Madonna[s] latest tour, which she kicked off Sunday at the Forum, is so provocative that it’s hard to count the ways.

Let’s see, there was the whole hanging on a cross, wearing a crown of thorns thing. The riding the rhinestone-studded, black leather carousel like she’s the main attraction at the erotic shop across town thing. And, of course, that nasty George Bush comment thing, which she brought back from her Coachella show last month.

The show started off nice and sweet with images of horses on the screens and Madonna in full equestrian attire descending from the ceiling in a one-ton disco ball. A closer look at that outfit, however, revealed she’s going for the dominatrix look and that whip wasn’t meant for a horse.

As Madonna sang “Future Lovers,” mixing in a little of Donna Summer’s “I Feel Love” for good measure, her leather-strapped male dancers slithered around her like a lost scene from “Eyes Wide Shut.” “Get Together” offered more of the same, but nothing could have prepared the capacity crowd for what would follow — and we’re not talking about her own X-rays on the screens.

Bringing “Like a Virgin” out of the vaults, Madonna introduced the song by asking the audience if they wanted to go for ride. She then saddled up on a carousel-like set piece and rode it like no carousel should be ridden.

The moves sent the room into a frenzy and caused one of the only sing-a-longs of the set, which featured 10 Confessions on a Dancefloor tracks and, unlike the Re-Invention Tour that launched in the same venue almost two years ago (see “Madonna Twirls Rifle, Lifts Up Her Kilt At Tour Opener”), only a few old favorites.

For her next tune, Madonna made one of her seven costume changes and returned to the center of the stage a la Jesus Christ on the cross (if that cross were built in 2006 … by Marilyn Manson), singing “Live to Tell.” Like Kanye West on the cover of Rolling Stone, it was a fascinating image, whether or not you think it’s immoral.

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