30 years later, she did well for an American girl from the Mid-West

New Footage - 1985 Virgin Tour Debut In Seattle

Madonna's "Virgin Tour” 1985 – the debut concert tour by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee – kicked off at Seattle's Paramount Theatre with the Beastie Boys as her opening act.

The KIRO 7 web team dug deep into the treasure trove of archived tape to find a snippet of Madonna's performance from 1985 – a clip that hasn't been broadcast since the night of Aug. 10, 1985. It shows nearly a minute of "Dress You Up," which was the first song she performed that night.

Before the Seattle debut of The Virgin Tour, Madonna played New York clubs and performed with Prince in Los Angeles. But that first performance in 1985 on a Wednesday night in Seattle was the start of her major concert dates.

According to Internet reviews of The Virgin Tour Wikipedia page, Madonna took to the triangular stage, surrounded by four giant screens, backed by two dancers and performing for the first time with a live band.

During a 2009 interview with Rolling Stone, Madonna reminisced about that starting point of what became a star-studded career.

"That whole tour was crazy, because I went from playing CBGB and the Mudd Club to playing sporting arenas," she told the magazine. "I played a small theater in Seattle, and the girls had flap skirts on and the tights cut off below their knees and lace gloves and rosaries and bows in their hair and big hoop earrings. I was like, 'This is insane!' After Seattle, all of the shows were moved to arenas."

Madonna had three shows in Seattle – April 10, 12 and 13 – and all three were sellouts by the time she took the stage that first night. The Beastie Boys weren't well received by the pro-Madonna crowd. The show was a year before "Licensed to Ill" was released

Their 30-minute set got off to a bad start when one of the Beastie Boys declared himself King of the Paramount, and generally made the pro-Madonna audience feel like a swarm of hillbillies, P-I pop music critic Gene Stout wrote in his review.

"Dressed in what looked like a Boy George outfit, she looked reluctant, almost scared, and kept her eyes on the ground as she and her small entourage swept past a modest gathering of fans," Stout wrote.

Madonna started the show with "Dress You Up," followed with "Holiday," and performed "Borderline" for the first time live as her seventh song. Madonna ended by debuting "Material Girl" as her encore.

 

On the Cover of a Magazine

I'll Remember...1986

New Kylie Minogue Song "Skirts"

A New Madonna Song? 'Back of the Bus'

This morning, MTV talked about what is known in the Madonna camp as the "Secret Project."The civil rights project was supposed to be unveiled a couple weeks back, but Madonna has delayed it. According to MTV and CNN, the project involves Steven Klein, a new song, a new video, and a call to action by her fans.

Madonna shot the video for her secret project last December and recorded a new song that deals with feminist power earlier this year. The name of the song was tentatively titled "Back of the Bus," but that could change in the final version. It is said to be one of the most powerful ballads Madonna has haver come up with. It compares the struggle women face around the world with the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s.

Madonna is getting ready to release a powerful project.

Madonna has always been an outspoken advocate for women's rights as well as gay rights. In the 1980s, when gay men were dropping like flies because of AIDS, Madonna preached tolerance through her albums, videos, and concert performances. She risked her career by defending the gay community, but gave them a much needed voice at a time when even our own president, Ronald Reagan, was homophobic.

Madonna has a special place in her heart for empowering young women. In 1989, she released the song "Express Yourself," which became an anthem for women's rights. It also became the subject of plagiarism when Lady Gaga completely copied the song note-for-note and used the same vocal style.

There is no official date for the release of Madonna's latest work. But we are sure it will be worth the wait.

Beyonce and Madonna team up for charity gig

Singers Beyonce and Madonna, activist Gloria Steinem and Bishop Desmond Tutu will be among big names reaching out to a billion people from a pop concert in London on the weekend.

The Sound of Change Live gig headlined by Beyonce, Florence the Machine and Jennifer Lopez will be broadcast live from Twickenham sports stadium to 150 countries on Saturday (Sunday NZT), and on primetime TV in the United States the following day, organisers say.

The four-hour concert could fund at least 120 projects supporting women and girls in more than 70 nations, if all the tickets are sold, they said.

Organised by the Chime for Change campaign, started by Italian fashion house Gucci, every ticket buyer will be able to choose which project their ticket will fund in what the campaign said was a world first for such a venture.

Strike a Pose...1989

Herb Ritts

Quote of the Day

"One element of Madonna's career that really takes center stage is how many times she's reinvented herself," Swift said when asked what she's learned from the original Material Girl's legacy. "It's easier to stay in one look, one comfort zone, one musical style. It's inspiring to see someone whose only predictable quality is being unpredictable."

Taylor Swift

Show Time Synergy

I'll Remember...

1989

2nd Proof artwork proof sheet used for the limited foldout poster sleeve

How Truth or Dare Changed the Next 20 Years

"There's nothing to say off camera," goes Warren Beatty's famous roast of Madonna in the 1991 documentary Truth or Dare. "Why would you say something if it's off camera? What point is there existing?"

He's mocking Madonna, his then-girlfriend, and the "insane" atmosphere her film crew added backstage during her 1990 Blonde Ambition Tour. The apparent generational divide in the exchange between the Hollywood legend and the savvy media manipulator has only amplified in the time since the movie's release. What once seemed like a fair point seems terribly quaint in these heavily documented times: who among us doesn'twant to live off camera? Or, at the very least, who would be surprised to find out that someone you know doesn't?

Madonna has rarely had her finger directly on the pulse—it took her years to dabble in electronica and new jack swing and French house—but over 20 years after its release,Truth or Dare is relevant as ever. (It's out on Blu-ray for the first time today.) It's as close to a memoir as Madonna has ever gotten, and it's brilliantly fitting that the music video master stuck with the trusted audio-visual format that catapulted her to success. Why write when you can be? Madonna's life banged the dust out of vérité entertainment, suggesting the documentary didn't have to be stuffy, that it could be wildly entertaining and overwhelmingly trashy. Echoes of it are apparent in reality TV today, particularly that which focuses on stars (if Truth or Dare was the slightly sinister but mostly good-humored Mondo Cane of celebrity portraits, Being Bobby Brown was Faces of Death).

The film reflected our intensifying fascination with all facets of celebrity life. We see Madonna repeatedly flanked with cameras, we see throngs waiting for her outside of Chanel, we hear rabid fans on the ground from her hotel room. Madonna told Good Morning America that with Truth or Dare, she aimed "to explode the myth that we raise up on a pedestal people we turn into icons. We make them inhuman and we don't give them human attributes so they're not allowed to fail, they're not allowed to make mistakes." Not every star today cosigns on this level of invasion, but those who do (Dina Lohan, Paris Hilton) often talk about reclaiming their public image from the public, echoing Madonna.

A collection of human attributes and mistakes, Truth or Dare predicted the real-women-being-real-bad subgenre of reality TV. Throughout the movie, Madonna acts like a monster. She laughs when she finds out her makeup artist was raped and then explains, "All I can think of is that she started talking about how she's on tour with me, she's staying at the Ritz Carlton and those guys got it in their mind they were going to fuck with her." She tells those who appear with her onstage how much she loves them to their faces and then talks behind their backs about how her backup singers annoy her and hanging out with her dancers gets boring. She mocks Kevin Costner (who to be fair is sporting stringy hair, shoulder pads and a mock turtleneck) for calling her show, "Neat," as soon as his back his turned. She throws unexplained shade at Belinda Carlisle, Janet Jackson and, most confusingly, Oprah (Chicago's conservatism is a reason "to not wanna live in Chicago — beside for the fact that Oprah Winfrey lives here"). She laments Antonio Banderas' marriage in front of his wife. She throws tantrums and is oblivious to the manipulation of her manager, who calms her down with flattery.

On the Cover of a Magazine

Globe Magazine

 United Kingdom - 1 May 1990

Funky Holiday!

AHHH-MAZZ-INGGG REMIX feat Holiday and Celebration

Gives Give Face

M With Lourdes Maria ♥ - Outtakes 1999

Can Madonna Make Flashy Safe for Women Over 50?

Madonna continues to push boundaries and buttons. And once again, people are asking if she’s gone too far.

This time, it’s the racy outfits she’s been wearing, not the costumes she sports during concerts, but the clothes she wears (or doesn’t wear) to public events like Sunday’s Billboard Music Awards. Accepting a Top Touring Artist award on stage, Madonna showed up in a provocative and skimpy ensemble that looked like it might have been borrowed from Lady Gaga (who herself has been known, figuratively, to borrow from Madonna). The outfit, custom made by Givenchy’s Riccardo Tisci, included a black shredded fishnet dress, which revealed a garter belt and black briefs.

Madonna’s outfit, as her outfits sometimes do, set off a round of tweets. “Madonna you are my mothers age. Needless to say i don’t want to see either of you in fishnet tights,” one viewer complained. “did mackelmore help madonna go thrift shopping when she bought that coat” asked another. Many tweeters expressed a blend of revulsion and envy. Madonna “is like 50 years old and has a better body than me oh” said one.
Madonna is 54 and has maintained an enviable shape. Those things command admiration from some, but scorn from others.

But Madonna’s age and insistence in putting sex in our faces makes some people uncomfortable–allowing her, in her fifties, to press a whole new set of buttons. Commentators are less offended by such outfits when they are worn by a younger star. Should a woman Madonna’s age being wearing something a little more covered up? some ask.Shouldn’t she dress her age? others question. To some it looks like she’s trying too hard to look young. To some, it comes off as desperate, embarrassing and a little sad.

My colleague, Journal reporter Christina Binkley, posed this question in an email: “When did we decide that women over 50 should be sexless? That certainly wasn’t the attitude in the glory days of Hollywood when stars continued seducing men well into their maturity. We’ve gotten so puritan!” She later added “I’m sorry, Madonna’s outfit just doesn’t look that outlandish to me. If Lady Gaga wore that, we’d yawn – she’s never that tame.”

So is Madonna trying to compete with Gaga, Beyonce, Britney and Rihanna, who are each indebted to her? Prove she’s still relevant? Or that she was the first to go there? And is she making herself look foolish in trying to still wear what they wear now and what she used to?

Madonna may be trying to make a new statement: Why should a woman over 50 start to dress matronly? Why, if she still has a toned body, can’t she wear risqué outfits?
Or she may be trapped. Her image is closely tied to how she looks and that look is closely tied to sex. Maybe she doesn’t know any other way to be or she thinks this is what her fans expect.

It does raise this question: how much longer will Madonna continue to wear get ups like this? What is her daughter Lourdes thinking? What example is she setting for her and for Beyonce and Rihanna once they turn 50? Can we expect to see Rihanna singing “S&M” in something skimpy in 30 years too?

Jennifer Lopez, in her early 40s, performed last night in an outfit that was similarly provocative. Who knows when or if, provided she maintains her famous shape, she’ll decide to retire such looks? What lessons can real women, and men, entering their 40s, 50s and beyond take from this when walking the fine line between dressing their age – whatever that might mean – and dressing like they’re denying their ages?

There are no easy answers. We may just have to wait to see what Madonna decides to wear when she turns 60.

Madonna meets Nicki Minaj & Lil Wayne @ Billboard Awards

Is it me or did Madonna seem more star struck to them, than they were to see her?  

Cute. 

EXTRA - Madonna on Family, Fashion and Feuds

Gives Good Face

Can You Spot the Difference?

Madonna gave a 5 year-old Kim Kardashian an her iconic jewelry

Madonna gifted Kim Kardashian with several iconic pieces of her jewellery when she was a little girl.  The 54-year-old pop queen had no idea she first bonded with the 32-year-old reality star in the 1980s until they were reunited at the Met Ball in New York earlier this month.  'I met her years and years ago when she was a little girl, believe it or not,' the seven-time Grammy winner told Extra's Jerry Penacoli.

'She told me she was a huge fan of mine, and it was during the time I was wearing all of the rubber bracelets on my arms.  'I took off all of the bracelets and gave them to her, and then I completely forgot about it. She reminded me when I saw her the other night. Now she's a pregnant lady!'  Kim would've had to have been about five years old since Madonna had promptly dropped her New York street urchin look by 1986.

Kardashian gleefully posted an Instagram snap of the powerful pair while inside the Costume Institute. 'When we first MET @Madonna,' the expecting mini-mogul tweeted to her 17.8 million followers.

Céline Dion on Madge

Canadian music legend Céline Dion stopped by the Queen of Pop's dressing room at the Billboard awards to say hello and then talked to Access Hollywood about how the meeting between the 2 divas went down.

Strike a Pose...

Bruce Weber - 1986

On the Cover of a Magazine

OTHER Magazine 

Japan - March 1997

Paparazzi...

HIM Premiere - 1995

Lola Goes Green

Strike a Pose...1998

LOL...LUV THIS!

Vacuum cleaner photo causes massive spike in sales

Before she hit the Met Ball in a full black wig and tartan ensemble, Madonna Instagrammed this snap of herself with the caption, "Cleaning up before the Met Ball".

According to our sources, the star was using a Miele S4 vacuum hose to make sure her bathroom was in tip top shape before she hit the red carpet.

Weirdly, Miele have seen a dramatic increase in sales calls for this particular model - so much so that the brand is thinking about developing a new range of vacuums in Madge's honour!

Miele's Marketing Director, Dominic Worlsey, said, "Miele has seen vacuum sales calls more than double since Madonna posted the photo. We've had so much interest that we've contacted her as a potential brand ambassador to launch the 'Immaculate Collection' of Miele vacuums. Inspired by the fashion forward icon, the range could emulate Madonna's most unforgettable outfits; from a pink Material Girl design, to an edgy look reminiscent of her Jean Paul Gaultier pointy braziers.'"

Material Girl: Rita Ora

RITA ORA should get used to wearing cone bras and leotards.
She’s signed a £500,000 deal to be the face of MADONNA’s clothing brand, Material Girl.
The singer has already shot campaign photos for the label, which is run by Madge and her daughter LOURDES.
And the endorsement from the veteran star could help Rita crack the US, where she still needs a big break. A source said: “Lourdes has been a fan of Rita for a while and has been to many of her gigs. She persuaded her mum to see her.
“They met at the Met Ball in New York last week and Madonna admired Rita’s attitude so signed the idea off.
“Rita jumped at the chance because she’s such a fan of the Queen Of Pop.
“She also hopes it will help her crack the States in the same way she has the UK.” Rita already has an influential mentor in JAY-Z. He signed her to his label Roc Nation when she was just a teenager.
Rita’s in good company posing in Madonna and Lourdes’s clobber.
KELLY OSBOURNE, GEORGIA MAY JAGGER and American singer, actress and model TAYLOR MOMSEN have all modelled for Material Girl.
The brand, sold in Macy’s stores in the US, is 1980s inspired and is aimed at teenagers.
It means a lot of the creative direction comes from young Lourdes.
That will please Rita when the pics are plastered all over billboards.

Gives Good Face...1971

Can Your Spot the Difference?

1999                                                                              2013

I'll Remember...1999

It takes a really, real man...

aughhh..I love the look on Prince's face.  HA!

On the Cover of a Magazine...1995

Melody Maker Magazine 

United Kingdom

Like an Interview...1992

 ANNE SINCLAIR Interview

EPIX will premiere MDNA tour June 22 at 8:00 pm ET

One of the most spectacular and controversial extravaganzas of 2012, Madonna: the MDNA Tour was filmed primarily in Miami as well as other locations. The MDNA Tour was the most successful and highest grossing tour of 2012 and was seen by over 2.2 million Madonna fans during the course of the 88 sold-out shows around the globe. The concert includes performances of several of her biggest hits including “Vogue”, “Like A Prayer” and “Hung Up.” She also performs songs from her MDNA album including “Give Me All Your Luvin’,” “Girl Gone Wild”, “Gang Bang” and “Turn Up the Radio.” The album debuted at No.1 in over 30 countries. Madonna, along with her seven member band, outstanding troupe of 27 dancers (all clothed in 1500 costumes) and state of the art visuals and sound electrified crowds around internationally with what the Material Girl termed “the hardest but most thrilling and challenging show I’ve ever done.”