Madonna’s long awaited Celebration Tour kicked off in London tonight, with the Like A Virgin singer performing her top hits at London’s O2 Arena to celebrate 40 years as the Queen of Pop
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Inside Madonna’s VIP reception ahead of comeback gig in London
Madonna’s long awaited Celebration tour has kicked off tonight – with the Queen of Pop taking to the stage at London’s O2 Arena in Greenwich to perform her top hits from her 40 year long career.
Not only were fans treated to her top songs from her illustrious career, such as Vogue and Hung Up, but they got some of her iconic dance moves, outfits and more. The Like A Virgin singer’s musical director Stuart Price told the BBC: “A greatest hit doesn’t have to be a song. It can be a wardrobe, it can be a video, or a statement.”
Madonna had remained tight-lipped over her set list for the highly-anticipated tour but, fans knew the tour would document the pop star’s incredible career – meaning fans expected to hear her biggest hits including Material Girl, Vogue and Papa Don’t Preach to name a few.
Unsurprisingly, she didn’t disappoint as she left the audience in awe with her endless outfit changes, saucy dance moves and emotional speeches.
It wouldn’t have been a Madonna performance without her snogging one of the dancers and rocking negligees. Visuals were a big part of the comeback tour and crucifixes and astonishing clips took over the screens of the arena.
Fans were left concerned if the sold-out tour would be taking place earlier this year after she was hospitalised earlier this year – as she was taken into intensive care in June after being found unresponsive. But after postponing dates, she was determined not to let her fans down.
Speaking after her hospitalisation, Madonna said: “My first thought when I woke up in the hospital was my children.
“My second thought was that I did not want to disappoint anyone who bought tickets for my tour.”
Elaborating, the singer said: “I also didn’t want to let down the people who worked tirelessly with me over the last few months to create my show. I hate to disappoint anyone.”
Despite being 20 minutes late to begin the Holiday songstress wowed the crowd ad left the far from disappointed – with touching tributes, cameo appearances from her children and incredible costume and stage designs fans were left blown away by the gig.
23:32KEY EVENT
Madonna storms London!
The Queen of Pop showed no signs of slowing down as she stormed the O2 Arena and performed to a sold out crowd tonight.
She may have been 20 minutes late to start the gig but the 65-year-old popstar proved she was more than worth the wait as she put on an incredible show for fans, which was filled with incredible staging, hit songs and personal touches too.
Madonna storms the O2 as she kicks off her Celebration tour (
Image:
SplashNews.com)
Madonna spoke to the crowd about her recent health woes after she was rushed to hospital in June and forced to push her tour back. She told her London-based fans: “It was a crazy year for me and I didn’t think I was going to make it. I forgot five days of my life.
“But the angels were protecting me and my children were there and my children always save me every time. And if you want to know a secret as to how I survived, I thought, ‘I have to survive for them. I have to survive for my children’.”
The Like A Virgin star’s daughters Lourdes and Mercy each made cameos during the live gig.
And, as the star looked back at her incredible 40 year career in the music industy, Madonna made sure to remember those we had lost along the way – paying tribute to Sinead O’Connor, Freddie Mercury, Michael Jackson and more.
She ended the night just after curfew at 11.05pm and crowds of fans left the London venue with grins on their faces after she iconic singer’s awe-inspiring performance. One wrote on Twitter: “MADONNA SINGING DIE ANOTHER DAY!!! THIS IS THE BEST PERFORMANCE OH GOSH!!! THE ONE AND ONLY QUEEN OF POP #MADONNA#THECELEBRATIONTOUR !”.
Another added: “Madonna and her team have done an incredible job – the show is INCREDIBLE”. And a third penned: “I can’t possibly have taken all that in in one show. I need my other shows to appreciate it more. My one overriding thought coming out of the show: thank GOD she’s still with us…”
23:02Zara Woodcock
Michael Jackson and Sinéad O’Connor tributes
A huge moment from the night was when a huge picture of Sinead O’Connor, who died this year, was projected onto the big screen.
There was also a Michael Jackson tribute as his song Billie Jean played. A black-and-white silhouette was projected onto a screen before it showed a series of black-and-white photos of the pair of them out on the town together.
The pictures were of the two of them at the 1991 Oscars together fueling speculation they were dating.
22:59Zara Woodcock
Negligees and masks
Madonna wowed fans with several incredible costumes (
Image:
SplashNews.com)
Madonna left the audience in awe during the night as she rocked endless outfits, including negligees.
At one point, a dancer in a mask danced and wrapped their arms around her as they leaned back on a bed.
22:49Zara Woodcock
‘What a Tramp’
Madge hit back at the haters as she walked off stage while some of the worst headlines of her career appeared on screen
Madonna walked off stage as a video montage was played showing some of the worst headlines she has endured throughout her career.
One of the headlines read: “What a Tramp!”
She quickly returned wearing a silver catsuit to sing Bedtime Story. Not long after, she sang Ray Of Light and began floating 50ft up in the air on a concrete platform. No expense is spared in the set design and production – it’s been a visual feast for the eyes and fans are going berserk.
22:42KEY EVENT
Madonna ‘didn’t think she was going to make it’ as she discusses recent health scare
Madonna touched upon her recent health scare with fans.
The Queen of Pop was rushed to an intensive care unit with a “serious bacterial infection” back in June after being found unconscious. She was intubated for at least one night before having the tube removed.
Madonna opened up about her health scare to the audience, after being hospitalised earlier this year (
Image:
SplashNews.com)
After being released from hospital, Madonna spent time recovering in her New York home.
Her health woes didn’t stop her from giving her all tonight as she told the audience: “It was a crazy year for me and I didn’t think I was going to make it. I forgot five days of my life.
“But the angels were protecting me and my children were there and my children always save me every time. And if you want to know a secret as to how I survived, I thought, ‘I have to survive for them. I have to survive for my children’.”
Following her touching speech, she performed I Will Survive and led the crowd in an impressive sing-a-long in one of the most moving parts of the show.
22:36KEY EVENT
Tribute to Palestine and Israel
Madonna took a brief moment to pay tribute to Palestine and Israel.
Speaking about the ongoing conflict, she told the audience: “There’s a lot of really crazy things happening in the world. What’s happening in Israel and Palestine breaks my heart to see children suffering, elderly suffering, all of it is heartbreaking, I’m sure you agree.
“But even though our hearts are broken, our spirits can not be broken.’”
22:30Zara Woodcock
From Die Another Day to Don’t Tell Me
Madonna left a great impression with her comeback tour as she performed Die Another Day and Don’t Tell Me.
Madonna’s Celebration tour was filled with theatrics and smash hits (
Image:
SplashNews.com)
For Die Another Day, she dressed in a long, black leather Mac while blue lasers zig-zagged across the arena, creating an amazing light show and disco atmosphere.
When it was time for Don’t Tell Me, horses running through the desert were projected on the gigantic screens. Always ready for an outfit change, Madonna emerged dressed as a cowgirl.
22:21KEY EVENT
Daughters Mercy and Lourdes’ sweet cameo
Madonna’s daughter Mercy, 17, had a sweet cameo on the piano during the set.
It wasn’t the only cameo as her other daughter Lourdes Leon, 26, who she shares with Carlos Leon, joined her mum on stage to judge a Ballroom walk.
22:13Zara Woodcock
‘What are the pigs doing here?’
In a segment about police brutality, Madonna has a pop at the police as two dancers dressed as cops arrive on stage.
The pop star made her political views clear as she called out police brutality (
Image:
SplashNews.com)
She yells out to the crowd: “What are the pigs doing here?”
22:11Zara Woodcock
Nod to Beyoncé
As a little nod to Beyoncé, Madonna played the remix to Break My Soul for a few bars before continuing on with her set.
During Queen Bey’s Renaissance tour, Beyoncé paid homage to Madonna while performing in New Jersey in August.
The CUFF IT singer singled out the La Isla Bonita singer while singing Break My Soul, which samples Madonna’s 1990 hit Vogue.
And tonight, following her homage to Beyoncé, Madonna brought out Estelle.
22:02Zara Woodcock
Madonna locks lips with dancer
The Holiday hit singer was blindfolded before she locked lips with a dancer (
Image:
SplashNews.com)
The singer was blindfolded as she performed her 2005 hit song, Hung Up.
Four topless women gyrated and danced around her as she belted out the lyrics. At one point, she snogged one of the women before getting on all fours to crawl along the stage.
The song is from her tenth studio album Confessions on a Dance Floor and features a sample from ABBA’s Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight).
She went on to sing Bad Girl and rocked a red and black satin dress while stretching out on a grand piano that emerged from the centre of the stage.
21:46Zara Woodcock
Crucifixes and Gimp Masks for Like A Prayer
Madonna performed her iconic song, Like A Prayer, while bright crucifixes were projected onto the screen. Topless men in black gimp masks danced alongside her while she belted out the lyrics.
The dancers then moved to hang off and hold onto the frames and pose as they created dramatic imagery for the song, which was originally released in 1989.
21:33KEY EVENT
Madonna’s touching tribute to Freddie Mercury, Arthur Ashe and other stars who died of AIDS
As she sung her 1986 hit Live To Tell, Madonna paid tributes to Freddie Mercury, Arthur Ashe and other stars who have sadly died of AIDS.
Madonna sung from a concrete-style box as she paid tributes to stars who have died from AIDS
The star sung from a concrete-looking window which was suspended 100ft up in the air while black and white photos of the stars were shown on huge screens. The message: “In loving memory of the bright lights we lost to AIDS” then appeared on screen.
21:26Amy Denman
Madonna’s children support star in the audience
During her candid chat with her adoring fans, Madonna revealed her children were amongst those cheering in the audience.
“My children are all here and I am so happy,” she gushed. The star then recalled her first trip to London and revealed how much she loved the fashion and music. “People were going to clubs and taking a lot of drugs,” she said.
The show is so far not the back-to-back all-singing,dancing spectacular everyone was perhaps expecting. A not insignificant proportion of the show so far is Madonna talking about her early years, in conversation with Ru Paul’s Drag Race star Bob the Drag Queen – but fans seem to be loving how candid Madonna is being. She is super-relaxed and has a good banter with the crowd.
21:19Amy Denman
Singer recalls life before huge pop success saying she was ‘broke, homeless and hungry’
Madonna discussed her very different life before her pop career shot her to worldwide fame, telling the crowd she was “broke, homeless and hungry” once upon a time.
She said: “I was an anorexic dancer for a couple of years. I was broke and homeless and hungry but I was not about to go back cos I’m not a quitter. So I decided to become a musician…”
The star then added: “When I was broke I had no money to take a bath or a shower so I would actually date men who had showers and bathrooms. I’d date them and if I thought they were cute I’d surreptitiously work into the chat – so you live alone and they’d say yes.
“‘Do you have a bathroom and shower?’ And they’d nod and look at me like I was a crazy person. And I’d say let’s get dinner. Blow jobs for showers! We all have to struggle to make ends meet right? You know what I’m taking about?”
Madonna added of her sound issues: “This so exactly what you don’t want to happen on your opening night…”
21:15Amy Denman
Queen of Pop hit with sound issues
Shortly after opening the show, Madonna was hit with sound issues. Ever the professional, the Vogue singer apologised to the crowd and explained they needed to hit the reset button.
21:08KEY EVENT
Madonna’s candid admission as she thanks her fans after health scare
After opening the how with an array of hits, delighting fans – despite being behind schedule – Madonna made a candid admission to the audience.
Speaking to her adoring fans, the Queen of Pop said: “Are you OK over there?
“Oh my god it’s so good to be back London. I am pretty damn surprised I made it this far. I mean this on so many levels. How did I make it this far. Because of you . But I will take a bit of credit too. It’s so nice to see you again and be back. I will tell you my story of life but through music.”
The star’s speech comes after she was hospitalised in June this year after being found unresponsive.
Madonna’s worrying health news was shared by her manager Guy Oseary on Instagram earlier this year.
“On Saturday, June 24, Madonna developed a serious bacterial infection which lead to a several-day stay in the ICU,” he wrote in a statement.
“Her health is improving, however she is still under medical care. A full recovery is expected. At this time we will need to pause all commitments, which includes the tour.”
21:00KEY EVENT
Madonna opens the show 20 minutes late
Madonna graced the stage 20 minutes behind schedule, after a drag queen artist warmed up the crowd. She was quick to please fans as she opened the show with Nothing Really Matters.
Dressed in a stunning diamond headdress and dramatic black gown as she sung to the sold-out crowd. A huge round light, which looked like a moon, shone above the singing pop star as she serenaded the cheering audience.
Madonna took to the stage in a diamond headpiece
She then performed her debut single; Everybody before performing Into The Groove.
20:45KEY EVENT
Madonna fans kept waiting as the singer is late to start show
Madonna is already late after being due on stage at 8.30pm but she is notorious for never being on stage on time. Her last appearance at the London Palladium in 2020 was cut short after she breached the curfew.
Madonna’s staging included a 100ft curtain above the stage (
Image:
Mirror)
Promoters will be hoping she doesn’t go overrun this time. Meanwhile, as fans wait for the singer to kickstart the gig a 100ft curtain depicting Madonna clutching a drink above the stage can be seen.
20:09Amy Denman
Inside Madonna’s VIP drinks before her comeback show
Guests including the songstress’ manager Guy Oseary mingled.
The Like A Virgin singer’s VIP guests enjoyed a Madonna-themed bar with free drinks, and ate canapés including mini-chicken bites and duck rolls.
Cardboard cut outs of the singer from different stages throughout her career were spotted around the room while guests mingled ahead of the concert.
19:54Amy Denman
Emmerdale star Lisa Riley spotted in crowd as fans take their seats
As fans posted photos of their view of the stage at the Madonna concert, one beady-eyed fan noticed Emmdale actress Lise Riley had taken her seat at the arena.
The fan shared snaps of the celebrity sighting on X, formerly known as Twitter, and penned: “Wee bit iconic that Madonna fansites are tweeting pictures talking about how great the stage looks, and the first thing I see is Lisa Riley aka Mandy Dingle from Emmerdale”.
Last night, Lisa shared a video on her Instagram to excitedly reveal she would be heading to the concert. She said in the clip: “I’ve already told you but I’m seeing Madonna tomorrow. How excited am I? It’s ridiculous, I feel like a five year old again.”
19:04Amy Denman
Secrets of Madonna’s comeback tour as her family flies in
Madonna joined four of her children for a family night out ahead of her first hugely anticipated sold-out show tonight.
Her family flew into London to support their mum as the superstar prepares to make her show-stopping comeback at the O2 Arena. On Thursday, she joined daughters Lourdes Leon, 26, and Mercy James, 17, and son David Banda, 18, at 23-year-old son Rocco Ritchie’s charcoal drawings exhibition in Mayfair.
The family appeared to have all received the dress code memo and dressed in black. A dinner followed at the venue, until 2am, with Rocco seen with a mystery girlfriend.
Madge has been doing plenty to ensure she’s on top form for the tour.
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