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17
November 2005
Madonna Wows On
Return To Roots
Madonna
has played an intimate live gig back at
the north London club where she first
wowed British fans 22 years
ago.
The
singer played five songs at the Koko Club
- formerly the Camden Palace - where she
gave her first live UK performance in
1983.
The gig
marked the release of her new album
Confessions On A Dance Floor.
She
appeared before an audience of about 1,000
fans, including 200 who had queued since
the previous day to claim free tickets
left on the door.
When
Madonna made her debut at the club she was
an unknown singer who had just released
the underground US club hit
Everybody.
Now,
with her 11th UK number one Hung Up, the
47-year-old is the world's biggest female
artist, selling more than 200 million
albums.
She told
the audience: "The last time I played
Camden Palace was 22 years ago. It was my
first show in London and I've got to tell
you it's so great to be back."
The
exclusive nature of the gig sparked a
scramble for tickets among her fans. Most
tickets were distributed through radio
competitions but a final 200 were held at
the venue.
As soon
as the announcement was made, fans - some
of whom travelled specially from the US or
across Europe - started gathering outside
the venue and remained in line overnight
despite some bitter November
temperatures.
Throughout
their wait, the fans were given three
wristbands and a voucher at regular
intervals and only those who had all four
were able to claim a ticket when the doors
opened.
Not all
those who attended the mini concert had to
wait in line or take their chance in radio
phone-ins. TV presenter Chris Evans, Bob
Geldof and his daughter Peaches, designer
Stella McCartney, Pet Shop Boy Neil
Tennant and Pop Idol winner Will Young
were among the audience.
To start
her show, Madonna emerged from a giant
glitter ball to sing first number Hung Up,
dressed in an all-purple ensemble of
jacket, velvet pedal pushers and knee-high
boots.
The
jacket was soon discarded, revealing a
tight purple vest top underneath as the
newly restyled disco queen accompanied her
songs with frenetic dance
routines.
She
ended the set by referring back to that
less-heralded first appearance with a rare
performance of Everybody.
Madonna's
latest album, Confessions on a Dance
Floor, released on Monday, marks a return
to her disco roots in its musical
style.
According
to music retailer HMV, the album is
outselling the current number one,
Westlife's Face to Face, by a margin of
two-to-one and looks set to top the chart
on Sunday.
Hung Up
is also likely to remain top of the
singles chart for a second week, HMV
said.
A
documentary, following her 2004
Re-Invention tour, will be shown on
Channel 4 next month on 1 December and
repeated on digital channel E4 eight days
later.
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