Miley Unplugged

ALL THIS AND A PANTOMIME HORSE: Anyone who expected Miley Cyrus to sit on a stool and gaze into the middle distance for her MTV Unplugged special doesn't know Miley. Despite the acoustic instrumentation of the format, the RCA superstar staged a raucous, glitzy hootenanny with more than a touch of burlesque. Starting the show in a red gingham jumpsuit, wig and cowboy hat, Cyrus was accompanied by cowgirl backup singers and the de rigueur pantomime horse. There was a lot of salacious stage activity, but the focus was on the music, with Cyrus assaying much of her Bangerz album (including "Adore You," as seen above, now Top 20 at Pop) as well as a faithful cover of "Jolene," penned and performed by the woman she called her "Aunt Dolly." After an impassioned "Wrecking Ball" that had the crowd wailing along, Cyrus invited guest star Madonna to the stage, and the pair sashayed around the stage in urban-cowgirl attire for a medley of Madge's "Don't Tell Me" and Miley's "We Can't Stop." For all the sexed-up spectacle, her strong singing in a range of styles was the focus. And it's hard to imagine Unplugged ever being quite the same after this; congrats to the network's Amy Doyle and team. You can see the whole shebang here. (1/30p)