Until 1996, the 12 members of Romanian Gypsy band Fanfare Ciocarlia were peasant farmers and factory workers who performed at weddings and baptisms just to earn a living. None of them even had passports.

Their new life of world tours and music awards has not, however, brought about any seismic shifts in their lifestyles.

“There have been no big changes,” said Costica “Cimai” Trifan, trumpet player for Fanfare, which will showcase its 2007 album “Queens and Kings” at the International House of Music Sunday night. “Of course, we live better economics-wise, but the traditional life is still the same.”

This is surely no accident — the Balkan-brass beats that grew out of this traditional lifestyle are what gained them their stardom in the first place.

On a fateful day 12 years ago, a German sound engineer, Henry Ernst, discovered the north Romanian village of Zece Prajini, hometown of the future members of Fanfare. The area had long been known as the country’s best place to find good musicians, and almost every man there plays an instrument. Ernst, now the band’s manager and co-founder of their record label Asphalt Tango, quickly convinced them to form a touring band.

“We definitely have more fun playing at concerts, as there, we are the stars, and our music is really appreciated,” Cimai said. “At weddings, we play what the people want us to play. Sometimes it’s a lot of fun, especially when performing at Gypsy weddings, and sometimes it’s terrible.”

Fanfare’s performance vibe is deeply marked by the experience playing Romanian and Gypsy weddings, which can last anywhere from all day and night to an entire week.

Besides high velocity and marathon energy, Gypsy music is most marked by extreme diversity of influence. Its deepest roots lie in Turkish military bands from a century ago, but since then the genre has crossed virtually every national border in southern Europe, picking up additional shades of international flavor.

“[Gypsy music] is music made by Romani people from across Europe — so the Gypsy jazz of Django [Reinhardt] in France, flamenco of Spain, Balkan brass of the Balkans, et cetera,” noted Garth Cartwright, author of “Princes Amongst Men,” a book on Gypsy music and the post-communist Balkan states. “The only connection these disparate musicians have is a willingness to break the rules of music and entertain. And [they all] play brilliantly.”

Fanfare has expanded even outside the boundaries of the European continent, borrowing from Brazilian batucada, Cuban rumba, some Arab music and even the James Bond theme, a long-distance range they condense down in defining Gypsies as “the original internationalists.”

The band has put out five albums, the last of which sold about 130,000 copies. Their many notable moments include winning the Europe category at the BBC Radio 3 Awards for World Music in 2006, being featured in the acclaimed German-Turkish film “Gegen Die Wand” (“Head On”) and creating an astonishing version of “Born to be Wild” for Sascha Baron Cohen’s satirical movie “Borat.”

Their real reputation, though, comes from their performances on stage.

“Fanfare are awesome live,” Cartwright said. “They play with such power and groove — organic East European dance music.”

Fanfare Ciocarlia will headline the “Gypsy Kings and Queens” performance Nov. 30 at 7 p.m. at the International House of Music, 58 Kosmodamianskaya Naberezhnaya. M. Paveletskaya. 730-1011. www.mmdm.ru.

Popularity: 8% [?]

ATLANTIC CITY – Madonna concerts are about excess. As the Material Girl evolved into the biggest female pop superstar of the last 25 years, her shows enlarged in scope tour by tour.

So it shouldn’t surprise anyone that Madonna’s return to Boardwalk Hall on Saturday, presented by Caesars Atlantic City, offered fans one of her biggest spectacles yet.

To put things in perspective, her “Sticky & Sweet Tour” transports 350 tons of equipment, 600 pieces of luggage, 100,000 feet of electrical cable, 71 guitars and 16 caterers from city to city. There also are five people who change Madonna into different costumes behind the scenes, a playroom for Madonna’s children and four large freezers that hold nothing but ice packs for Madonna and her 28 dancers.
But it’s what fans see on stage that really matters. And Madonna’s latest tour is on par with the biggest shows Boardwalk Hall has ever hosted, rivaled only by The Rolling Stones and Madonna’s last stop here.
The massive stage features two main platforms, one in the front and one at the end of a large ramp that extends through the middle of the sold-out crowd. There are nine hydraulic lifts that help Madonna, her dancers and DJ Enferno make spectacular appearances from under the stage. There’s at least seven large video screens and a big cylindrical projection screen in the middle of the arena, ensuring the audience doesn’t miss a thing. There’s even a 1935 Auburn Speedster sports car that brings Madonna and her dancers to the stage. And don’t forget the lasers, conveyer belt and boxing ring.

No doubt, the spectacle is there.
But can the recent divorcee still bring it musically? She certainly can.
On tour to support this year’s “Hard Candy” CD, Madonna’s voice sounds pretty great. She still looks incredibly sexy with her bulging biceps and washboard abs. And she remains a terrific dancer.
Performing 23 songs from her storied career in four sets – “Pimp,” “N.Y. Old School,” “Romani Gypsy” and “Rave Armageddon,” the latter with a futuristic dance floor – the setlist was heavy on her new album. She offered a whopping nine new songs from the 12-cut album, which is OK when she delivers classic albums such as “Music” and “Ray of Light,” but with a mediocre CD such as “Hard Candy,” nine songs is a lot to take, even with the eye-popping visuals.
The show began with Madonna arriving to the stage on a throne and blasting into back-to-back “Hard Candy” offerings – “Candy Shop” and “Beat Goes On” – before beginning to roll out some big hits, including “Human Nature” and “Vogue,” followed by a remix of her James Bond theme song, “Die Another Day,” in a video interlude.
The setlist certainly featured some nostalgic Madonna goodies, including a classic-rock version of “Borderline,” the still-incredible dance tune “Into the Groove” and the crowd favorite “Like a Prayer,” which feature freestyle dancing ninjas.

Of course, Madonna also rolled out the more techno-driven dance songs that helped reinvent her career, including “Ray of Light,” “Music” and “Hung Up.” Her closer, “Give It 2 Me,” a fast-paced new track, served as a perfect encore and had the crowd dancing harder and singing louder than it did all night.
Along with the heavy “Hard Candy” setlist, there were a few other disappointments. The fact that Madonna, who is clearly not a great fretwoman, picks up the guitar for at least six songs is totally unnecessary. It also seemed like there was less overall dancing than on her “Confessions Tour.”
But there were far more positives than negatives, as there should be for a two-hour concert that received $350 for its top ticket price at the box office.
“She’s Not Me,” one of the best songs off “Hard Candy,” came with Madonna’s trademark attitude as she walked by fake Madonnas dressed as her in nostalgic Madonna garb, pointing her finger at them and verbally assaulting them one by one. “La Isla Bonita” was reworked as a country song with fiddles and an accordian – and was strangely satisfying. She showed her vocal chops on “You Must Love Me,” her “Evita” single that she nicely performed backed by four Gypsy musicians. And the virtual appearances via video screens from Kanye West, Timbaland, Justin Timberlake and Pharrell were very cool, with Britney Spears’ appearance trapped in an elevator during “Human Nature” offering a real crowd-pleaser.

At 50 years old, Madonna remains the single most relevant female pop star in the world. If the “Sticky & Sweet Tour” affirms one thing, it’s that Madonna still holds the title of “Queen of Pop.” And it looks like she’s not ready to relinquish it any time soon.
E-mail Scott Cronick:
SCronick@pressofac.com
Madonna’s Boardwalk Hall setlist
“Candy Shop,” “Beat Goes On,” “Human Nature,” “Vogue,” “Die Another Day” (video interlude)
“Into the Groove,” “Heartbeat,” “Borderline,” “She’s Not Me,” “Music,” “Rain” (DJ interlude)
“Devil Wouldn’t Recognize You,” “Spanish Lesson,” “Miles Away,” “La Isla Bonita,” “You Must Love Me”
“Get Stupid” (video interlude), “4 Minutes,” “Like a Prayer,” “Ray of Light,” “Hung Up,” “Give It 2 Me”

Popularity: 5% [?]

Two years after her last visit, and just one week after news broke of her impending divorce from husband Guy Ritchie, 50-year-old pop queen Madonna settled in for the first of two sold-out nights before 17,800 fans at the Bell Centre. And the party was most definitely on.

Relatively speaking, of course. The renowned perfectionist plans her shows to the T, and sticks to script every step of the way. But her music (particularly that of her last two albums) has stayed self-consciously young. And to her credit, despite rumours of her rigid stage presence – which was very much the case in 2006 – Madonna actually seemed to be having fun.

This was a looser show than the last – less bogged down by elaborate props, and leaving more room for Madge, her dancers and band to interact. A matrix of state-of-the-art screens, and hydraulic platforms provided the setting for her and her entourage to entertain.

After an elaborate video intro – featuring a candy factory/pinball game montage – she emerged on a throne, a leg provocatively straddled over one of the arms. The song was Candy Shop, off her new album Hard Candy. “Get up out of your seats,” she sang, as she and eight dancers pranced about to the clubby groove.

Video cameos dotted the evening, with the main players of the pop new school – Pharrell Williams, Kanye West, Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake – each making virtual appearances.

The performance was divided into four thematic segments: Pimp, NY Old School, Romani Gypsy and Rave Armageddon. A highlight of the first was the funky Beat Goes On (with Pharell), in which she and her dancers rolled down the catwalk in a Rolls Royce.

It was the second set, however, that stood out most. With Keith Haring videos playing on the big screens, Madonna and her entourage literally skipped (with ropes) their way through a dance remix of Get Into the Groove, decked out in colourful ’80s costumes.

Borderline was one of several songs she performed with electric guitar in hand (a first for her). She unmasked an array of Madonna wannabes (her dancers, dressed up as her different incarnations) in She’s Not Me, and rocked the house in the subway-and-graffiti-themed Music. This last number drew huge cheers – Madonna was at her best when sending up her New York City roots.

Montrealer Ric’key Pageot got his moment in the spotlight. Playing keyboards for on the tour, he accompanied her in a dramatic rendition of The Devil Wouldn’t Recognize You, in which she crouched then stood atop his piano, clad in a black cloak.

If songs such as Human Nature and Spanish Lesson fell flat, those instances were few and far between. Miles Away was a mid-show standout, as the room sang and clapped along to the infectious chorus. It was one of the few truly communal moments of the night.

Madonna isn’t one for singalongs. She would prefer her fans marvel at the spectacle. On this tour, she struck a compromise. Deadline meant an early exit, and missing the hits 4 Minutes, Like a Prayer and Hung Up.

But she had already pulled off an unlikely feat: getting younger with age. And she’ll do it all over again, tonight.

tdunlevy@thegazette.canwest.com

© The Gazette (Montreal) 2008

Popularity: 5% [?]