My Sugar is Raw

Ok readers.....I wasn't going to mention this until a few blogs later. But, I couldn't resist. Last night, I had the once in a lifetime chance to see my favorite performer all up close & personal. So I have now found myself bursting with excitement ready to discuss it. Look at this as a little taste of a blog to come. Remember, my candy store has galore so this will get you ready for what's in store.

For days & days now those of us in what we call our Madonna Prayer Group have discussed the important matter at hand. How are we going to get our hands on the coveted tickets to see our lady full of grace at Roseland Ballroom. She hadn't been there since the promo tour for Music back in 2000. At that time I'd only been here a few months & had no idea how to get in. I remember walking by & trying to hear from outside. I couldn't help but think 'this time HAS to be different.' But, I found myself in a jam. People were lining up as of Monday. Each of us had done our best to score tickets. Entering contests, going to bars that were offering tickets etc. They all failed. My friend David won tickets through Verizon. Actually his boyfriend had so now someone I KNEW was going. Which, made it all more important for me to go. I just couldn't be left out so it came down to going outside & waiting in line. After work on Tuesday I met up with Vadim, John & Scott to get in line with some other people who already were in line. This was probably around 100 people or so. Mind you, she wasn't performing until Wednesday night so this was to be my first camp out EVER. I wasn't physically prepared so after securing my place in line I went home to change into layers of clothes & such. Once back, I started to prepare myself for the 13 hr wait that I was going to go through in order to get that coveted wrist band that was to be given out to 750 some people in line.

We made friends with people next to us. This kid behind us, Mickey, was incredibly overzealous for all things Madonna & brought tons of things that we started posted on our barricade. We later were known as that group with all the M posters as tourists kept walking by asking us what it was for. After hours & hours I dubbed us & everyone else 'The Gay Homeless'. At times we would go in between the avenues to try to hear M rehearsing. Later, Scott & Mickey & others ran back when a passerby said she was leaving. Imagine our surprise when she drove by everyone in line slowly & made her presence known. People that had been laying down were up & screaming. At one point she literally stopped right in front of John & I & we found ourselves just yelling & screaming in awe. Amidst the roar, I SWEAR I could hear her say 'I'll see you tomorrow night!' This may be just me & my imagination but in my head she definitely said it. Everyone in line was amped up after that & we continued playing Hard Candy & other jams on Mickey's ipod. We then prepared for the rest of the night & the realization that we still had HOURS to go before they handed out the wrist bands.

At around 3/4 in the morning I began to hate everyone. Mickey's enthusiasm had highly found it's way to my evilness & Scott's drunkenness had my salt level to a fever pitch. I had managed to squeeze out about 2 hours of sleep there in my huge ass coat on a 30 something degree night. Just the week before I was rocking some shorts in 70 degree weather. This didn't help my saltiness. Finally, the time came & the guards came over to give everyone a bracelet. They told us we could either stay in line or leave & come back later. Scott, John & Billy somehow found it in them to go to work for the day. I chose to go home. (Thank you to all my work peeps for helping a brother out. As always I love you Tasia & I LIVE for you Jackie.) Being that Vadim barely works anyway, he did the same. I scored about 4 hrs of sleep & then met up with Vadim to go get back in line. Being that this was a general admission thing you had to be as close to the front as possible if you wanted to get closer to the stage. This time, we definitely were. For the next few hours, it was festive as we waited for them to start letting people in. Vadim, John, Scott, Billy, Silas & I found ourselves getting interviewed by MTV Europe, some random man from Brazil, & some lady form Spain. We were International Fan Superstars as they asked about all things M. We saw tons of shenanigans as well. This Tranny with some CRAZY blonde hair & black roots, smudged red lipstick that was more on her teeth &painted on black eyebrows had us all in stitches. She was going for the bad Girl look but was more Courtney Love after MTV VMA throw down. When she wasn't able to get tickets I just knew she'd start throwing a heel or a compact at someone! W-KTU was driving around the block every 2 minutes & throwing out hard candy at everyone. The girls driving decided to take pics of us when I decided to start letting my booty get low. Then they sped away cutting off all the drivers in their way. Then, we didn't see C-Lo or the KTU girls for a while & I was just sure I'd hear Sade Baderwinwa say this headline 'Transexual ran over by KTU drivers in a drunken rage at a Madonna concert.... news at 11.'

Finally, we were about to be in. I told everyone since I was in front that there was no turing around. I was on a mission. Get as close to the stage as possible & just make sure you keep up. I found myself behind some BIG lesbian who was about to eat us all with her anger & before you knew it we were all packed in like sardines. This was a little after 8pm & we still had 2 hrs to go! For the celeb sightings I have to quote Vadim because honestly he said it best:

Oh my, all the celebs we saw:

Spotted: Fran Drescher wearing her American Life beret -- who started furiously texting her friend about how upset she was when all the attention to her evaporated when Rosie O'Donnell took her seat.
Then there was Richie RIch and Trevor Rains, one half of which looked cute, while the other looked kind of busted. I'll let you figure out which half was which. NICK'S Response: RR

Then there was Zac Posen near Fran. It certainly didn't take him long to let his drunkenness come through. Of course, all is forgiven since he is cute. NICK's Response: Scott has found his life partner so we need to set this up asapenis.

Then there was the design team from Proenza Schouler (whom you guys may now know), but they are the two cutest designers in all of the fashion industry. Just as cute in person as in photos.

Let's not forget Liz Rosenberg walking around in her very special loopy headgear. I have nothing more to say about her antennas!

Then there was "Lourdes" who was wearing way more makeup than usual and dancing up a storm. (And did anyone notice how the females in "Music" looked like were mini-Lourdeses?

Of course, we cannot forget "Courtney Love!" From the moment we saw her, we knew she was up to something. And she sure was! The taxi, the paps, the police. You KNOW the drunk-driving KTU girls totally ran C-Love over!

Now to be biggest celeb of all. Right after 10, the dj finally stopped his mixing of songs that would last 2 minutes then run into another. Where he was standing started to turn around & we saw M sitting in a Queen like pose on a chair fit for a King! The beginning of Candy Shop blared. All the fans cheering overwhelmed the music almost. I could see nothing but hands & camera's in the air. She began to dance & I couldn't take my eyes off her. Next was another track from the new album 'Miles Away'. During this she took a guitar & sat on a chair & strummed away. I think this is one of the best tracks on the album & I hope it's a single. Next, we got served some special ferociousness in the form of 4 minutes, complete with Justin Timberlake popping out. Damn is he handsome. Mind you, I've thought this anyway but after seeing him in the flesh it's even more juicy. I managed to squeeze in a few pics on my phone & unfortunately I can not figure out how to email these to myself so I just have them on my phone. Once this was over, M talked to us all & even showed some love to all of us that waited for hours & hours & said the next song was dedicated to us because she hates....to wait. Rocking out with a new rock version of Hung Up, M showed why she was inducted into the Hall of Hame. The woman is a bona-fide performer & all out star. Her dancing during Give It 2 Me(the next single) had me mesmerized because all I kept thinking was 'This woman is 20 yrs older then me & you would NEVER know it by looking at her.' I was originally close to the stage to begin with but when she had come closer to the front I felt myself being pushed so close that by the time she did 'Music', the show's closer, I was about 10 feet away. Everyone was so close to each other I had sweat on me from about 10 different people. Everyone wanting what we had all waiting in line for. A piece of Madonna.

Even as I watch the show from MSN I get giddy again. I may have gotten a cold from all of this but for once in my life I can absolutely say it was worth it. I will most definitely be getting tickets for when she tours later this year. The only thing is......now that I've gotten so close to her I feel it would be a tragedy to not be as close in the future. Whatever M's Candy Store plans on selling you can guarantee the Madonna Prayer Group & I will try to be first in line. Ok, maybe not with the homeless lesbians who sat there for days but we definitely won't be far behind..... considering my slinky ways to get through the crowd. I just have one of my teachers to thank for that, Madonna.

Here's the link to the actual show on MSN. Watching it I managed to see Scott & I. After more views, I'm sure I'll see more.

http://music.msn.com/madonna?GT1=28000&silentchk=1&

Here's another link on a blog that has Scott, Mickey & a few other people we came to know while being in line. Scott is the one with the drink in hand. Once again, Zac Posen..... this is your Future Lover.

http://madonnadownload.com/new_news_043008_1.html