Today in Madonna History: June 2, 2005

June 2, 2023 By sonicboy19 in 2005, June Tags: Benefit Concert, Like A Prayer (Single), Live 8, Live Videos, Music (Single), Ray Of Light (Single), TV Performance 1 Comment

On June 2 2005, Madonna.com confirmed Madonna’s participation of Live 8:

“Sir Bob Geldof confirmed in a press conference yesterday the details and confirmed the artists featuring in Live 8 – a series of five live shows in London, Paris, Philadelphia, Rome and Berlin on Saturday July 2nd. The concerts have been organized by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure as part of a campaign to force the world’s richest nations to relieve poverty in the third world. The concerts – which will be free – are aimed at raising awareness of poverty just before leaders of the Group of Eight industrialized nations meet in Scotland…”

Madonna went on to perform a three-song set from London’s Hyde Park consisting of Like A Prayer, Ray Of Light & Music.

Today in Madonna History: May 24, 2001

May 24, 2023 By Jay in 2001, May Tags: Drowned World Tour, HBO, La Isla Bonita, Live Videos, Lo Que Siente La Mujer 1 Comment

On May 24 2001, U.S. cable network HBO confirmed that it would broadcast Madonna’s Drowned World Tour on August 26th:

Madonna is taking her Music to the masses — HBO masses, that is. The cable network will air a live concert from the pop icon’s latest tour, the first in eight years, called the Drowned World Tour. Airing Aug. 26, the concert will be broadcast from The Palace of Auburn Hills in Detroit, Madonna’s hometown. It’s a thrill for us to have Madonna back because we know it is going to be a spectacular show, with that combination of her amazing talent and extravagant style which only Madonna can bring, says Nancy Gellar, HBO’s senior vice president of original programming. HBO and Madonna last teamed for 1993’s Madonna — Live Down Under: The Girlie Show, which aired live from Sydney, Australia. The program was HBO’s most-watched original program of the year. Madonna’s first special on HBO, 1990’s Madonna — Live! Blond Ambition World Tour, premiered to record numbers and remains one of the highest-rated original programs in HBO history.

Unlike HBO’s previous Madonna tour broadcasts, however, the live airing of the Drowned World Tour was simulcast to Canadian viewers via premium channel, The Movie Network.

A re-edited version of the concert special was later released on VHS & DVD on November 13th, 2001.

Today in Madonna History: May 7, 2003

May 7, 2023 By sonicboy19 in 2003, May Tags: American Life (Album), France, Hollywood, La Cantine Du Faubourg, Live Videos, Mother & Father, Nothing Fails, Paris, Promo Tour, X-Static Process 1 Comment

On May 7 2003, Madonna performed a small club show at La Cantine Du Faubourg in Paris, France as part of her American Life promo tour. The seven-song set list was broadcast live on French radio station NRJ, the show’s sponsor. The audience consisted mainly of contest winners selected by NRJ, along with VIP guests which included Madonna collaborators Jean-Baptiste Mondino and Jean Paul Gauthier.

Set list:

American Life
Hollywood
Nothing Fails
X-Static Process
Mother and Father
Like A Virgin
Don’t Tell Me

Today in Madonna History: May 4, 1990

May 4, 2023 By sonicboy19 in 1990, May Tags: Blond Ambition World Tour, Holiday, Live Videos 1 Comment

On May 4 1990, Madonna opened the 12-city North American leg of the Blond Ambition World Tour 1990 at The Summit, in Houston, Texas.

Today in Madonna History: April 26, 1994

April 26, 2023 By Jay in 1994, April Tags: Laserdisc Release, Live Down Under, Live Videos, The Girlie Show World Tour, VHS Release 1 Comment

On April 26 1994, The Girlie Show – Live Down Under was released by Warner-Reprise Video on VHS and laserdisc.

The concert – recorded on November 19, 1993 at the Sydney Cricket Ground in Australia – was a re-edited version of the concert special that had aired live on HBO. It was directed by Mark “Aldo” Miceli, who directed the live screens on Madonna’s 1990 and 1993 tours, as well as the Blond Ambition Japan Tour 90 VHS/laserdisc release. The Girlie Show – Live Down Under was nominated for a Grammy in 1995 for Best Long Form Music Video and was also one of the first concerts to be commercially issued on DVD in 1998.

Today in Madonna History: April 6, 1998

April 6, 2023 By Jay in 1998, April Tags: Frozen, Japan, Live Videos, Ray Of Light (Album), TV Performance, William Orbit 1 Comment

On April 6 1998, an exclusive studio performance of Frozen was broadcast during the Hey! Music Awards II on Fuji-TV in Japan. Madonna was also honoured with an award during the ceremony, and offered the taped performance and acceptance speech in lieu of attendance.