Madonna splits opinion at Coachella

United States | | 01 May 2006

The Coachella jury was out on Madonna, following her first ever festival appearance at the California event. The queen of pop helped break attendence records but was only on stage for half an hour...

Demand was so great for her 8pm performance in the Sahara dance tent that it took the crowd 30 minutes to inch their way back across the Indio Polo Fields afterwards - ironically the same amount of time she was on stage, playing only six songs.

Starting 25 minutes late, Madonna launched into recent hit 'Hung Up', energing from a disco ball with an entourage of spacemen dancers in a black dress and shades. Most of her songs were from latest album 'Confessions Of A Dance Floor', but easily the audience favourite and stand-out highlight was a storming version of 'Ray Of Light' on which she played guitar.

She also took lead duties on 'I Love New York', at one point changing its lyrics to "Just go to Texas and you can suck George Bush's dick". She also asked fans to "give her some love" when announcing it was her first festival, before declaring "it's too hot to wear clothes" and stripped to her tights as she asked the crowd, somewhat rhetorically, "does my arse look good?"

The 47-year-old then launched into old song 'Everybody' before the show came to a sudden close. Despite an estimated 30,000 turning out for easily the most anticipated set of the weekend, some were left disappointed.

Fan, Grace Zitaro, from LA, complained: "Where was Material Girl? Where was Like A Prayer? Even a couple of classics would have made me happy. I've been waiting for this all weekend."

Fonzie Hernandez, from Coachella, wore a t-shirt he'd designed that read "Madonna killed Coachella". He told Virtual Festivals: "She doesn't belong here. She's pop."

However Kymberly Whitaker, from La Quinta, enthused: "I think it's awesome and incredible. She'll probably never be here again in our little Coachella Valley."

Whatever the opinion from fans, Madonna helped Coachella break its attendence record, with an estimated 70,000 piling through the gates on the Sunday.

MADONNA'S SET LIST

Hung Up
Get Together
I Love New York
Ray Of Light
Let It Will Be
Everybody