Today in Madonna History: May 27, 1990

On May 27 1990, Madonna played the first of three shows at the Toronto Skydome during her Blond Ambition Tour. The shows were Madonna’s only Canadian dates for the tour.

I was fortunate enough to have attended this show when I was twelve years old. Not only was it my first Madonna live experience, it was my first live concert experience. The morning tickets went on sale my mom was working out-of-town so she let me skip sixth-grade for the morning and I headed downtown to Sunrise Records…I managed to score two 100-level tickets directly facing the stage. I don’t think the word “excited” would sufficiently describe how elated I was to be going to see Madonna. The next two months felt like the longest two months of my life, but I couldn’t have been happier. I watched the Ciao Italia! concert on VHS daily during the lead-up, hoping that the new tour would be equally good. Needless to say it far exceeded my expectations – and my mom’s as well! We had the best time dancing and singing and just being utterly blown away by the spectacle. I couldn’t have asked for a better first concert experience, or for a better memory. Much love to the two M’s for making it possible! – Justin

Today in Madonna History: May 2, 2016

On May 2 2016, three of Madonna’s Blond Ambition Tour dancers – Jose Gutierez, Kevin Stea & Oliver Crumes – were interviewed by Gill Deacon for CBC-Radio’s arts and culture show, Q.

The dancers were in Toronto to promote their documentary, Strike A Pose, which was being screened during the Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival between April 27–May 7 and the Inside Out Toronto film festival from May 27–June 5, 2016.

For anyone who hasn’t yet watched Strike A Pose, be sure to check it out! It’s a beautiful film!

Today in Madonna History: April 22, 1989

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Starting April 22 1989, and continuing for the weeks of April 29, May 6, May 13, May 20 and May 27, Madonna’s Like A Prayer album became and remained the number-one album in Canada!

Today in Madonna History: April 12, 2008

On April 12 2008, Madonna’s 4 Minutes spent the first of nine (non-consecutive) weeks at #1 on Billboard’s Canadian Hot 100 Singles chart.

Today in Madonna History: February 11, 2014

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On February 11 2014, Madonna personally lead a troupe of select gym-goers through a racy—but not criminally indecent—dancercize routine at the grand opening of Hard Candy Fitness, her new upscale gym in the massive Aura condos at Yonge & Gerrard in downtown Toronto, Canada.

Back in 1990, Toronto cops allegedly threatened to arrest Madge for grabbing her crotch on stage during her Blond Ambition Tour (Madonna refused to capitulate to the “fascist state of Toronto,” and nothing ever came of the threats).

Her attitude toward the city seems to have mellowed since then. While sashaying down the red carpet in fishnets and a black bustier suit from Canadian designers DSquared2, she paused to share her love for the city that snubbed her two decades go. “I think Toronto finally learned to accept me,” she told reporters for the Toronto Star. “I love Toronto.”

Today in Madonna History: December 26, 1987

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On December 26 1987, RPM magazine – Canada’s definitive music industry publication at the time – issued its year-end singles tally.

All four of Madonna’s eligible Canadian singles charting in 1987 made the list:

  • Who’s That Girl – #12
  • La Isla Bonita – #22
  • Causing A Commotion – #42
  • Open Your Heart – #68

Today in Madonna History: December 4, 2011

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On December 4 2011, shoe designer John Fluevog told the Calgary Herald’s Theresa Tayler that he never expected that Madonna would pay her respects by whipping out a pair of shoes he had gifted to her, putting them on during a scene in her infamous, documentary Truth Or Dare.

“Yah like ‘em?!” she said, as she flirted with the camera, showing off the “Munster” platforms.  At the time, it was a massive publicity break for the respected, but still little-known, Canadian designer.

Fluevog told Tayler that he rarely tells the story of how Madge ended up with a pair of his kicks:

“I don’t really like giving away shoes. It’s not what I do. This is a business. One night I was watching Madonna on one of those American talk shows. She was being very naughty, talking about spankings and saying all of these silly things. I thought, this is a game player. Her whole thing is a game. She needs a pair of my shoes.”

Fluevog then sent one of Madonna’s stylists a pair of his shoes and he never heard back.

“Not a thank you, not anything. Then, someone told me she wore them in the movie . . . I didn’t like Madonna’s game. I found it annoying, but I respected what she was doing.  The movie moment was a game-changer for Fluevog.  Things exploded for us. It was all a bit of shock to me.”