Today in Madonna History: September 2, 1993

byebyebaby_vma_mtv_madonna 1993 MTV Movie Awards

On September 2 1993, Madonna opened the 1993 MTV Video Music Awards performing Bye Bye Baby.

Rolling Stone magazine ranked the performance as #8 of the 20 Best MTV VMAs Opening Performances:

Before there was Jo Calderone, there was Madonna’s gender-bending performance of Bye Bye Baby, the singer donning a tailcoat and top hat in a burlesque/bordello setting that previewed Madonna’s 1993 Girlie Show World Tour, which would kick off in a few weeks. In retrospect, the song selection is strange — “Bye Bye Baby” wasn’t even released as a single in the States. But Madonna’s VMAs portfolio is stacked with captivating presentations, and the risqué Bye Bye Baby performance (full of stroked inner-thighs, spanks, frottage, etc.) was another visual stunner.

Today in Madonna History: September 1, 2009

On September 1 2009, the final Sticky & Sweet Tour date took place in Tel Aviv, Israel.

This is the official press release for the final show:

For Immediate Release:

Madonna’s triumphant and record shattering Sticky & Sweet Tour will be making its last and final stop September 1st in Tel Aviv, Israel at the Yehoshua Gardens (HaYarkon Park). Tickets will go on sale this Wednesday, June 3rd – complete details below.

“I’m very excited about returning to Israel for my last and final show. I know it will be unforgettable” commented Madonna who last performed in Israel in 1993.

The Sticky & Sweet Tour – a stunning extravaganza gives fans a breathtaking never before seen or heard once-in-a-lifetime experience. One of the top selling touring acts of all time, Madonna’s Sticky & Sweet tour played 58 cities last summer to wild critical acclaim and before over two and a half million adoring fans including sold out performances in Paris (80,000 tickets sold), Zurich (72,000 tickets sold), London (74,000 ticket sold), Vancouver (50,000 tickets sold), South America (650,000 tickets sold) and three sold out Madison Square Garden Shows in New York City.

“In the premiere league of song-and-dance spectaculars, the queen of pop remains unrivalled and undefeated” raved the London Times of Madonna’s show in England. Sticky & Sweet is scheduled to start up again in London’s 02 Arena on July 4th with additional dates in France, Belgium, Italy, Spain, Russia, Sweden and many other countries before finishing on September 1st in Tel Aviv. Madonna joined creative forces with director Jamie King to create Sticky & Sweet which includes a troupe of l7 dancers, a specially built stage, hundreds of costumes and cutting edge visual technology. A multi million platinum selling recording artist, world class entertainer, singer, producer, songwriter, visual revolutionary, children’s book author, film director, documentarian, cultural icon and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, Madonna’s career continues to inspire her many fans around the world. She continues her unparalleled career which thankfully for her legion of fans shows no signs of slowing down.