singer Madonna
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who composed it?
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Stephen Bray
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was it ever performed live?
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It was performed during The Virgin Tour in 1985
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how was this tour received by the critics?
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The tour received generally mixed reviews from critics. Jason Stratley from "The Philadelphia Inquirer" said that "On stage, wiggling and writhing, a rock-video vision of messy, bleached- blond hair, bare skin, sequined paisley and dime store diamonds was the flash-and-trash rock queen Madonna. Behold the Madonna clones—she is turning into one fine legend." Jeff Sewald from the "Pittsburgh Post-Gazette" felt that "the modus operandi [of the tour] was clear. Madonna was not only selling her music to throngs of teen-agers and adults alike, but she was selling herself and the entire package proved to be a joy for the 14,500 screaming fans.
The Virgin Tour | Critical reception
Cross further wrote, "I thought we had something special, as most virgins do, but sadly we were just another notch on a tour belt. Where was our love? The love that was going to help justify paying over a hundred bucks to sit in the middle of nowhere? The love that would probably get us to pay it again and again?" Cross claimed that the band gave a “K thanks bye” exit off the stage and wrote on the reaction of fellow concert attendees. "Shocked. Stunned. Pissed. We began making our way to the exits. “What the hell was THAT!?” was the general consensus as we all poured out of the stadium.
The Getaway World Tour | Critical reception
The tour received positive reviews, with praise for the set list and overall production of the show.
25 Live | Critical reception
The video received mixed reviews from critics. Annie Temple from "Philadelphia Daily News" said that the release was "not so flattering" and "was a sloppy job". Dennis Hunt from "Los Angeles Times" said that "the video is sometimes distracting and blurry, wonder what went wrong during recording. The angles are awkward, especially when the audience members are shown touching Madonna's hand. Was it really necessary to show a fan coming unannounced on the stage?" Terry Atkinson from the same paper said, "This follows the typical concert video format of putting you in the best seat in the hall and letting the aura of a superior performer encaptivate your senses." Sylvia Chase from "The Wichita Eagle" said that "seeing Madonna live in an arena and seeing her up, close and personal in the tour cassette is totally different.
Madonna Live: The Virgin Tour | Critical response
"Classic Rock" gave the 2013 DVD a score of 8 out of 10, remarking that the concert footage is "a succinct encapsulation of how great Maiden are when all the gears mesh together", concluding that "when it comes to creating a fan-pleasing effort, no one does it with quite the same degree of thought as Maiden."
Maiden England | Critical reception
Caroline Sullivan of "The Guardian" reviewed the show at the HMV Hammersmith Apollo giving it four stars out of five
Heavy Rotation Tour | Critical response
Based on seven reviews, the film currently holds a score of 29% at Rotten Tomatoes.
American Virgin (2000 film) | Critical response
Like the early Monroe, Madonna may portray a bimbo, but there she's clearly no pushover. Though the audience was on its feet throughout, it often seemed that Madonna was operating beneath her potential in this pop format. It's important to demonstrate that she can handle herself live, but the simplicity of pop concerts doesn't begin to tax her ambition or talent. In fact, she has so little to do other than express this aggressive, sexy attitude that the show seemed long at just over an hour". Heidi Sherman from "Spin" commented, "The Virgin Tour was Madonna's first, yet it put her in the same league as Prince and Bruce Springsteen.
The Virgin Tour | Critical reception
The Allmusic review by Scott Yanow awarded the album 4 stars and stated "Although in his mid-60s, Duke Ellington proves on this program of mostly new music that he never declined nor lost his creativity".
Concert in the Virgin Islands | Reception
After its end, the Virgin Tour was reported to have grossed over $5 million ($ million in dollars), with "Billboard" Boxscore reporting a gross of $3.3 million ($ million in dollars).
The Virgin Tour | Commercial reception
The angles are awkward, especially when the audience members are shown touching Madonna's hand. Was it really necessary to show a fan coming unannounced on the stage?" Terry Atkinson from the same paper said, "This follows the typical concert video format of putting you in the best seat in the hall and letting the aura of a superior performer encaptivate your senses." Joe Logan and Gail Shister from "The Wichita Eagle" said that "seeing Madonna live in an arena and seeing her up, close and personal in the tour cassette is totally different. The energy, the movements, the provocation—all captures you more." The release debuted at 14 on "Billboard"s Top Music Videocassettes chart, on December 7, 1985, and reached a peak of 11, the next week.
The Virgin Tour | Recordings
Ingo Schmidt from "WDR 2" gave a positive review of the show in Cologne, Germany. Calling Madonna "provocative and sexy", he writes: "Madonna has substantiated her claim to the title of "Queen of Pop" and that "she surprised her enthusiastic audience erotically and provocatively." He also noted that "she dominates even after 30 years on stage." Neil McCormick from "The Daily Telegraph" assessed the concert, assigning it 4 out of 5 stars, and wrote, "[t]he real highlight of this show was a stripped back version of 'Like a Virgin'... Madonna proved herself more than equal to be challenge of all her young pretenders".
The MDNA Tour | Critical reception
They're putting everything they've got into the music" and "it's difficult to fathom that any fans left the show disappointed". In contrast to this, the absence of "Infinite Dreams" (from "Seventh Son of a Seventh Son", 1988) was criticised by "Rolling Stone Spain" and "Le Journal du Dimanche", while "Metro Winnipeg" described the inclusion of "Afraid to Shoot Strangers" as "a weird time to pull out a deep cut", although they went on to state that the "momentum wasn’t lost for long".
Maiden England World Tour | Reception
As a video, it disappoints because it fails to effectively recapture the live experience". Roger Wink, from music portal Vintage Vinyl News, was critical of the CD release; "much of the allure of a Madonna show is the visual aspect which doesn't come across on CD, so the DVD/Blu-Ray is probably a much better experience but that doesn't excuse the low points, and there are many of them, in the listening experience".
Rebel Heart Tour (album) | Critical response
[...] Madonna's 'Virgin Tour' had torn the cover off Pittsburgh's sexuality." Rachel Lee from "The Sacramento Bee" felt that "more than any pop star in recent memory, even Boy George and Prince, Madonna is an image. Her hour-long concert here Tuesday night, as professionally performed and well-choreographed as it was, did nothing to give her more dimension than the two already bestowed on her." Arthur Daniels from "Lexington Herald-Leader" felt that "Madonna looked grim, but the fans were delighted when the blond rock star made her first major concert appearance to kick off her 'Virgin Tour'. [...] She looked blank and did not look up as she passed fans who gathered by the stage door before the show." Robert Hilburn from the "Los Angeles Times" commented: "Madonna represents a contemporary fantasy figure that revives the glamour, innocence and raw sexuality of many of Madonna's own teen heroes, including Marilyn Monroe and James Dean.
The Virgin Tour | Critical reception
In 2010, the French edition of "Rolling Stone" magazine named this album the 16th greatest French rock album (out of 100).
Live Tour 85 | Critical reception
"The 1966 Live Recordings" currently maintains a 93% positive ("Universal acclaim") rating at Metacritic. Jesse Jarnow from Pitchfork said "A classic tour from start to finish, the set’s only drawbacks owe more to the format than the music", praising the great performances but insisting on the repetition of the same setlist, though noting that the repetitive setlists could be seen as a "feature, not a bug."
The 1966 Live Recordings | Reception
On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 85% based on 186 reviews, with an average rating of 7.18/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "Steve Carell's first star turn scores big with a tender treatment of its titular underdog, using raunchy but realistically funny comedy to connect with adult audiences." Rotten Tomatoes declared it the "Best Reviewed Comedy of 2005." On Metacritic, the film has a score of 73 out of 100 based on 35 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews". Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A–" on an A+ to F scale.
The 40-Year-Old Virgin | Critical response
While "Variety" magazine in 1924 wrote that "It should please the average audience", in 1925 "Photoplay" magazine described "The Foolish Virgin" as "silly, uninteresting, tiresome".
The Foolish Virgin | Critical reception
Geoff Edgers of "The Boston Globe" wrote, "Of course, most of the mainly tweener fans in the arena weren't splitting [...] musical hairs. They ate up the spectacle of the show, with its costume changes, giant video screens, and sparklers."
Best of Both Worlds Tour | Critical reception
The energy, the movements, the provocation—all captures you more." Stephen Holden from "The New York Times" gave it a positive review, stating "filmed with abrupt, swooping camera movements that accentuate the singer's flouncing, slightly ungainly style of dancing, "Madonna Live" vividly captures the contradictory elements that have made the performer into a cultural icon in spite of a shrill, limited singing voice. In close-up, Madonna's provocative pouts, wiggles and come-hither glances become a more than half-deliberate burlesque of erotic centerfold photography. Both her post-disco music and defiant strut suggest a child's parody of grown-up posturing."
Madonna Live: The Virgin Tour | Critical response
The audience often sings louder than he does."
The Come Back, All is Forgiven Tour: Live | Critical reception
Author Robert Rodriguez summarises the critical reception as follows: "Smaller press outlets without axes to grind tended to review the shows the best, whereas rock establishment coverage, such as "Rolling Stone"s, tended to spin the tour as something close to an unmitigated disaster (something that George never forgave them for)." Aside from critics' opinions of the musical content, Harrison took exception to their reports that the shows were not being well received by audiences. In his 2014 article on the tour, for the website Ultimate Classic Rock, Nick DeRiso writes: "Ultimately, Harrison came to see the tour's issues as more a matter of media perception than anything.
George Harrison and Ravi Shankar's 1974 North American tour | Reception and legacy
Its inappropriate jokes and clichéd dialogue makes the audience cringe throughout the two hours. Overall the movie is a poor watch".
Mr. Virgin | Critical reception
The 1985 "Madonna Live: The Virgin Tour" VHS and LaserDisc documents a Detroit stop on the tour. "Angel", "Borderline" and "Burning Up" were part of the tour set list but were not included on the official VHS release. It was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for shipment of 50,000 copies and received a "Video Software Dealers Award" for the Most Popular Music Video in September 1986. The video received mixed reviews from critics. Annie Temple from "Philadelphia Daily News" said that the release was "not so flattering" and "was a sloppy job". Dennis Hunt from the "Los Angeles Times" said that "the video is sometimes distracting and blurry, wonder what went wrong during recording.
The Virgin Tour | Recordings
From the same Publication, John LeLand said that "the advance word was that it was shocking and outrageous [...] But what brought most of the crowd together at Nassau Coliseum Monday night, was that we weren't shocked. Amused, tickled, stimulated or diverted, maybe, but not shocked or outraged". Sujata Massey from "The Baltimore Sun" highlighted the "passionate" performances, Madonna's outfits and the "sexy" chatter. Greg Kot from the "Chicago Tribune" felt that "though the music certainly offered a few shake-your-booty thrills, it was Madonna the performer, dancer, rogue philosopher and smart-mouthed comic who made the evening memorable". He praised the singer's stage presence and pointed out the performance of "Like a Virgin" for being "both seductive and hilarious".
Blond Ambition World Tour | Critical reception
The UK Tour has received a generally positive response: However, in Manchester it received poor response from reviews: On opening in the US the musical was met with mixed reviews:
We Will Rock You: 10th Anniversary Tour | Critical reception
Shows on the European leg of the tour received high praise from most music critics. Jade Wright "(Liverpool Echo)" gave the performance at the Echo Arena Liverpool an eight out of ten. She wrote: "Showing a refreshing lack of vanity, they chose to perform against a screen showing clips from their TV show— they may be older now but the energy and enthusiasm they put into the show meant the comparison was not an unkind one". The concert at the historic Royal Albert Hall in London received four out of five stars. Caroline Sullivan "(The Guardian)" felt the trio indulged the crowd with a throwback to the 60s.
An Evening with The Monkees: The 45th Anniversary Tour | Critical reception
The tour was well received amongst spectators and critics. In New Zealand, Stacey Hunt ("Yahoo! New Zealand") gave the show at the Vector Arena five out of five stars. She writes "With the audience seemingly in high spirits it was a great note to end on and the whoops and cheers from the crowd were as good an indicator as any as to how much the show was enjoyed. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I did enjoy it. It was two hours of great music and comic genius and a night I would recommend to both fans and non-fans alike".
All That Echoes World Tour | Critical reception
The video started a slow climb on the chart, and on the issue dated January 18, 1986, it reached the top of the chart, replacing "Prince & The Revolution: Live" by The Revolution. On May 24, 1986, the video again climbed back in the top ten of the chart, at position two. It was present on the chart for a total of 65 weeks. "Live – The Virgin Tour" was the top selling music videocassette for 1986. The video was certified two-times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for shipment of 200,000 copies and received a "Video Software Dealers Award" for the Most Popular Music Video, in September 1986.
The Virgin Tour | Recordings
On its end, the tour was reported to have grossed over $5 million ($ million in dollars), with "Billboard" Boxscore reporting a gross of $3.3 million ($ million in dollars).
The Virgin Tour | Introduction
The tour received positive reviews from music critics in England and Wales. Daniel Bonnington ("Nottingham Post") wrote of the Nottingham show, "While some talent show winners, including Steve Brookstein, Shayne Ward and Leon Jackson have disappeared, this shy lad turned pop prince showed why he's still here, 10 years on". For the concert at the O Apollo Manchester, Liam Buckley ("Virgin RedRoom") stated, "Attending the gig at the O Apollo in Manchester brought me to realise his purely unique sound, one that can be easily enjoyed by anybody. I was quite impressed by his ability to remain calm and composed during his performance and despite the increasing sound of the instruments surrounding him, he never feels the need to scream and shout".
Echoes Tour | Critical reception
The tour received overwhelmingly positive reviews from many critics and newsletters. Caryn Rose of Jukebox Graduate wrote "It has been so long since you heard it live, since you got to sing it next to other people who love this song as much as you do. Even if you never stopped listening to the Replacements, or caring about this music, what was missing was being in the same place with other people who felt the same way about it as you did. The audience tonight was filled with people I know or am on nodding acquaintance with from seeing them at other shows by other bands, and it's not accidental or surprising that they all converged here tonight."
Back by Unpopular Demand | Critical reception
It proved that Madonna was beyond real. And if her stage presence indicated she was more showgirl than musician, at least she knew how to gussy up her act for the postfeminist MTV age. Boy Toy? Not exactly. She was a bonafide pop star in the process of becoming a cultural icon." Laura Fissinger from "South Florida Sun-Sentinel" felt that "'Virgin Tour' establishes Madonna more as a bimbo, rather than the strong, independent woman people think her to be." David O'Reilly from "Philadelphia Daily News" said that with the concert "Madonna proved once more why she was called a 'talentless bimbo'; it was utter trash." Richard Defendorf of "Orlando Sentinel" gave a positive review, saying "Madonna's 'Virgin Tour' was very enjoyable and she put her music video charms in her live performances." Maya Hathoray from "The Miami Herald" said that "We know [Madonna is] sexy, exotically beautiful and her funk/pop songs make us want to dance, but on stage, she is extremely tame compared to her raw persona in her music videos.
The Virgin Tour | Critical reception
It was released to critical acclaim, "The Phantom Tollbooth", gave the album four out of five stars. Cross Rhythms gave the album a 10/10 grade in a review by renowned Christian music journalist and radio producer Mike Rimmer who said, "This little beaut of an album is a stark, raw, powerful snatch of the heady atmosphere."
D tour 1997 Live at Southampton | Reception
After the show, Vaughan said, "I'm sorry anybody had to see that. Those people out there deserved better." The review went on to say that "the fans jammed as close to the stage as they could get, trying to get a better look at his hands, trying to figure out where the magic was coming from". "The Age" said that Vaughan's voice was mixed back too far for much of it to be heard, "especially on the louder material".
Couldn't Stand the Weather Tour | Critical response
It was released on VHS and later on Laserdisc. Credits adapted from the video's liner notes.
Madonna Live: The Virgin Tour | Formats
However, protested Lydon, "This tour is absolutely nothing to do with an anniversary of anything… We didn't even know that Virgin were planning on releasing a very limited edition of "Metal Box" because they never bothered to confer with us." The tour spawned a live album, "ALiFE 2009".
Public Image Ltd | 2009–present: Reunion and new albums
This version was nominated for Best Choreography at the 1986 MTV Video Music Awards. The live performance of "Like a Virgin" from the Blond Ambition World Tour in Paris, France was released as a music video on May 9, 1991 to promote the documentary film "". This version was nominated for two awards at the 1991 MTV Video Music Awards in the categories of Best Female Video and Best Choreography. This video was ranked at position sixty-one on VH1's 100 Greatest Videos.
Like a Virgin (song) | Reception and analysis
The video was certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for shipment of 200,000 copies and received a "Video Software Dealers Award" for the Most Popular Music Video, in September 1986.
Madonna Live: The Virgin Tour | Commercial performance
There’s an exhilarating bleakness at the center of "Virgins" — the hollow at the heart of all things, nibbling inexorably away."
Virgins (album) | Critical reception
She wrote, "The band still rely on their old stable of choreographed white-man manoeuvres: it's raining on my face, the lawn mower, side-scissor robot shuffle – and Carter's fans' favourite, slowly-remove-jacket-to-show-off-newly-sculpted-arms. Seriously, you could hardly recognise the guy. Smarmy though he was, his voice soared on ballads such as Incomplete."
This Is Us Tour | Critical reception
Hugo Mistry from "Chicago Tribune" felt that ""Like a Virgin" was Madonna's breakthrough, playing off her self-conscious campiness with a series of hot dance tracks, attention-grabbing lyrics and steamy videos."
Like a Virgin (album) | Critical reception
The opening night of the tour received positive reviews from critics. Katie Fitzpatrick, from "Manchester Evening News" gave the performance 4 out of 5 stars, stating "If we aren't arm waving along to modern anthems such as 99 Problems and Empire State of Mind, we're standing with respectful attention as though we're beholding a life-altering church sermon." Nick Hasted from "The Independent" also gave the opening concert 4 out of 5 stars. He explained "Regularly tonight, he goes further, breaking down his wall of hip-hop sound for bursts of a cappella rapping. It's the bare, breathing sound of one man's talent, preciously rare at an arena show.
Magna Carter World Tour | Critical reception
The film received mixed reviews in Sweden, with "Svenska Dagbladet" publishing a review stating "It hits home like a fist between the eyes". In contrast, the "Stockholms-Tidningen" wrote Isaksson was better suited for print than film, where she was weak. "Aftonbladet"'s review called it "somewhat loose in execution". There was some controversy among U.S. critics. In a 1960 review, Bosley Crowther wrote, "Mr. Bergman has stocked it with scenes of brutality that, for sheer unrestrained realism, may leave one sickened and stunned. As much as they may contribute to the forcefulness of the theme, they tend to disturb the senses out of proportion to the dramatic good they do".
The Virgin Spring | Critical reception
Dave Karger from "Entertainment Weekly", while reviewing the album in 1995, felt that the song came off a bit repetitious and immature when compared to the present context. Jim Farber from "Entertainment Weekly" felt that the song raised the "madonna-whore" ante. Sal Cinquemani from Slant Magazine called the song a classic. Alfred Soto from Stylus Magazine felt that the song was chic in its style. Katie Henderson from "The Guardian" commented that the song was saucy in nature. Michael Paoletta from "Billboard" commented that the song sustained a "fevered dance-rock momentum." In 2000, "Like a Virgin", was honored by "Rolling Stone" and MTV, as the fourth song on their list of the "100 Greatest Pop Songs".
Like a Virgin (song) | Critical reception
After its release, "Madonna Live: The Virgin Tour" received mixed reviews from critics, but went on to become a commercial success, topping the Music Video Sales chart of "Billboard" and becoming the top selling music video cassette of 1986. The video was certified two-times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for shipment of 100,000 copies and in September 1986, it received a "Video Software Dealers Award" for the Most Popular Music Video. The live performances of "Like a Virgin" and "Dress You Up" were released as music videos on MTV to promote the video album. Both videos were nominated for "Best Choreography" at the 1986 MTV Video Music Awards.
Madonna Live: The Virgin Tour | Introduction
Madonna replied saying,
Like a Virgin (album) | Live performances
A long line of stairs descended to the main stage from the central ramp; it was flanked by the band. About 30 feet above the stage, the speakers were suspended from a circular beam. Four giant screens lined the outer perimeter of the stage, on three sides.
The Virgin Tour | Development
The tour received high praise from spectators of the performance by the girls, however, music critics gave the tour mixed reviews.
Here Come the Girls (concert tour) | Critical reception
"Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert" has been met with an overwhelmingly positive response from critics since it aired. On the review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes, the production holds a 100% approval rating with an average rating of 8.44/10 based on 26 reviews. The website's critical consensus reads, "Shaking up traditional religious and musical iconography, "Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert" is a sight to be heard, superbly infiltrating the classic source material with originality, rock legend star power, and soulful depth." Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the production a score of 81 out of 100 based on 13 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".
Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert | Critical response
Reaction to the tour performances was overwhelmingly positive. In 2010, "The Guardian" noted that British reviews of the tour were almost universally "euphoric". Describing the show as "exceptional", Robin Denselow of "The Guardian" praised the show's "innovation in rock choreography and microphone design". However, Denselow was critical of Bush's vocals, describing Bush as possessing a "shrill acrobatic voice". A review in "Melody Maker" disagreed, praising both Bush's lower and higher-pitched vocal registers, whilst noting that Bush had created "a series of tableaux vivants of peerless visual and aural dazzle that added immeasurably to the complexity and variable excellence of her songs." Another reviewer for "Melody Maker" described the tour's performance in Birmingham as "the most magnificent spectacle ever encountered in the world of rock".
The Tour of Life | Critical reception
Jon Bream from "Star Tribune" made a positive review about the show, writing: "Newton-John positively sparkled, singing into their eyes, radiating desire, devotion and delight that couldn't be denied". But stated that "when she tried to sound contemporary, she seemed out of character".
Greatest Hits Tour (Olivia Newton-John) | Critical response
In his review of the show in Gothenburg, Luis Hidalgo from "El País" said that "the big question is knowing if Madonna sings live or not completely [...] The non-existence of natural gasping and agitated breaths reinforces this hypothesis, strongly denied by the organization". Author Lucy O'Brien was critical of the "Dick Tracy" act, calling it "the least dynamic part of the show". The Blond Ambition World Tour won the award for Most Creative Stage Production at the 1990 Pollstar Concert Industry Awards, and was also nominated in the Major Tour of the Year category.
Blond Ambition World Tour | Critical reception
Christgau's colleague, Tom Hull, was somewhat less receptive. "Reacting more to the overall vibe", he said Grade is "smart and tight, although this [album] is a bit overwound [and] plagued with guests, who start to get on my nerves."
Jeanius | Critical reception
He also criticized the lack of extra content, but complimented the DVD's sound. Jacobson gave the release's image, sound and extras ratings of D+, A-, D, respectively. Aaron Beriele from DVD Talk website shared Jacobson's views, saying that it was "a wonderful show from Madonna and I can only imagine what it was like to actually be there. As for the DVD, it offers outstanding audio quality, but only so-so image quality. Still, it's a terrific show and the DVD still certainly gets a recommendation." The HBO broadcast won the Best TV Concert category at the 2002 AOL TV Viewer Awards.
Drowned World Tour 2001 (video) | Critical reception
Writer Nicholas Pegg described the album as “an excellent memento of one of Bowie’s greatest tours, with highlights including a majestic ‘Word On A Wing’, an über-cool ‘Waiting For The Man’, and riotous, thrilling renditions of ‘Stay’ and ‘The Jean Genie’ ” with “Bowie and his terrific 1976 band on blistering form.”
Live Nassau Coliseum '76 | Critical reception
Critical reception on the concert itself has mostly been positive. Chaz Lipp described the concert as "simply incredible from start to finish." There has still been a mixed reaction among some fans with regard to the quality of the video. Some felt that the original U-matic video elements should have been located before the release was authorized. Randall Roberts of the "Los Angeles Times" criticized the audio mix "It's a solid, if thinly recorded, document that lacks sonic heft. The rhythm section sounds a mile away, and lacks the pop of a well-recorded concert". Michael Jones of Blog Critics had this to say "These two recordings just exude pure energy and while watching it I’m thunderstruck by how effortless this lithe little man seems to make spending over two hours singing and dancing his absolute heart out for thousands of adoring fans.
Live at Wembley July 16, 1988 | Critical reception
Simpson wrote, "It is not necessarily their best show... but it is certainly their most human."
Experience + Innocence Tour | Critical response
A reviewer of the well-attended concert in Brussels found a well-balanced setlist and praised the vocal gymnastics, while technical issues resulted in a muted performance in Utrecht.
We Meaning You Tour | Critical reception
Kevin Bryan of the "Derby Telegraph" called it "richly rewarding". Christel Loar of PopMatters rated it 6/10 stars and recommended it to Procol Harum fans who had not seen the concert, though she criticized the sound quality. "Uncut" rated it 3/5 stars and wrote that Brooker's voice has "not altered one iota" since 1967.
Live at the Union Chapel | Reception
Scenes from the film (first kisses, gossiping about neighbors) are sinewy in nature and seem lifted from the pages of a lost photo album." Critic Richard Crouse called the film "one of those rare occasions when a film surpasses the book it is based on," and included it in his book "The 100 Best Movies You've Never Seen" (2003).
The Virgin Suicides (film) | Critical reception
In "The Virgin Encyclopedia of Popular Music", Colin Larkin referred to the album as "her most impressive album in some time", but noted that it "failed to reach the heights achieved by many of its predecessors".
The Shouting Stage | Reception
However, he felt that the CD release was unnecessary since the album would be a better experience with its video. The North Jersey Media Group gave the DVD 2.5 starts out of five, saying that Madonna felt to be "overly" attached to her contemporary songs than her classic releases. They added "that plodding through overlong arrangements of inconsequential songs — from the annoyingly vocoder-treated 'Revolver' early to the throwaway dance cut 'Celebration' at the end — will leave listeners wondering why so many substantial hits were given only a nod, if anything at all." A review by Kevin Taft in online website "Edge on the Net" was overall negative.
MDNA World Tour (album) | Critical reception
Jared Allen of "Volume Magazine" says that "Lady Antebellum blows Charlotte away with brass and brilliance;" "You Look Good" sounds better than live than on recording.
You Look Good World Tour | Critical reception
Although the tour provoked a range of reactions from critics, it was generally well received.
XXX Tour | Introduction
D. Considine felt that, although it was "occasionally fascinating, the busily churning rhythms often seem oddly static, as if the band were laboriously treading water."
In Concert (Miles Davis album) | Critical reception
The stage was triangular and included ramps around it, with lighting arrangements hanging about 30 feet above. Four giant screens lined three sides of the stage's outer perimeter. The set list consisted of songs from "Madonna" and "Like a Virgin". Madonna was backed by two dancers as she moved energetically across the stage. The show ended with her in a wedding dress, performing "Like a Virgin" and "Material Girl". The tour received a mixed reception from critics, but was a commercial success. As soon as it was announced, tickets were sold everywhere. Macy's New York department store was flooded with buyers, who bought tour merchandise ranging from shirts and sunglasses to crucifix earrings and fingerless gloves.
The Virgin Tour | Introduction
It's the veritable big bang for the format as pop art." According to Joe Lynch from the same magazine, the song's performance at the 1990 Blond Ambition World Tour "opened the gates for everyone from Marilyn Manson to Miley Cyrus to shock and awe on stage in the decades to come."
Like a Virgin (song) | Legacy
The tour has received mostly positive reception from critics, praising Cher's vocals as well as the elements of the show and the costume changes. The European leg of the tour gained critical acclaim praising Cher's energy, performances, and humor. The tour was nominated for a People’s Choice Award in the “Favorite Concert Tour of 2019” category.
Here We Go Again Tour | Critical reception
The concerts in England and Ireland received mixed feedback from critics. Kitty Empire of "The Observer" was not impressed with the show at Windsor Hall. Empire wrote, "It's easy to sneer at boy bands, but always worth considering their appeal. It goes without saying that One Direction are slick, and often bland. With the exception of their persuasive No 1 single, "What Makes You Beautiful", their songs aren't wildly distinctive". For the concert at the HMV Hammersmith Apollo in London, James Robertson of "Daily Mirror" gave the band a positive review. He states, "The room shook with hair raising, ear drum piercing and (if there had been windows) glass-shattering screams.
Up All Night Tour | Critical response
In s 2011 interview with Rolling Stone, comedian Chris Rock said; "This might be the greatest show I ever saw. It's the equivalent of the Billy Joel-Elton John tour, but if they did it in 1979, when the songs were hot!"
Watch the Throne Tour | Reception
AllMusic gave the original VHS 4 out of 5, deeming it "a strong effort", but also stating that it is "risky... because it doesn't rely on hits" and that it "doesn't have the seminal power of [their] own extraordinary "Live After Death" from four years earlier". They also gave four marks to the 2013 reissue, arguing that the additional songs "help to turn the live set into a more well-rounded listening experience", concluding that it is "a solid concert that shows one of the most influential bands in heavy metal getting down to business and bringing some epic metal to an enthralled crowd".
Maiden England | Critical reception
Critical response to the "Live Through This" Tour varied, with some local critics lambasting Love's performances. Reviewing their opening performance of the tour at the 1994 Reading Festival, critic John Peel wrote that Love's disheveled appearance "would have drawn whistles of astonishment in Bedlam," and that her performance "verged on the heroic ... Love steered her band through a set which dared you to pity either her recent history or that of the band ... the band teetered on the edge of chaos, generating a tension which I cannot remember having felt before from any stage." "New York Times" critic Jon Pareles gave a favorable review of the band's fall 1994 concert in New York City, describing the music as "fierce, exploding from restrained verses to vehement choruses." Reviewing a September 26, 1994 performance in Asbury Park, New Jersey, Eric Deggans lambasted the band, writing that "Love's seeming disinterest in relating to the crowd or delivering a show ultimately sabotaged what could have been a legendary experience...
Live Through This Tour | Reception
The theatrical reviews following the opening Press Night (First Night) were universally negative:
Viva Forever! (musical) | Critical response
He continued to say: "There was a live band onstage, but it was swept into the corner, shrouded by darkness, and its performances sounded secondary to the other music and sounds coming off the stage. They brought to a close a show that, though wandering and reckless at times, sated the appetites of fans who came to indulge in the libidinous sounds of one of pop music’s more mercurial, prolific and controversial stars." The show in Tampa, reviewed by Jay Cridlin (Tampa Bay Times) states: "All of these moments screamed R. Kelly – silly, sexy, soulful and at times very, very strange.
The Buffet Tour | Critical reception
Think she’s simply a pop star? Think again." The "Vancouver Sun" gave the concert a mixed review, writing that the concert "opened on an uplifting, hopeful note" but that the "rest of the concert was laborious". Marsha Lederman of "The Globe and Mail" was equally mixed, stating that "[Furtado] still has the vocal chops and stage presence, but the show was uneven".
The Spirit Indestructible Tour | Critical reception
They should have ditched it and given us the cosier affair at Queen's Hall in its entirety instead. It would have clearly been far more impressive."
Live at the Isle of Wight Festival (Steve Harley &amp; Cockney Rebel video) | Critical reception
The album received mixed reviews, with Virgin Media awarding the album 3 out of 5 stars, saying "the album suffers from over-earnestness and a samey pace" but is "an interesting real-deal of a debut", and Digital Spy giving the album 2 out of 5 stars, calling the album a "sluggish set which sadly falls short of expectations".
A Place I Go | Critical reception
The tour received mixed reviews from music critics, with the majority of reviews being positives. Many critics applauded the band's onstage persona however felt the theatrics of the concert took away from the heart of the show. Jim Abbott ("Orlando Sentinel") said the band "made the crowd feel at home" during the concert at the TD Waterhouse Centre. He continues, "But the power of this concert was in its impeccable production. It was an assault on the senses from the moment the five singers were lowered to the stage as human marionettes for the opening "No Strings Attached". Jim Farber ("New York Daily News") felt the shows at Madison Square Garden were "cliché and contrived".
No Strings Attached Tour | Critical response
"Virgins" received widespread critical acclaim upon its release. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album has received an average score of 87, based on 26 reviews, indicating "universal acclaim", and becoming Hecker's highest scoring album on the site. Mike Powell of "Pitchfork" praised the album, stating, "This is music that benefits from being heard loud and/or on headphones in the same way couches are best experienced by actually sitting down in them instead of just brushing your fingers against the upholstery as you leave the room. Like a lot of Ben Frost’s albums (or something like Swans’ "The Seer"), "Virgins" feels possessed by the idea that no advancements in society or technology will ever shake our primal reactions to fear, wonder, awe and what in a more naïve era used to be called the sublime.
Virgins (album) | Critical reception
The release debuted at 14 on "Billboard"s Top Music Videocassettes chart, on December 7, 1985 and climbed to number 11, the next week. The video started a slow climb on the chart, and on the issue dated January 18, 1986, it reached the top of the chart, replacing "Prince & The Revolution: Live" by The Revolution. On May 24, 1986, the video again climbed back in the top ten of the chart, at position two. It was present on the chart for a total of 65 weeks. "Madonna Live: The Virgin Tour" was the top selling music videocassette for 1986.
Madonna Live: The Virgin Tour | Commercial performance
The shows in Canada were well received by music critics. Rob Williams (Winnipeg Free Press) gave the concert at the MTS Centre four out of five stars. He says, "It didn't seem to matter to the crowd of 6,000 who ate everything up, from old favourites like 'Feeling This', 'Rock Show' and 'What's My Age Again?' to the new 'Up All Night' and 'After Midnight', both which lack the melodic hooks of their best material". For their show at Rexall Place, Mike Ross (Jam!) gave the band four out of five stars. . The band's Music Hall of Williamsburg 9/11 benefit show received critical acclaim.
20th Anniversary Tour (Blink-182) | Critical reception
On AllMusic, Timothy Monger wrote, "Although beset with technical issues and difficult to tour with, their gargantuan sound system on this tour brought a clarity that was unparalleled at the time. Captured from Kidd Candelario's tapes, this complete concert set from June 23, 1974 features highlights of the era..."
Dave's Picks Volume 34 | Critical Reception
The film opened to generally negative reviews. The Times of India rated the film 2/5, calling it "another run-of-the-mill tale on sexual liberation".
Virgin Bhanupriya | Critical reception
This material is perfectly suited for this two-backup-singer lineup. As a result, some of this material never sounded better live... There is quite a bit of excellent music packed onto these two discs. Superb sound quality."
Pure Jerry: Warner Theatre, March 18, 1978 | Critical reception
He was also a bit unenthusiastic. It was as if he just wanted to get through the show at times. The microphone was often no where near his mouth while the backing tracks were playing."
Purpose World Tour | Critical reception
So don't play the later stuff. The early performances alone are worth the price of admission and then some."
Live at the BBC (Steve Harley &amp; Cockney Rebel album) | Critical reception
What about Run–D.M.C.?" But they were too expensive according to DeMann, and hence ultimately Beastie Boys were chosen. Adam "Ad-Rock" Horovitz from the band commented: "It's not like any of us knew Madonna that much, but we all used to hang out at Danceteria [club] so we knew about each other. I don't know why she thought it would be a good idea [to open for her tour], though. It was a terrible idea. But it was great for her in a way because we were so awful that by the time she came onstage, the audience had to be happy." The circular stage for the tour, consisted of three ramps around the perimeter, which were connected with each other.
The Virgin Tour | Development
The performances were all virtuoso."
Queen (Queen album) | Reception
Madonna asked the audience "Will you marry me?" When the audience answered affirmatively, she threw the bouquet towards them and started singing the song. Madonna continued singing the song while rolling around the floor, and added a snippet of Michael Jackson's Motown-style single, "Billie Jean". Balloons floated out towards the audience again as she pulled apart her veil and threw it towards the audience. She returned to the stage in the arms of one of the backup dancers, wearing a boob tube and a tight white skirt, carrying a bunch of notes in her left hand, and a number of garlands around her neck.
The Virgin Tour | Concert synopsis
Her dance numbers with men during the tour shows them as her underlings, accessories that she toys with and totally dominates."
The Virgin Tour | Legacy
He also praised the other band members talent for playing a variety of instruments.
Native Tour | Critical reception
The tour received mixed reviews from music critics in the United States and Canada. Mike Devlin ("Times Colonist") gave the premiere concert in Victoria, British Columbia two and a half out of five stars. He says, "Granted, it was the opening night of her world tour—which includes 15 dates in Canada—but the so-billed Best Damn Tour wasn’t even the Somewhat OK Damn Tour; it was just plain disappointing. And with tickets in the range of $60, the 75-minute concert clocked in just shy of one dollar per minute. Methinks some parents are feeling the sting right about now". Mike Ross ("Jam!") gave the show at Rexall Place three and a half out of five stars.
The Best Damn World Tour | Critical reception
It was voted ten on VH1's 100 Best Songs of the Past 25 Years. The song was listed at ninety-five on "Billboard Hot 100 All-Time Top Songs". In 2003, Madonna fans were asked to vote for their 'Top 20 Madonna singles of all-time', by "Q" magazine. "Like a Virgin" was allocated the fifth spot on the list.
Like a Virgin (song) | Critical reception
The album gained an uneven reception, though some performances were singled out for praise, including Sinéad O'Connor's interpretation of "Sacrifice", Kate Bush's reggae-inflected version of "Rocket Man", which in 2007 won "The Observer" readers' award for Greatest Cover of all time, and the Grammy nominated Tina Turner's version of The Bitch Is Back.
Two Rooms: Celebrating the Songs of Elton John &amp; Bernie Taupin | Critical reception
The tour had a positive reaction from critics, media and fans alike. Sky News praised the show commenting that "Take That [had] lived up to the hype surrounding their reunion with Robbie Williams as they kicked off their sell-out tour." Dave Simpson of "The Guardian" bestowed the highest award of 5 stars to the tour as he praised the achievement of the group by stating "Grins and a group hug later, the band upstaged their jawdropping visuals with the sight of five men performing the classic pop anthems that made them – Pray, Relight My Fire, and Back For Good – and dancing and smiling like they'd never been away." He ended his review by commenting that when "the quintet sang 'Never Forget' in front of an illuminated robot so tall it towered above the stadium, it felt like that almost mythical event: a once in a lifetime pop experience."
Progress Live | Critical response
Noting that a third of the set-list was made up of covers, she expressed dislike for Lewis' interpretation of "Time After Time". Abbott wrote that her "only real criticism" of the performance was for the stage production, which she described as "five strips of giant toilet paper hanging at the back, occasionally changing colour, and spaced a little too far apart to make for easy viewing of the video footage of Leona explaining why her music is so important to her". Abbott did, however, note that the backdrop did not detract from the "high quality music" or her "incredible, effortless voice".
I Am Tour (Leona Lewis) | Critical reception
G. Wodehouse and praising the "rollicking pace and continuous outpouring of comic invention"; however, he also said that it read like it had been written in three days. (Hurd also accurately described Johnson as "the next prime minister but three.") In the "Literary Review", Philip Oakes said that the "Thrills [were] muffled by relentless jokiness and inordinate length of book."
Seventy-Two Virgins | Reception
The tour has received raved reviews from many music critics. Many have commented on the stage presence of the three acts and how well they connect with fans. Glenn Gamboa ("Newsday") writes the bands proved they were the top touring act of the year. He continues, "They certainly didn’t skimp on the spectacle. What was more impressive, though, was the way they placed their music into the context of what has come before and after them". For the show in Montreal, Bernard Perusse ("The Gazette") stated the concert was a night for nostalgia. He says, [The bands] were never anything less than consummately professional and highly energetic, delivering almost the entire set from a stage on the floor of the arena.
The Package Tour | Critical response