The gleeful mood turned downright giddy as Maddy and co. launched into "Beautiful Stranger," complete with a twirl around a dance pole from the 42-year-old mother of two that was enough to give anyone an Oedipal complex. When she followed with "Ray of Light," the room's elation manifested itself not in a mosh pit but in a glow pit as dozens of small illuminated sticks buzzed in a pack near the back of the crowd.

After a video of "Paradise (Not for Me)" introduced the geisha segment of the show, Madonna (now in flowing, black and red robes) returned to the stage to serve up "Frozen," "Nobody's Perfect," and a portion of "Mer Girl." The pace then picked up considerably, as a high-flying Madonna got all Jet Li on a small army of attackers during "Sky Fits Heaven," and gunned one down during a reprise of "Mer Girl."

After upping the grim factor further with several minutes of hardcore Japanimation — packed with gore, nudity and rape — Madonna switched to the breezier pastures of cowgirl country. She strapped on an acoustic guitar for "I Deserve It," then traded it in for a team of dancers for a glittering hoedown on "Don't Tell Me." After losing some of her excess garments, Madonna launched into a performance of "Human Nature" that included a bit of lasso bondage and a magical moment with a mechanical bull. She offered up "Secret" and "Gone" before undergoing yet another personality change.

It was farewell gentle cowgirl, hello Latin goddess, as Madonna returned to the stage in black slacks and a backless black dress to deliver "Lo Que Siente la Mujer" (a Spanish-language version of "What It Feels Like for a Girl") from a swirling black leather podium. She then grabbed her guitar again and joined a gaggle of percussionists and dancers for an unplugged flamenco take on "La Isla Bonita."

Finally, Madonna presented her most playful persona — Daddy Mack-donna, with her flowing, white fur coat and burgundy velvet fedora. If happiness could bend steel, the First Union Center would have cracked open like a walnut during the opening strains of "Holiday." The mood only intensified as gold confetti rained down during the set closer, "Music."

So there it was, just as advertised: no "Like a Virgin," no "Borderline," no "Into the Groove," no "Like a Prayer," no "Vogue."

"It's a little disappointing, but you can imagine that she wants to play her newer songs, the stuff she's most proud of," Jennifer Kroll said.

The forward-thinking set was just fine with Bruce and Elaine Keyser of Lansdowne, Pennsylvania, who've been Madonna followers since "Like a Virgin," and haven't missed a Madonna show in Philly since.

"I'm 54, and I feel like I'm 16," said Bruce, sporting a red Madonna t-shirt, a black leather vest adorned with Madonna pins, and a cowboy hat with an image of the bustier made famous during Maddy's Blond Ambition tour.

"She can still move. She's still got it," Elaine added. "I'll take that hour and 20 minutes and stack her up against anybody. She's just the best."

Madonna setlist, July 21, 2001:
"Drowned World/Substitute for Love"
"Impressive Instant"
"Candy Perfume Girl"
"Beautiful Stranger"
"Ray of Light"
"Paradise (Not for Me)"
"Frozen"
"Nobody's Perfect"
"Mer Girl"
"Sky Fits Heaven"
"Mer Girl" (reprise)
"I Deserve It"
"Don't Tell Me"
"Human Nature"
"Oh Dear Daddy"
"Secret"
"Gone"
"Lo Que Siente la Mujer"
"La Isla Bonita"
"Holiday"
"Music"