MEN Arena

IT was fitting for the Queen of Pop to pay tribute to the King. Not just because it was the day of his funeral but because pop's biggest stars were born weeks apart.

She said: "Manchester, give it up for one of the greatest artists the world has ever known."

When you're in the same arena as Madonna, you can't fail to appreciate her success at defying the ravages of time, even if she does turn up an hour late on stage. But once she starts dancing all grumbles are forgotten.

Her rippling thighs could crack walnuts and the flexibility of this nearly 51-year-old is enough to give you sympathetic back ache. The singing isn't great, never has been. But she isn't a diehard lip syncher like Britney Spears and belts out a few tunes.

Madonna also needs her microphone more than Britney to push seductively around her body during the slickest of stage shows. The one constant for the mother of reinvention over 26 years has been the overt sexuality of her act. And yet while seeing a middle-aged mum-of-four pose raunchily in those Louis Vuitton ads seemed in bad taste it works when she enters, legs akimbo, to sing Candy Shop from Hard Candy - the album this Sticky & Sweet tour is supposed to promote. But the material girl sees the big picture. In an age where downloads have cheapened music recording the concert experience is a far more attractive financial proposition.

And watching the concert DVD or a grainy recording of Madonna's tribute to Michael Jackson on youtube doesn't compare to seeing the live version.

That's why fans are prepared to fork out between £65 to £175 for a ticket.

Luckily for us oldies many songs from the back catalogue, like Get Into the Groove, Holiday, and Vogue, make it on to the set-list, albeit updated versions. As with Michael Jackson, aspects of the pop icon are unsettling, not least her penchant for imposing her will on third world countries. But you don't have to approve of the woman to admire the performer. And while she may not have Jacko's natural born talent Her Madge has earned her regal status in pop music by dint of hard exercise and hard work, if not hard candy.