Once upon a time, this would have been the hottest ticket of the summer. But having been the most compelling pop star of the past 20 years, Madonna makes her Irish debut just as her pop-culture nous deserts her. The Michigan-born singer’s phenomenal success always rested on her ability to surf music’s changing fashions: from the aspirational 1980s pop of Material Girl to the more sophisticated dance fare of 1998’s Ray of Light, her image-conscious instinct was so peerless she could even withstand the film flops. But her sassy aura has evaporated: her recent album, American Life, was a mediocre effort, while her makeovers now smack of an ageing star trying to relive former glories. And in her tedious espousal of esoteric Kabbalistic mysticism, Madonna has committed what was once her cardinal sin: she has become a bore. Time for another reinvention, perhaps.
Slane castle, Co Meath, today 4pm, €88.50 (0818 719300)