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WARNING - DON'T READ THIS IF YOU ARE GOING TO HER SHOW AND DON'T WANT TO RUIN IT! THAT'S MY UNEQUIVOCAL DISCLAIMER...

Retro. Shiny. Purple. Disco. On Saturday, May 20, Madonna held a private Friends & Family show in Los Angeles to kick-off her formal Confessions tour. I had the privilege to attend and witness this grand performance. The floor was filled with industry & friends of industry for an intimate yet full-energy performance. Celebrities Ellen DeGeneres, Lindsay Lohan, The Olsen Twins, and Keith Bacon were amongst the audience, with Slash of Guns & Roses by the mixing board.

Madonna and her dancers were in top form as they opened with a knockout number with a massive disco ball that descended onto a runway stage that parted the audience in two, extending to the middle of the floor. The disco ball fractured in grid-like proportions revealing Madonna herself and a dance platform inside. A trap door in this runway stage made for further dramatic exits and entrances.

Over on the far left ceiling a round platform worked its way down as Madonna danced back to the main stage and up a ramp that allowed her to meet the platform in time for her to mount a silver-studded black saddle that rotated by itself like a merry-go-round. Images of horses flashed on video screens, and the crowd screamed wildly as she undulated her body like a bronco-riding expert, riding crop in tow.

Roller skaters performed stunts and dance moves straight out of the 70s with a Flashdance twist, as she made her next major entrance flanked by 2 female dancers, all three in white disco suits a la John Travolta. They boogied to an instrumental remix of "You Should Be Dancing" while Madge sang the lyrics to "Music". Off came the suit and underneath was a white, full-body leotard swirling with violet, sequined stripes, tucked into white go-go boots. Talk about the most unforgiving outfit, and she pulled it off without so much as one tiny, visible bulge. No matter if you love or hate Madonna, she is the undisputed Dancing Queen, and don't she know it, as she displayed it with both her skills and a white satin cape with the title embellished in huge letters across the back. She opened her cape to showcase flashing orbs on the inside like a Twister game mat that ate the purple pill.

Guitar performances were overall stronger, and she was able to sing "Ray Of Light" without sharping into an off-key falsetto. At one point she waxed political as pictures of war-mongering leaders appeared in between stricken victims of war-torn countries, as she sang, "Sorry", a song that at first interpretation implies a lying/cheating boyfriend. An old-school montage of music & video was served up as a mini mash-up that gave way to a journey of "Like A Virgin" and "La Isla Bonita".

For the grand finale, she delivered "Hung Up" in her signature purple leotard over knickers-length flesh-tone fishnet stockings. Gold mylar balloons showered the audience, bringing fans deeper into the party. Just as we grabbed the shiny spheres and waved them to the beats, the show was over. She may think time moves so slowly, but this seasoned pro knew just the right amount of time to satisfy her fans, while leaving them wanting just a little more. This night, she gave good show.