Gary Flockhart: How do you solve a problem like Madonna?

By Gary Flockhart
Published on 26/07/2012 15:16

HOWEVER you saw it - ‘shambolic’, ‘captivating’ or simply ‘average’ - it was interesting to read the comments attached to reviews of Madonna’s gig at Murrayfield Stadium last weekend.

Interesting, but oh-so predictable.

It is typical of the 53-year-old singer’s career that when she finally played her first ever concert on Scottish soil, opinion would be split.

Madonna has been getting this sort of reaction since her debut, 30 years ago. Nothing’s changed on that score and you can bet that she wouldn’t have it any other way.

It seems that depending on where you were in the stadium, the sound was either very good or very bad. Unfortunately, that’s often the case at big outdoor gigs.

From where I was sitting the sound was clear, and that, of course, reflected in my review.

Not that that stopped me taking flak in the online comments section for suggesting that Murrayfield got a top-notch performance from the US superstar. My four-star rating, according to some, was more than generous - it was the result of some shady backhander, presumably slipped to me in a brown envelope before the gig.

‘Mr flockhart I sincerely hope you have been paid a considerable amount for that review, or you weren’t there and hoped for the best’ wrote one disgruntled gig-goer. ‘Seriously look at the comments and see how far from the consensus of opinion you are’.

Sorry to disappoint, but I wasn’t given a huge wad of cash from TeamMadge. What I did get was a modest seat in the South Stand and the pleasure of forking out £4.50 for a lager, like everyone else.

What many don’t grasp is that a review is just one person’s opinion. Opinion being the operative word. That seems obvious to me, but reading the comments posted online everything is very black or white. Very one thing or the other.

Madonna was either atrocious or she was sensational. And nothing in between.

I guess that’s Madge for you though... she’s always been a bit Marmite-y.