On this Day: May 31, 2012, May 31 2012 - Madonna has kicked off her MDNA world tour in Tel Aviv, Israel, wishing peace in the Middle East.
The highly anticipated opening of Madonna's 2012 World Tour launched May 31st from Ramat Gan Stadium in Tel Aviv.
Madonna has kicked off her MDNA world tour in Tel Aviv, Israel, wishing peace in the Middle East.
The two-hour concert at Ramat Gan Stadium saw the pop star perform tracks from her
album MDNA, as well as some of her other hit songs.
album MDNA, as well as some of her other hit songs.
Midway through the show, she told the 30,000-strong crowd: "If there is peace in the Middle East, there can be peace in the whole world."
The tour will run until December and take in more than 65 cities worldwide.
"I chose to start my world tour in Israel for a very specific and important reason," the singer said.
"As you know, the Middle East and all the conflicts that have been occurring here for thousands of years - they have to stop.
"If we can all rise above our egos and our titles and the names of our countries and our religions, and treat everyone around us with respect, then we are on the road to peace," she added.
However, a number of the singer's dance routines featured guns and violence.Her performance of Like A Virgin featured Madonna seemingly lowered into a volcano as a virgin sacrifice, while for Gang Bang - she wrestled with armed intruders before shooting them.
The routine for Revolver also saw the star wielding a Kalashnikov rifle, while one of her dancers brandished an Uzi.
The 53-year-old also took a sly dig at Lady Gaga, performing a mash-up of 1989 hit Express Yourself with Gaga's track Born This Way - which many critics and fans have claimed is strikingly similar.
Madonna, dressed as a marching band conductor, sang the lyrics, "She's not me", into her re-worked version.
Following Tel Aviv, the MDNA tour will move on to Abu Dhabi before dates in Europe, North and South America.
The singer's last tour grossed more than $400m (£261.5m).
(Reporting by Dan Williams; Editing by Bob Tourtellotte)
Hear is a minute-by-minute update of the international pop star's MDNA World Tour.
11:26 P.M. - Madonna and dancers returns
for one storming song-less performance. Queen of pop calls out:
"Shalom, Salam, thank you" and exits. No encore. Crowd leaves.
11:17 P.M. - Song ends, Madonna disappears into backstage. Encore?
11:14 P.M. - Intro into "Like a Prayer," and the entire crowd are on their feet. Gospel choir signals yet another religious reference.
11:11 P.M. - Stage filled with psychedelic sitar sounds and tabla rhythms.
11:03 P.M. - Video collage of social protests and political unrest fills the screen. Madonna goes into "I'm Addicted.
10:53 P.M. - Novel intro to "Like a Virgin," piano accompaniment. Dance hit turns into poignant ballad.
10:49 P.M. - "Human Nature" and its groove is welcomed warmly by the crowd. Madonna changes to a suit and tie.
10:39 P.M. - Madonna addresses crowd, says chose to open tour in Israel to promote peace. "You can't be my fan and not want peace."
10:21 P.M. - Madonna goes old school with "Open Your Heart," with the crowd singing along.
10:16 P.M. - A drum-filled version of the first single from her latest release "Give Me All Your Luvin.'"
10:11 P.M. - And, yes. She added a verse from Lady Gaga's "Born this Way," adding: "She's not me."
10:09 P.M. - Madonna dons cheerleader's outfit, breaks into "Express Yourself."
10:00 P.M.
- Madonna, sporting an electric guitar and surrounded by priests, walks
onto portion of stage stretching into the crowd. Plays "I don't Give
A."
9:55 P.M. - Madonna starts super-dramatic version of "Papa don't Prech," before segueing into "Hung Up."
9:50 P.M. - Stage transforms into a 1950s film noir set, and Madonna starts singing "Gang Bang."
9:46 P.M. - Madonna yells out: "Tel Aviv, are you ready?" and breaks into the song "Revolver."
9:41 P.M.
- At long last, after a lengthy wait, the queen of pop emerges, dressed
in black, and kicks off the show with "Girl Gone Wild."
Tens of thousands of Madonna fans from Israel and around the world
gathered at the Ramat Gan Stadium on Thursday night as the international
pop star launched her world tour to promote her new album MDNA.
She was expected to take to the stage at 8:45 P.M., after performances by DJ Ofer Nissim and DJ Martin Solveig.
The opening show of "MDNA" comes three years after the singer finished
her last worldwide concert tour, "Sticky & Sweet", with two
performances in Tel Aviv's Hayarkon Park. Sticky & Sweet drew
revenues of $408 million, breaking records for a solo artist. The
current concert tour is Madonna's ninth and also her longest. She will
visit 32 countries, including the United Arab Emirates, the Ukraine, and
Colombia.
Comments
Post a Comment