Melissa Totten vs. KlubKidz

Show Review
A "legend" in its own right
Staff Report

Paying homage to the most enduring stars to ever grace the music scene, Legends in Concert has itself become one of the world's hottest tribute shows.


When Legends in Concert came to the Imperial Palace in 1983, it was slated for a six-week run, but was held over due to overwhelming response (original tributes included those to Buddy Holly, Janis Joplin, and, of course, Elvis). That response is still strong today, as Legends plays to packed crowds nightly.

Performers continually rotate (check the downstairs ticket counter for the evening's cast), making it possible to see a different show each visit. The night I attended, the line-up included James Brown, Liza Minnelli, Ricky Martin, Madonna, the Temptations and Elvis, which made for quite an energetic mix.

Herbert Rawlings Jr. got it started with James Brown's "I Feel Good." A dead ringer for Brown, Rawlings immediately captured his aura, screaming out to the crowd and dazzling them with his dance moves - including the splits.

What's amazing about Legends is that the impersonators not only are the spitting images of the performers they imitate (and incredibly, most even have the same stature), they sing with their natural voices, a point the Imperial Palace stresses throughout the show.

No performer in the show's cast embodies this more than Melissa Totten as Madonna. In keeping with the Material Girl's constant image overhauls, Totten first appeared on stage with medium-length blonde hair a la Madonna's "Music" album.

You'll do a double take - save the gap in her front teeth, Totten is a carbon copy of the singer in both looks and voice. Totten performs a great cross-section of songs from across Madonna's career, including "Vogue," "Holiday" and a segment from her "Blonde Ambition" tour.

- Showbiz Magazine, Las Vegas

Following the success of their Cher tribute album, KLONE Records has released Forever Madonna, featuring about two-dozen classic Madge songs "remade, remodeled" and performed by Melissa Totten, one of the best Madonna tribute singers around. And while true fans will recognize that this isn’t actually the Material Girl herself singing, Melissa’s voice bears a striking resemblance to the original (although she’s actually a better singer). Perhaps most astonishing, she looks like Madonna too!

Melissa Totten’s a great performer and entertainer, and Forever Madonna is a fun album that’s perfect for parties- especially those with large gatherings of gay men. I like to throw the two CDs in this set into the mix and see how long it takes friends to notice that the Madonna songs that they’re hearing aren’t simply remixes of the Material Girl, but rather another artist singing funked-up versions of her songs.

I wouldn’t recommend listening to both discs straight through; in fact, I don’t even like to listen to a single disc from start to finish because the thump-thump electronic gay anthem beats that permeates most of the tracks tends to get a bit tired and monotonous after a few songs. As part of a larger package of party music however (provided the rest of the songs don’t come from gay party mixes, Pride albums, and the like), they provide a great background for a good time.

Melissa’s voice is excellent, and her ability to mimic some of the Queen’s vocal nuances and notes is impressive; personally I love when she intentionally misses a note or sings just the slightest bit flat on the notes that Madge can never seem to hit when she’s performing (although you know in Melissa’s case it’s not because she can’t...).

All the songs on the 2CD set are reinterpretations of classic Madge hits, which I found a bit frustrating; I would have liked to hear at least a few done in the original style. In some cases the songs are very similar; in others they’re complete mash-ups, incorporating multiple Maddie hits into one track- which they pull off surprisingly well. My favorite track? Without a doubt, Crazy For You on disc 2. Although it’s the most "club-anthem" sounding track, it features excellent beats, interesting backgrounds, and near perfect mixing. It’s the most original track on the set, and every time I hear it I picture beautiful shirtless men dancing happily in a big New York club...

Klone, 2-disc set, $33


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Jason Salzenstein is a Senior Editor for EDGE Publications, overseeing Lifestyle and Travel. He is a design, image, and marketing consultant, a professional shopper, and a contributor for national and international publications. For more information, go to www.JasonSalzenstein.com You can also send questions, comments, and concerns to jsalzenstein@EDGEPublications.com


- TheEdge.com