Madonna hits political undertones

Madonna kicked off her worldwide Re-Invention tour on Monday with an extravagant and politically charged show that featured the diva singing in Army fatigues against a video backdrop of a war-torn nation. The tour is scheduled to hit the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, for its only Canadian dates, on July 18, 19 and 21.

Madonna opened the show in Inglewood, Calif., wearing a jewel-encrusted corset but changed into combat gear when she sang American Life backed up by the sounds of dropping bombs.

On stage, dancers dressed like soldiers did push-ups and calisthenics as helicopters and infernos blazed on the video screens behind them.

The 45-year-old Material Girl did not disappoint her long-time fans, many of whom paid upward of $200 (U.S.) a ticket, by relying on many of her old hits such as Celebrate and Vogue punctuated by spectacular choreography, reports theglobeandmail.com

According to nme.com a statement reads: "Tonight's show at the LA Forum is postponed until tomorrow night. Madonna has the stomach flu and was ordered by her doctor to rest this evening. She will be back at 100% and can't wait to entertain her fans!!!! If you have tickets for tonight's show, they will be honored tomorrow night."

As previously reported, the show sees Madonna return to 'playing the hits' following the Drowned World tour, which almost entirely shunned her Eighties smashes in favour of post-'Bedtime Stories' material. The new show features hits such as 'Like A Prayer', 'Papa Don't Preach', 'Deeper and Deeper' and 'Vogue'.

The name "Re-Invention" promised some new and exciting looks, but there was no mojo in her erratic series of guises.

She wore so many kooky looks — from showgirl corsets to combat boots to the inevitable Kabbalah T-shirt — that she apeared to be having an identity crisis. Whatever happened to Madonna, the trend-setting icon?

Here's a pop star whose entire career was built on distinct fashion phases: from the black fishnets and torn T-shirts of "Lucky Star" to the white corset and tulle skirt of "Like a Virgin" and the red gown and white gloves of "Material Girl."

Just over a decade ago, when the sassy provocateur created a firestorm by displaying her blond ambition in a pointy cone bra, it would have been insane to suggest she would mellow to the point of wearing buttoned-up army fatigues onstage.

Age, religion and motherhood no doubt have had an impact on the 45-year-old mother of two — and those who attended Monday night's concert took note of the changes.

"I knew there would be a lot of politics and religion tonight. It's kind of like she's grown up, but she's still hot," said Dee Dee Kennedy, 36, a saleswoman for Ketel One Vodka, who saw Madonna 20 years ago.

Instead of a sexy, flashy, fun-filled show, concertgoers Monday night got an endless dose of political and social commentary.

She sat in an electric chair and dances and sang against a backdrop of war images, President Bush and Saddam Hussein. The sound of detonating bombs punctuated the song "American Life," inform foxnews.com