The Hereford Times

Madonna can still thrill the crowds

9:38pm Sunday 11th May 2008

Twenty-five years after the release of her eponymous debut album, Madonna proved she has still got what it takes to wow audiences with an energetic set at Radio 1's Big Weekend.

The queen of pop - who turns 50 on August 16 - closed the event at Mote Park in Maidstone, Kent, following acts including Duffy, Usher and The Feeling.

Those who had been waiting all day to see Madonna were not disappointed when she appeared on stage in the main tent dressed in a tight black outfit and black knee high boots and opened her set with song Candy Shop, from her number one album Hard Candy.

She dedicated her next song, Miles Away, to "anybody who's afraid of falling in love".

Madonna then launched into her number one single Four Minutes while screens on stage showed images of Justin Timberlake who sings on the track with her.

There was a surprise in store for fans when Madonna picked up an electric guitar, said she planned to sing an old song and launched into the opening lines of the Rolling Stones hit (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction.

After only a few bars, she stopped and called out to the audience: "How many of you are drunk?" When they responded with a collective cheer, she replied: "That's so worrying."

After teasing the audience with the Stones cover, she then planned to sing "a song from the past, but not too far back from the past" and played her former number one Hung Up.

After finishing it with an impressive guitar solo, she changed into a pair of trainers and showed off some energetic dance moves during another song from her latest album, Give It 2 Me.

The style icon also donned a pair of black rimmed glasses and joked she was having problems with her sight. The spectacle ended with 2000 hit Music which provoked a mass singalong from the crowd.