Blond Ambition Tour
Encyclopedia
The Blond Ambition World Tour was the third concert tour by American
singer-songwriter, Madonna
. The tour was launched in support of her fourth studio album
, Like a Prayer
, and the soundtrack, I'm Breathless
. The tour reached North America
, Europe
and Asia
. It was a highly controversial tour, mainly for its juxtaposition of Catholic iconography and sexuality. Rolling Stone
called it an "elaborately choreographed, sexually provocative extravaganza" and proclaimed it "the best tour of 1990." In 1991, a documentary film, Truth or Dare
(aka In Bed with Madonna), was released chronicling the tour. The tour received the "Most Creative Stage Production" at the Pollstar Concert Industry Awards. The tour was named the Greatest Concert of the 1990s by Rolling Stone
.
announced the Blond Ambition World Tour in November 1989, following the success of Madonna's fourth studio album, Like A Prayer, and Madonna's performance of "Express Yourself" at the 1989 MTV Video Music Awards
- considered as a tour preview. Initially, the tour was only to reach Japan and North America, as Madonna was considering roles in several films.
By the end of 1989 plans were announced to bring the tour to Europe as well because of popularity and fan demand. In December 1989, when preparations for the tour began, Madonna herself announced during a pre-recorded interview on German TV channel ZDF, that she would tour Germany during 1990. In April 1990, additional dates in Europe were added.
Stage preparations and dress rehearsals took place at the Disney Studios
, Burbank
, California
, before the tour kicked off in Japan.
The tour incorporated as central themes, sexuality and Catholicism
, a combination which engendered controversy. The Pope
called for a boycott of the show in Rome
, and one of three scheduled Italian dates was eventually canceled. The show has achieved a measure of cult status, with elements such as the bullet bra and ponytail hair extensions becoming cultural icons in their own right.
Madonna herself called the concert "like musical theater" and choreographer Vincent Patterson stated she wanted to "break every rule we can... She wanted to make statements about sexuality, cross-sexuality, the church... But the biggest thing we tried to do was change the shape of concerts. Instead of just presenting songs, we wanted to combine fashion, Broadway, and performance art."
The show's explicit overtone caused problems. In Toronto
, police were alerted that the show might possibly contain lewd and obscene content (particularly a masturbation scene) and threatened charges unless parts of the show were changed. The show went on unaltered, however, and no charges were made after tour manager gave the police an ultimatum: "Cancel the show, and you'll have to tell 30,000 people why."
French
fashion designer Jean-Paul Gaultier
designed the costumes for the tour, including the now-infamous cone brassiere. Additional costume pieces were designed by Marlene Stewart, who had previously worked with Madonna on the 1987 Who's That Girl World Tour
.
Director Alek Keshishian
captured more than 250 hours of film of Madonna and her troupe during the tour. This footage was edited and released to movie theaters as Truth or Dare (aka In Bed with Madonna).
Due to ongoing throat problems, six shows had to be canceled, bringing the tour down from 63 shows to 57; altogether, some 125,000 tickets had to be refunded.
segment, which was inspired by the Fritz Lang
silent film
. It begins with "Express Yourself" which includes an introduction from her 1982 song "Everybody". The stage was inspired by the "Express Yourself" music video and set in a large industrial machine-room with shirtless
male dancers. Madonna enters the stage at the top of a long staircase, dressed in a pinstripe suit, with cone-bra and garters from her bustier
visible. In this segment Madonna also performs "Open Your Heart
" and has a mock-fight with her back-up dancers in "Causing a Commotion
" (dressed in colorful bicycling gear). The final performance on this segment is "Where's the Party"; Madonna leaves the stage early for a costume change, while three male dancers continue dancing until the song ends.
The second segment was passionate and religious-themed, beginning with an Middle-Eastern version of "Like a Virgin
" sung on a red silk bed. Madonna is dressed in a gold corset and performs with two hermaphrodite
dancers on each side of the bed and concludes the song by simulating masturbation
. The set is then transformed into a church; Madonna wears a black robe and a large crucifix
during "Like a Prayer
", with her back-up singers and dancers dressed as nuns and priests. A medley of "Live to Tell
" and "Oh Father
" and a performance of "Papa Don't Preach
" end this section.
The third segment was a cabaret
inspired by the 1990 motion picture Dick Tracy, in which Madonna starred as "Breathless Mahoney". During this segment, Madonna was wearing a green and white striped showgirl outfit. It includes performances of "Sooner or Later
", sung atop of a grand piano, "Hanky Panky
" and "Now I'm Following You" in which she danced and lip-synched with the dancer Salim Gauwloos, who was dressed like Dick Tracy.
The fourth segment was inspired by 1930s Hollywood films using the work of artist Tamara de Lempicka
and an Art Deco
set design. Madonna performs "Material Girl
" in a mocking dumb blonde
voice, wearing hair rollers and bathrobe, (later removed to reveal a dress with pink fur). "Cherish
" is performed with three male dancers dressed as mer-men
whilst Madonna simulates playing the harp
. Madonna ends the section with "Into The Groove
" (with a sample from the 1989 Inner City song "Ain't Nobody Better") and a minimal version of "Vogue" performing choreography from its music video, dressed in a black sports bra and lycra shorts.
The fifth and final segment includes the two encores to the show; "Holiday
", with Madonna in 1970s polka-dots and ruffles singing a sample from "Do the Bus Stop" and "Keep It Together" inspired by the work of Bob Fosse
with Madonna dressed in bowler hat and performing chair-juggling. The "Keep It Together" routine was also inspired by the film A Clockwork Orange and found Madonna speaking with a cockney accent. The show finale has Madonna singing "Keep it together, Keep people together, forever and ever" over and over, finishing with her removing her hat and the spotlight zooming on to it.
The Japan and North American shows featured Madonna in her trademark blonde ponytail hair extensions. However, because the hairpiece kept getting caught in her headset microphone
and was pulling her real hair out by the root, she switched to short blonde curls for the European leg of the tour.
After the tour, Madonna and her entire Blond Ambition tour stage troupe recreated a neoclassic-themed performance of Vogue at the 1990 MTV Video Music Awards
.
The official tourbook and promotional posters for the tour used photography from the 1989 music video "Express Yourself" and Vogue.
. It was released by WEA Records UK in 1990 to promote the Blond Ambition Tour
and was only available to UK record stores and the music industry.
and cassette
and both contained the same "Hanky Panky
" CD single style packaging.
, titled Live! - Blond Ambition World Tour 90
, as part of a sponsorship deal with Pioneer Electronics. One of the Yokohama, Japan dates was also taped and released on VHS
and Laserdisc
in the Japan
ese market as Blond Ambition - Japan Tour 90. Pioneer signed an exclusive deal to release these concerts on laser disc only and thus no video or DVD has yet been released.
In addition to these shows, the August 1 show in Barcelona, Spain was taped and aired on television in Europe, Australia and Canada by SACIS-RAI. This show is known by fans for numerous technical mistakes (including Madonna forgetting part of the lyrics to "Sooner or Later
" and "Material Girl
," getting her monocle caught on her headset microphone at the beginning of "Express Yourself", and not realizing that her headset microphone was still live as she exited the stage after "Where's the Party," resulting in her command at a backstage crewmember to "get the fuck out of my fuckin' way"). All three Parisian dates were taped by Alek Keshishian
for Truth or Dare
(aka In Bed with Madonna).
Video of the 2nd night of the USA leg of the tour (May 5, 1990, Houston, Texas) taken from the video screens has been widely circulated among the fan community. In addition a poor quality Germany
-only DVD Blond Ambition Tour 1990 is from the same Houston show, not to be confused with the 1st night of the USA leg of the tour (May 4, 1990, Houston, Texas) which was also partially aired live on the MTV special 'Blond Date' during the 'Madonna Weekend'.
In the UK, BBC Radio 1 broadcasted the full show, live from Wembley Stadium in London on Saturday 21 July which led to controversy over the amount of swear words Madonna uttered live on air and the BBC had to issue an apology. Highlights of the show were lated aired after the 1992 interview with Madonna and Simon Bates.
The second show in Dallas was recorded for radio broadcast in the USA with the in-between song chatter removed. 'Express Yourself' and 'Open Your Heart' are recorded from the first Dallas show, whereas the remainder of the recording is from the second Dallas show.
Radio NRG broadcasted highlights from the first European show in Sweden on June 30.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
singer-songwriter, Madonna
Madonna (entertainer)
Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...
. The tour was launched in support of her fourth studio album
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
, Like a Prayer
Like a Prayer
Like a Prayer is the fourth studio album by American singer-songwriter Madonna, released on March 21, 1989 by Sire Records, three years after her previous studio album. Madonna worked with Stephen Bray, Patrick Leonard, and fellow icon Prince on the album while co-writing and co-producing all the...
, and the soundtrack, I'm Breathless
I'm Breathless
I'm Breathless: Music from and Inspired by the film Dick Tracy is the second soundtrack album by American singer-songwriter Madonna, released on May 22, 1990, by Sire Records...
. The tour reached North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
, Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
. It was a highly controversial tour, mainly for its juxtaposition of Catholic iconography and sexuality. Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
called it an "elaborately choreographed, sexually provocative extravaganza" and proclaimed it "the best tour of 1990." In 1991, a documentary film, Truth or Dare
Truth or Dare (documentary)
Madonna: Truth or Dare is a 1991 American documentary film chronicling the life of American singer-songwriter Madonna during her 1990 Blond Ambition World Tour...
(aka In Bed with Madonna), was released chronicling the tour. The tour received the "Most Creative Stage Production" at the Pollstar Concert Industry Awards. The tour was named the Greatest Concert of the 1990s by Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
.
Background
Originally to be called the "Like a Prayer World Tour", Sire RecordsSire Records
Sire Records is an American record label, owned by Warner Music Group and distributed through Warner Bros. Records.-Beginnings:The label was founded in 1966 as Sire Productions by Seymour Stein and Richard Gottehrer, each investing ten thousand dollars into the new company. Its early releases as a...
announced the Blond Ambition World Tour in November 1989, following the success of Madonna's fourth studio album, Like A Prayer, and Madonna's performance of "Express Yourself" at the 1989 MTV Video Music Awards
1989 MTV Video Music Awards
The 1989 MTV Video Music Awards aired live on September 6, 1989, honoring the best music videos from April 2, 1988, to June 1, 1989. The show was hosted by Arsenio Hall at the Universal Amphitheatre in Los Angeles....
- considered as a tour preview. Initially, the tour was only to reach Japan and North America, as Madonna was considering roles in several films.
By the end of 1989 plans were announced to bring the tour to Europe as well because of popularity and fan demand. In December 1989, when preparations for the tour began, Madonna herself announced during a pre-recorded interview on German TV channel ZDF, that she would tour Germany during 1990. In April 1990, additional dates in Europe were added.
Stage preparations and dress rehearsals took place at the Disney Studios
Walt Disney Studios (Burbank)
The Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, California, United States, serve as the international headquarters for media conglomerate The Walt Disney Company. The Walt Disney Studio's house offices for each of the company's divisions along with creative spaces designed for movie production. The Walt Disney...
, Burbank
Burbank, California
Burbank is a city in Los Angeles County in Southern California, United States, north of downtown Los Angeles. The estimated population in 2010 was 103,340....
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, before the tour kicked off in Japan.
The tour incorporated as central themes, sexuality and Catholicism
Catholicism
Catholicism is a broad term for the body of the Catholic faith, its theologies and doctrines, its liturgical, ethical, spiritual, and behavioral characteristics, as well as a religious people as a whole....
, a combination which engendered controversy. The Pope
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
called for a boycott of the show in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, and one of three scheduled Italian dates was eventually canceled. The show has achieved a measure of cult status, with elements such as the bullet bra and ponytail hair extensions becoming cultural icons in their own right.
Madonna herself called the concert "like musical theater" and choreographer Vincent Patterson stated she wanted to "break every rule we can... She wanted to make statements about sexuality, cross-sexuality, the church... But the biggest thing we tried to do was change the shape of concerts. Instead of just presenting songs, we wanted to combine fashion, Broadway, and performance art."
The show's explicit overtone caused problems. In Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, police were alerted that the show might possibly contain lewd and obscene content (particularly a masturbation scene) and threatened charges unless parts of the show were changed. The show went on unaltered, however, and no charges were made after tour manager gave the police an ultimatum: "Cancel the show, and you'll have to tell 30,000 people why."
French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
fashion designer Jean-Paul Gaultier
Jean-Paul Gaultier
Jean Paul Gaultier , born 24 April 1952 in Arcueil, Val-de-Marne, France) is a French haute couture fashion designer. Gaultier was the creative director of Hermès from 2003 to 2010. In the past, he has hosted the television series Eurotrash....
designed the costumes for the tour, including the now-infamous cone brassiere. Additional costume pieces were designed by Marlene Stewart, who had previously worked with Madonna on the 1987 Who's That Girl World Tour
Who's That Girl World Tour
The Who's That Girl World Tour is the second concert tour by American singer-songwriter Madonna. The tour supported her third studio album, True Blue , as well as the soundtrack Who's That Girl . It was Madonna's first world tour, reaching Asia, North America and Europe...
.
Director Alek Keshishian
Alek Keshishian
Alek Keshishian is a Lebanese-born Armenian film director. He is best known for his 1991 film Madonna: Truth or Dare, which for a time was the highest-grossing documentary of all time....
captured more than 250 hours of film of Madonna and her troupe during the tour. This footage was edited and released to movie theaters as Truth or Dare (aka In Bed with Madonna).
Due to ongoing throat problems, six shows had to be canceled, bringing the tour down from 63 shows to 57; altogether, some 125,000 tickets had to be refunded.
Legacy
After Madonna embarked on the tour, Blond Ambition World Tour has been regarded as an iconic musical performance. With the Blond Ambition Tour, Madonna continued to influence the fashion world. She popularized the idea of wearing underwear as outer wear and will be forever associated with the ponytail hair extension and the pink satin conical bra designed by Jean-Paul Gaultier.About the show
The show was separated into five different sections: Metropolis, Religious, Dick Tracy, Art Deco and Encore. It began with the MetropolisMetropolis (film)
Metropolis is a 1927 German expressionist film in the science-fiction genre directed by Fritz Lang. Produced in Germany during a stable period of the Weimar Republic, Metropolis is set in a futuristic urban dystopia and makes use of this context to explore the social crisis between workers and...
segment, which was inspired by the Fritz Lang
Fritz Lang
Friedrich Christian Anton "Fritz" Lang was an Austrian-American filmmaker, screenwriter, and occasional film producer and actor. One of the best known émigrés from Germany's school of Expressionism, he was dubbed the "Master of Darkness" by the British Film Institute...
silent film
Silent film
A silent film is a film with no synchronized recorded sound, especially with no spoken dialogue. In silent films for entertainment the dialogue is transmitted through muted gestures, pantomime and title cards...
. It begins with "Express Yourself" which includes an introduction from her 1982 song "Everybody". The stage was inspired by the "Express Yourself" music video and set in a large industrial machine-room with shirtless
male dancers. Madonna enters the stage at the top of a long staircase, dressed in a pinstripe suit, with cone-bra and garters from her bustier
Bustier
A bustier is a form-fitting garment for women, which is traditionally worn as lingerie. Its primary purpose is to push up the bust by tightening against the upper midriff and forcing the breasts up, while gently shaping the waist. Nowadays, it might also be worn as a push-up bra under a low-backed...
visible. In this segment Madonna also performs "Open Your Heart
Open Your Heart (Madonna song)
"Open Your Heart" is a song by American singer-songwriter Madonna. It was released as the fourth single from her third studio album True Blue on November 12, 1986, by Sire Records. It has since appeared remixed on the compilation albums The Immaculate Collection and Celebration...
" and has a mock-fight with her back-up dancers in "Causing a Commotion
Causing a Commotion
"Causing a Commotion" is a song by American singer-songwriter Madonna. It was released as the second single from the soundtrack album Who's That Girl on August 25, 1987, by Sire Records. Its Silver Screen Single Mix later appeared on the 1991 UK compilation EP The Holiday Collection...
" (dressed in colorful bicycling gear). The final performance on this segment is "Where's the Party"; Madonna leaves the stage early for a costume change, while three male dancers continue dancing until the song ends.
The second segment was passionate and religious-themed, beginning with an Middle-Eastern version of "Like a Virgin
Like a Virgin (song)
"Like a Virgin" is a song by American singer Madonna from her second album of the same name. It was released on November 6, 1984 by Sire Records, as the first single from the album. The song appears on the greatest hits compilation albums The Immaculate Collection and Celebration...
" sung on a red silk bed. Madonna is dressed in a gold corset and performs with two hermaphrodite
Hermaphrodite
In biology, a hermaphrodite is an organism that has reproductive organs normally associated with both male and female sexes.Many taxonomic groups of animals do not have separate sexes. In these groups, hermaphroditism is a normal condition, enabling a form of sexual reproduction in which both...
dancers on each side of the bed and concludes the song by simulating masturbation
Masturbation
Masturbation refers to sexual stimulation of a person's own genitals, usually to the point of orgasm. The stimulation can be performed manually, by use of objects or tools, or by some combination of these methods. Masturbation is a common form of autoeroticism...
. The set is then transformed into a church; Madonna wears a black robe and a large crucifix
Crucifix
A crucifix is an independent image of Jesus on the cross with a representation of Jesus' body, referred to in English as the corpus , as distinct from a cross with no body....
during "Like a Prayer
Like a Prayer (song)
"Like a Prayer" is a song by American singer-songwriter Madonna on her fourth studio album of the same name . It was released on March 21, 1989, by Sire Records as the album's lead single...
", with her back-up singers and dancers dressed as nuns and priests. A medley of "Live to Tell
Live to Tell
"Live to Tell" is a pop ballad by American singer-songwriter Madonna. Originally written by Patrick Leonard for the soundtrack of the film Fire with Fire, the song was shown to Madonna, who decided to use it for then-husband Sean Penn's film At Close Range...
" and "Oh Father
Oh Father
"Oh Father" is a song by American singer-songwriter Madonna, from her fourth studio album Like a Prayer . It was released as the fourth single from the album on October 24, 1989, by Sire Records. The song was not released as a single in most European territories until December 24, 1995, when it...
" and a performance of "Papa Don't Preach
Papa Don't Preach
"Papa Don't Preach" is a song by American singer-songwriter Madonna. The song was written by Brian Elliot with additional lyrics by Madonna, and produced by Stephen Bray and Madonna for her third studio album True Blue, released in June 1986...
" end this section.
The third segment was a cabaret
Cabaret
Cabaret is a form, or place, of entertainment featuring comedy, song, dance, and theatre, distinguished mainly by the performance venue: a restaurant or nightclub with a stage for performances and the audience sitting at tables watching the performance, as introduced by a master of ceremonies or...
inspired by the 1990 motion picture Dick Tracy, in which Madonna starred as "Breathless Mahoney". During this segment, Madonna was wearing a green and white striped showgirl outfit. It includes performances of "Sooner or Later
Sooner or Later (Madonna song)
"Sooner or Later" is a song recorded by the American pop singer Madonna, and written by the American composer Stephen Sondheim, for the 1990 film, Dick Tracy...
", sung atop of a grand piano, "Hanky Panky
Hanky Panky (Madonna song)
"Hanky Panky" is a song by American singer-songwriter Madonna. It was the second and final single release from her soundtrack album I'm Breathless on June 30, 1990 by Sire Records. The song caused some controversy because of its innuendo and racy lyrics...
" and "Now I'm Following You" in which she danced and lip-synched with the dancer Salim Gauwloos, who was dressed like Dick Tracy.
The fourth segment was inspired by 1930s Hollywood films using the work of artist Tamara de Lempicka
Tamara de Lempicka
Tamara de Lempicka , born Maria Górska in Moscow, in the Russian Empire, was a Polish Art Deco painter and "the first woman artist to be a glamour star."- Early life :...
and an Art Deco
Art Deco
Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
set design. Madonna performs "Material Girl
Material Girl
"Material Girl" is a song performed by American singer-songwriter Madonna. It was released on January 30, 1985, by Sire Records, as the second single from her second album Like a Virgin. It also appears slightly remixed on the 1990 greatest hits compilation, The Immaculate Collection, and in its...
" in a mocking dumb blonde
Dumb blonde
The blonde stereotype, the stereotypical perception of blond-haired women, has two aspects. On one hand, over the history, blonde hair in women has been considered attractive and desirable...
voice, wearing hair rollers and bathrobe, (later removed to reveal a dress with pink fur). "Cherish
Cherish (Madonna song)
"Cherish" is a song by American singer-songwriter Madonna. It was released as the third single from her fourth studio album Like a Prayer on August 1, 1989, by Sire Records. The song was also included on the 1990 compilation album The Immaculate Collection and the two-disc edition of her 2009...
" is performed with three male dancers dressed as mer-men
Merman
Mermen are mythical male equivalents of mermaids – legendary creatures who have the form of a human from the waist up and are fish-like from the waist down.-Mythology:...
whilst Madonna simulates playing the harp
Harp
The harp is a multi-stringed instrument which has the plane of its strings positioned perpendicularly to the soundboard. Organologically, it is in the general category of chordophones and has its own sub category . All harps have a neck, resonator and strings...
. Madonna ends the section with "Into The Groove
Into the Groove
"Into the Groove" is a song by American singer-songwriter Madonna from the 1985 film Desperately Seeking Susan. It was featured on the 1985 re-issue of her second studio album, Like a Virgin, and released on July 23, 1985 by Sire Records as the album's fourth single outside North America...
" (with a sample from the 1989 Inner City song "Ain't Nobody Better") and a minimal version of "Vogue" performing choreography from its music video, dressed in a black sports bra and lycra shorts.
The fifth and final segment includes the two encores to the show; "Holiday
Holiday (Madonna song)
"Holiday" is a song by American singer Madonna from her self-titled debut album. Released on September 7, 1983 by Sire Records, it later appeared remixed on the 1987 remix compilation You Can Dance and the 1990 greatest hits compilation The Immaculate Collection, and in its original form on the...
", with Madonna in 1970s polka-dots and ruffles singing a sample from "Do the Bus Stop" and "Keep It Together" inspired by the work of Bob Fosse
Bob Fosse
Robert Louis “Bob” Fosse was an American actor, dancer, musical theater choreographer, director, screenwriter, film editor and film director. He won an unprecedented eight Tony Awards for choreography, as well as one for direction...
with Madonna dressed in bowler hat and performing chair-juggling. The "Keep It Together" routine was also inspired by the film A Clockwork Orange and found Madonna speaking with a cockney accent. The show finale has Madonna singing "Keep it together, Keep people together, forever and ever" over and over, finishing with her removing her hat and the spotlight zooming on to it.
The Japan and North American shows featured Madonna in her trademark blonde ponytail hair extensions. However, because the hairpiece kept getting caught in her headset microphone
Microphone
A microphone is an acoustic-to-electric transducer or sensor that converts sound into an electrical signal. In 1877, Emile Berliner invented the first microphone used as a telephone voice transmitter...
and was pulling her real hair out by the root, she switched to short blonde curls for the European leg of the tour.
After the tour, Madonna and her entire Blond Ambition tour stage troupe recreated a neoclassic-themed performance of Vogue at the 1990 MTV Video Music Awards
1990 MTV Video Music Awards
The 1990 MTV Video Music Awards aired live on September 6, 1990, honoring the best music videos from June 2, 1989, to June 1, 1990. The show was hosted by Arsenio Hall at the Universal Amphitheatre in Los Angeles....
.
The official tourbook and promotional posters for the tour used photography from the 1989 music video "Express Yourself" and Vogue.
Opening acts
- TechnotronicTechnotronicTechnotronic is a Belgian studio-based music project formed in 1988 by Jo Bogaert , who had already made his musical mark in the beginning of the 1980s as a part of a cover band and as a solo artist under various New Beat projects, including The Acts of Madmen and Nux Nemo...
(North America, some European countries) - Fingerprints (Sweden)
- Adele Humphrey (selected dates)
- Mysterious ArtMysterious ArtMysterious Art is a German Dancefloor-Act and publishing house founded in 1988. M.A. became famous for its hit singles "OMEN I", "OMEN II", and "OMEN III".-History:...
(Germany)
Setlist
- "Express Yourself" (contains excerpts from "Everybody")
- "Open Your HeartOpen Your Heart (Madonna song)"Open Your Heart" is a song by American singer-songwriter Madonna. It was released as the fourth single from her third studio album True Blue on November 12, 1986, by Sire Records. It has since appeared remixed on the compilation albums The Immaculate Collection and Celebration...
" - "Causing a CommotionCausing a Commotion"Causing a Commotion" is a song by American singer-songwriter Madonna. It was released as the second single from the soundtrack album Who's That Girl on August 25, 1987, by Sire Records. Its Silver Screen Single Mix later appeared on the 1991 UK compilation EP The Holiday Collection...
" - "Where's The Party"
- "Like a VirginLike a Virgin (song)"Like a Virgin" is a song by American singer Madonna from her second album of the same name. It was released on November 6, 1984 by Sire Records, as the first single from the album. The song appears on the greatest hits compilation albums The Immaculate Collection and Celebration...
" - "Like a PrayerLike a Prayer (song)"Like a Prayer" is a song by American singer-songwriter Madonna on her fourth studio album of the same name . It was released on March 21, 1989, by Sire Records as the album's lead single...
" (contains excerpts from "Act of Contrition") - Medley:
- "Live to TellLive to Tell"Live to Tell" is a pop ballad by American singer-songwriter Madonna. Originally written by Patrick Leonard for the soundtrack of the film Fire with Fire, the song was shown to Madonna, who decided to use it for then-husband Sean Penn's film At Close Range...
" - "Oh FatherOh Father"Oh Father" is a song by American singer-songwriter Madonna, from her fourth studio album Like a Prayer . It was released as the fourth single from the album on October 24, 1989, by Sire Records. The song was not released as a single in most European territories until December 24, 1995, when it...
"
- "Live to Tell
- "Papa Don't PreachPapa Don't Preach"Papa Don't Preach" is a song by American singer-songwriter Madonna. The song was written by Brian Elliot with additional lyrics by Madonna, and produced by Stephen Bray and Madonna for her third studio album True Blue, released in June 1986...
" - "Sooner or LaterSooner or Later (Madonna song)"Sooner or Later" is a song recorded by the American pop singer Madonna, and written by the American composer Stephen Sondheim, for the 1990 film, Dick Tracy...
" - "Hanky PankyHanky Panky (Madonna song)"Hanky Panky" is a song by American singer-songwriter Madonna. It was the second and final single release from her soundtrack album I'm Breathless on June 30, 1990 by Sire Records. The song caused some controversy because of its innuendo and racy lyrics...
" - "Now I'm Following You"
- "Material GirlMaterial Girl"Material Girl" is a song performed by American singer-songwriter Madonna. It was released on January 30, 1985, by Sire Records, as the second single from her second album Like a Virgin. It also appears slightly remixed on the 1990 greatest hits compilation, The Immaculate Collection, and in its...
" - "CherishCherish (Madonna song)"Cherish" is a song by American singer-songwriter Madonna. It was released as the third single from her fourth studio album Like a Prayer on August 1, 1989, by Sire Records. The song was also included on the 1990 compilation album The Immaculate Collection and the two-disc edition of her 2009...
" - "Into the GrooveInto the Groove"Into the Groove" is a song by American singer-songwriter Madonna from the 1985 film Desperately Seeking Susan. It was featured on the 1985 re-issue of her second studio album, Like a Virgin, and released on July 23, 1985 by Sire Records as the album's fourth single outside North America...
" (contains elements of "Ain't Nobody Better") - "Vogue"
- "HolidayHoliday (Madonna song)"Holiday" is a song by American singer Madonna from her self-titled debut album. Released on September 7, 1983 by Sire Records, it later appeared remixed on the 1987 remix compilation You Can Dance and the 1990 greatest hits compilation The Immaculate Collection, and in its original form on the...
" (contains elements of "Do the Bus Stop") - "Keep It Together" (contains excerpts from "Family AffairFamily Affair (Sly & the Family Stone song)"Family Affair" is a 1971 number-one hit single recorded by Sly & the Family Stone for the Epic Records label. Their first new material since the double a-sided single "Thank You "/ "Everybody is a Star" nearly two years prior, "Family Affair" became the fourth and final number-one pop hit for the...
")
Tour dates
| Date | City | Country | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asia | |||
| April 13, 1990 | Chiba City | Japan Japan Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south... |
Chiba Marine Stadium Chiba Marine Stadium is a stadium in Chiba City, Japan. It opened in 1990 and holds 30,000 people.The official opening of the stadium was held on April 13, 1990, when popstar Madonna opened her Blond Ambition Tour at the venue... |
| April 14, 1990 | |||
| April 15, 1990 | |||
| April 20, 1990 | Hyōgo | Hankyu Nishinomiya Stadium Hankyu Nishinomiya Stadium was a baseball stadium in Nishinomiya, Hyōgo, Japan. The stadium was opened in 1937 and had a capacity of 35,000 people.It was primarily used for baseball and was home of the Orix Braves , until they moved to Kobe Stadium, in 1991.... |
|
| April 21, 1990 | |||
| April 22, 1990 | |||
| April 25, 1990 | Yokohama Yokohama is the capital city of Kanagawa Prefecture and the second largest city in Japan by population after Tokyo and most populous municipality of Japan. It lies on Tokyo Bay, south of Tokyo, in the Kantō region of the main island of Honshu... |
Yokohama Stadium Yokohama Stadium is a stadium in Naka Ward, Yokohama, Japan. It opened in 1978 and holds 30,000 people.It is primarily used for baseball and is the home field of the Yokohama BayStars. The stadium is unique, because it features dirt around the bases and pitcher's mound, but with dirt colored turf infield and base... |
|
| April 26, 1990 | |||
| April 27, 1990 | |||
| North America | |||
| May 4, 1990 | Houston | United States United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... |
The Summit |
| May 5, 1990 | |||
| May 7, 1990 | Dallas | Reunion Arena Reunion Arena Reunion Arena was an indoor arena, in the Reunion district of downtown Dallas, Texas . It held 18,293 for basketball and 17,001 for ice hockey.It was demolished in November 2009 and the site was cleared by the end of the year.-History:... |
|
| May 8, 1990 | |||
| May 11, 1990 | Los Angeles Los Ángeles Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants... |
Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena The Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena is a multi-purpose arena, in the University Park neighborhood, of Los Angeles, California, at Exposition Park. It is located next to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, just south of the campus of the University of Southern California.-History:The Los Angeles... |
|
| May 12, 1990 | |||
| May 13, 1990 | |||
| May 15, 1990 | |||
| May 16, 1990 | |||
| May 18, 1990 | Oakland | Oakland Coliseum Arena | |
| May 19, 1990 | |||
| May 20, 1990 | |||
| May 23, 1990 | Rosemont Rosemont, Illinois Rosemont is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States located immediately northwest of Chicago. The village was incorporated in 1956, though it had been settled long before that... |
Rosemont Horizon Allstate Arena Allstate Arena is a multi-purpose arena, in Rosemont, Illinois.It is home to the Chicago Rush, of the Arena Football League, DePaul University's men's basketball team, the Chicago Wolves, of the AHL, and the Chicago Sky, of the WNBA.It is located near the intersection of Mannheim Road and... |
|
| May 24, 1990 | |||
| May 27, 1990 | Toronto Toronto Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from... |
Canada Canada Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean... |
SkyDome Rogers Centre Rogers Centre is a multi-purpose stadium, in Downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated next to the CN Tower, near the shores of Lake Ontario. Opened in 1989, it is home to the Toronto Blue Jays of Major League Baseball and the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League... |
| May 28, 1990 | |||
| May 29, 1990 | |||
| May 31, 1990 | Auburn Hills | United States | The Palace of Auburn Hills The Palace of Auburn Hills The Palace of Auburn Hills, often referred to simply as The Palace, is a sports and entertainment venue in Auburn Hills, Michigan, a suburb on the northern outskirts of Detroit, Michigan, United States. Opened in 1988, it is the home of the Detroit Pistons of the National Basketball Association... |
| June 1, 1990 | |||
| June 4, 1990 | Worcester Worcester, Massachusetts Worcester is a city and the county seat of Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. Named after Worcester, England, as of the 2010 Census the city's population is 181,045, making it the second largest city in New England after Boston.... |
The Centrum DCU Center The DCU Center is an indoor arena and convention center complex, located in downtown Worcester, Massachusetts.... |
|
| June 5, 1990 | |||
| June 8, 1990 | Landover Landover, Maryland Landover is an unincorporated community in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States, within the census-designated place of Greater Landover. The Prince Georges County Sports and Learning Complex is in Landover... |
Capital Centre Capital Centre The Capital Centre was an indoor arena located in Landover, Maryland, unincorporated Prince George's County, Maryland; a suburb of Washington, D.C. Completed in 1973, the arena sat 18,756 for basketball and 18,130 for hockey.... |
|
| June 9, 1990 | |||
| June 11, 1990 | Uniondale Uniondale, New York Uniondale is a hamlet as well as a suburb of New York City in Nassau County, New York, United States, on Long Island, in the Town of Hempstead. The population was 24,759 at the 2010 United States Census.-Geography:... |
Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum The Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum is a multi-purpose indoor arena in Uniondale, New York, United States. Home to the New York Islanders of the National Hockey League, the Coliseum is located approximately east of New York City on Long Island... |
|
| June 12, 1990 | |||
| June 13, 1990 | |||
| June 16, 1990 | Philadelphia | Philadelphia Spectrum Wachovia Spectrum The Spectrum, formerly known as the CoreStates Spectrum , First Union Spectrum , and Wachovia Spectrum was an indoor arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania... |
|
| June 17, 1990 | |||
| June 20, 1990 | East Rutherford | Brendan Byrne Arena | |
| June 21, 1990 | |||
| June 24, 1990 | |||
| June 25, 1990 | |||
| Europe | |||
| June 30, 1990 | Gothenburg Gothenburg Gothenburg is the second-largest city in Sweden and the fifth-largest in the Nordic countries. Situated on the west coast of Sweden, the city proper has a population of 519,399, with 549,839 in the urban area and total of 937,015 inhabitants in the metropolitan area... |
Sweden Sweden Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund.... |
Eriksberg Shipyard Docks Eriksberg, Gothenburg Eriksberg is an area on Hisingen in Gothenburg where Eriksbergs Mekaniska Verkstads AB had their shipyard until bankruptcy in 1979. For over a century the area was dominated by shipbuilding but a crisis in the 1970s destroyed the industry.... |
| July 3, 1990 | Paris Paris Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region... |
France France The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France... |
Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy Opened in 1984, Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy, often abbreviated as POPB or Bercy, is an indoor sports arena on boulevard de Bercy located in the 12th arrondissement of Paris... |
| July 4, 1990 | |||
| July 6, 1990 | |||
| July 10, 1990 | Rome Rome Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half... |
Italy Italy Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and... |
Stadio Flaminio Stadio Flaminio The Stadio Flaminio is a stadium in Rome. It lies along the Via Flaminia, three kilometres northwest of the city centre, 300 metres away from the Parco di Villa Glori.... |
| July 13, 1990 | Turin Turin Turin is a city and major business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River and surrounded by the Alpine arch. The population of the city proper is 909,193 while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat... |
Stadio Delle Alpi Stadio delle Alpi The Stadio delle Alpi was a football and athletics stadium in Turin, Italy and was the home of both Juventus Football Club and Torino Football Club between 1990 and 2006. In English, the name meant "Stadium of the Alps," a reference to the nearby Alps mountain range... |
|
| July 15, 1990 | Munich Munich Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat... |
Germany Germany Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate... |
Olympia-Reitstadion Riem |
| July 17, 1990 | Dortmund Dortmund Dortmund is a city in Germany. It is located in the Bundesland of North Rhine-Westphalia, in the Ruhr area. Its population of 585,045 makes it the 7th largest city in Germany and the 34th largest in the European Union.... |
Westfalenhalle Westfalenhalle Westfalenhallen are three multi-purpose venues, located in Dortmund, Germany. The original building was opened in 1925, but was destroyed during World War II. New halls were built, the Große Westfalenhalle opened in 1952. The capacity of the arena is 16,500... |
|
| July 20, 1990 | London London London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its... |
England England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental... |
Wembley Stadium |
| July 21, 1990 | |||
| July 22, 1990 | |||
| July 24, 1990 | Rotterdam Rotterdam Rotterdam is the second-largest city in the Netherlands and one of the largest ports in the world. Starting as a dam on the Rotte river, Rotterdam has grown into a major international commercial centre... |
Netherlands Netherlands The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders... |
Feyenoord Stadium Feijenoord Stadion The Feijenoord Stadion, better known by its nickname De Kuip , is a stadium in Rotterdam, Netherlands that was completed in 1937. The name is derived from the area "Feijenoord" in Rotterdam, and from the club with the same name .Capacity at completion: 64,000. Maximum capacity: 69,000... |
| July 27, 1990 | Madrid Madrid Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan... |
Spain Spain Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula... |
Vicente Calderón Stadium Vicente Calderón Stadium The Vicente Calderón Stadium is the home stadium of La Liga football club Atlético Madrid and is located in the Arganzuela district of Spanish capital Madrid. The stadium was originally called the Manzanares Stadium, but this was later changed to the Vicente Calderón Stadium, after the famous... |
| July 29, 1990 | Vigo Vigo Vigo is a city and municipality in north-west Spain, in Galicia, situated on the ria of the same name on the Atlantic Ocean.-Population:... |
Estadio Municipal Balaídos | |
| August 1, 1990 | Barcelona Barcelona Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of... |
Olympic Stadium Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys is a stadium in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. Originally built in 1927 for the 1929 International Exposition in the city , it was renovated in 1989 to be the main stadium for the 1992 Summer Olympics... |
|
| August 5, 1990 | Nice Nice Nice is the fifth most populous city in France, after Paris, Marseille, Lyon and Toulouse, with a population of 348,721 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Nice extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of more than 955,000 on an area of... |
France France The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France... |
Stade de l'Ouest Stade Charles-Ehrmann Stade Charles-Ehrmann is a football stadium, located in Nice, France. For sporting events, it seats 8,000 spectators.... |
Additional Notes
Cancelled/Postponed Dates:- May 25: Rosemont Horizon, Chicago IL - Cancelled due to throat problems
- June 6: The Centrum, Worcester MA - Cancelled due to throat problems
- June 15: The Spectrum, Philadelphia PA - Cancelled due to throat problems
- June 19: Meadowlands Arena, East Rutherford NJ - Re-scheduled for June 25
- June 22: Meadowlands Arena, East Rutherford NJ - Cancelled due to throat problems
- July 1: Olympic Stadium, Berlin, Germany - Cancelled due to poor ticket sales
- July 11: Stadio Flaminio, Rome, Italy - Cancelled due to poor ticket sales and a workers' strike
- July 15: Mungersdorfer Stadium, Cologne, Germany - Moved to Dortmund on July 17 due to poor ticket sales
- July 17: Olympic Stadium, Munich, Germany - Moved to Olympia-Reitstadion Riem for July 15
- July 28: Estadio Vicente Calderon, Madrid, Spain - Moved to Vigo on July 29
Personnel
- Show Directed by Madonna
- Choreography and co-directed by Vincent PatersonVincent PatersonVincent Paterson is a director and choreographer who has had an expansive career in many parts of the entertainment industry including film, theater, Broadway, concert tours, opera, music videos, television and commercials...
- Artistic Director: Christopher CicconeChristopher CicconeChristopher G. Ciccone is an American artist, film director, artistic director, dancer, best selling author, and interior and furniture designer. He is the younger brother of Madonna, and began his career working as Madonna's assistant, dresser, backup dancer, stylist, and artistic director...
- Musical Director: Jai Winding
- Tour Manager: John Draper
- Production Manager: Chris Lamb, GLS Productions
- Road Manager: Mike Grizel
- Set Designer: John McGraw
- Lighting Designer: Peter Morse
- Costume Design: Jean-Paul GaultierJean-Paul GaultierJean Paul Gaultier , born 24 April 1952 in Arcueil, Val-de-Marne, France) is a French haute couture fashion designer. Gaultier was the creative director of Hermès from 2003 to 2010. In the past, he has hosted the television series Eurotrash....
- Additional Costumes: Marlene Stewart
- Make-up and Hair: Joanne Gair
Band
- Keyboards: Jai Winding, Kevin Kendrick and Mike McKnight
- Guitar: Carlos Rios and David Williams
- Bass: Darryl JonesDarryl JonesDarryl Jones , also known as "The Munch", is an American bass guitarist. Jones began his notable career as a session musician, where he gained the experience and confidence to play with some of the most highly regarded recording artists, in jazz, blues, and rock music...
- Drums: Jonathan Moffett
- Percussion: Luis Conte
- Backing Vocalist: Niki HarisNiki HarisNiki Haris is an American actress, dancer, and singer of pop, R&B, Dance music and jazz, perhaps best known for having been one of Madonna's backing vocalists from 1987 to 2001.-Early life and family:...
and Donna DeLoryDonna DeLoryDonna De Lory is an American singer, dancer and songwriter. Part of a musical family, De Lory has been performing since a young age. Her voice can be heard on albums by Carly Simon, Ray Parker, Jr., Kim Carnes, Santana, Laura Branigan, Belinda Carlisle, Mylène Farmer and Madonna... - Dancers: Luis Camacho, Oliver Crumes, Salim "Slam" Gauwloos, Jose Gutierez, Kevin Stea, Gabriel Trupin, and Carlton Wilborn
She's Breathless promotion
She's Breathless is a promotional music video compilation by singer MadonnaMadonna (entertainer)
Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...
. It was released by WEA Records UK in 1990 to promote the Blond Ambition Tour
Blond Ambition Tour
The Blond Ambition World Tour was the third concert tour by American singer-songwriter, Madonna. The tour was launched in support of her fourth studio album, Like a Prayer, and the soundtrack, I'm Breathless. The tour reached North America, Europe and Asia. It was a highly controversial tour,...
and was only available to UK record stores and the music industry.
Formats
It was released on VHSVHS
The Video Home System is a consumer-level analog recording videocassette standard developed by Victor Company of Japan ....
and cassette
Compact Cassette
The Compact Cassette, often referred to as audio cassette, cassette tape, cassette, or simply tape, is a magnetic tape sound recording format. It was designed originally for dictation, but improvements in fidelity led the Compact Cassette to supplant the Stereo 8-track cartridge and reel-to-reel...
and both contained the same "Hanky Panky
Hanky Panky (Madonna song)
"Hanky Panky" is a song by American singer-songwriter Madonna. It was the second and final single release from her soundtrack album I'm Breathless on June 30, 1990 by Sire Records. The song caused some controversy because of its innuendo and racy lyrics...
" CD single style packaging.
Track listing
Includes 18 music videos:- "Like A VirginLike a Virgin (song)"Like a Virgin" is a song by American singer Madonna from her second album of the same name. It was released on November 6, 1984 by Sire Records, as the first single from the album. The song appears on the greatest hits compilation albums The Immaculate Collection and Celebration...
" - "Material GirlMaterial Girl"Material Girl" is a song performed by American singer-songwriter Madonna. It was released on January 30, 1985, by Sire Records, as the second single from her second album Like a Virgin. It also appears slightly remixed on the 1990 greatest hits compilation, The Immaculate Collection, and in its...
" - "Into The GrooveInto the Groove"Into the Groove" is a song by American singer-songwriter Madonna from the 1985 film Desperately Seeking Susan. It was featured on the 1985 re-issue of her second studio album, Like a Virgin, and released on July 23, 1985 by Sire Records as the album's fourth single outside North America...
" - "AngelAngel (Madonna song)"Angel" is a song by American singer-songwriter Madonna from her second studio album Like a Virgin. It was released on April 10, 1985 by Sire Records as the third single from the album. Written by Steve Bray and Madonna, it was one of the first songs developed for the project and, according to...
" - "Dress You UpDress You Up"Dress You Up" is a song by American singer Madonna. It was released as the final single from her second studio album, Like a Virgin, on July 24, 1985, by Sire Records. The song was the last track to be added to the album as it was submitted late by songwriters Andrea LaRusso and Peggy Stanziale...
" - "BorderlineBorderline (song)"Borderline" is a song by American pop singer Madonna from her self-titled debut album. It was released on February 15, 1984 as the fifth single from the album, by Sire Records. Written and composed by producer Reggie Lucas, the song received remix treatment from Madonna's then boyfriend John...
" - "Live To TellLive to Tell"Live to Tell" is a pop ballad by American singer-songwriter Madonna. Originally written by Patrick Leonard for the soundtrack of the film Fire with Fire, the song was shown to Madonna, who decided to use it for then-husband Sean Penn's film At Close Range...
" - "Papa Don't PreachPapa Don't Preach"Papa Don't Preach" is a song by American singer-songwriter Madonna. The song was written by Brian Elliot with additional lyrics by Madonna, and produced by Stephen Bray and Madonna for her third studio album True Blue, released in June 1986...
" - "True Blue"
- "Open Your HeartOpen Your Heart (Madonna song)"Open Your Heart" is a song by American singer-songwriter Madonna. It was released as the fourth single from her third studio album True Blue on November 12, 1986, by Sire Records. It has since appeared remixed on the compilation albums The Immaculate Collection and Celebration...
" - "La Isla BonitaLa Isla Bonita"La Isla Bonita" is a song by American singer-songwriter Madonna. It was released as the fifth and final single from her third studio album, True Blue, on February 25, 1987, by Sire Records. Originally written as a lament, the song was first offered to Michael Jackson before Madonna accepted it...
" - "Who's That Girl"
- "Causing A CommotionCausing a Commotion"Causing a Commotion" is a song by American singer-songwriter Madonna. It was released as the second single from the soundtrack album Who's That Girl on August 25, 1987, by Sire Records. Its Silver Screen Single Mix later appeared on the 1991 UK compilation EP The Holiday Collection...
" - "Like A PrayerLike a Prayer (song)"Like a Prayer" is a song by American singer-songwriter Madonna on her fourth studio album of the same name . It was released on March 21, 1989, by Sire Records as the album's lead single...
" - "Express Yourself"
- "CherishCherish (Madonna song)"Cherish" is a song by American singer-songwriter Madonna. It was released as the third single from her fourth studio album Like a Prayer on August 1, 1989, by Sire Records. The song was also included on the 1990 compilation album The Immaculate Collection and the two-disc edition of her 2009...
" - "Dear JessieDear Jessie"Dear Jessie" is a song by American singer-songwriter Madonna. It was released as the fifth single from her fourth studio album Like a Prayer on December 10, 1989 by Sire Records. It was released only in the UK, some European countries and Australia...
" - "Vogue"
Broadcasts and recordings
Two shows were released commercially. The August 5 show in Nice, France, was taped and aired on HBO in the United States and released worldwide exclusively on LaserdiscLaserdisc
LaserDisc was a home video format and the first commercial optical disc storage medium. Initially licensed, sold, and marketed as MCA DiscoVision in North America in 1978, the technology was previously referred to interally as Optical Videodisc System, Reflective Optical Videodisc, Laser Optical...
, titled Live! - Blond Ambition World Tour 90
Live! - Blond Ambition World Tour 90
Live! – Blond Ambition World Tour 90 is a music video title by singer Madonna. It was released only on Laserdisc by Pioneer Artists as part of the sponsorship deal of the 1990 Blond Ambition World Tour...
, as part of a sponsorship deal with Pioneer Electronics. One of the Yokohama, Japan dates was also taped and released on VHS
VHS
The Video Home System is a consumer-level analog recording videocassette standard developed by Victor Company of Japan ....
and Laserdisc
Laserdisc
LaserDisc was a home video format and the first commercial optical disc storage medium. Initially licensed, sold, and marketed as MCA DiscoVision in North America in 1978, the technology was previously referred to interally as Optical Videodisc System, Reflective Optical Videodisc, Laser Optical...
in the Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese market as Blond Ambition - Japan Tour 90. Pioneer signed an exclusive deal to release these concerts on laser disc only and thus no video or DVD has yet been released.
In addition to these shows, the August 1 show in Barcelona, Spain was taped and aired on television in Europe, Australia and Canada by SACIS-RAI. This show is known by fans for numerous technical mistakes (including Madonna forgetting part of the lyrics to "Sooner or Later
Sooner or Later (Madonna song)
"Sooner or Later" is a song recorded by the American pop singer Madonna, and written by the American composer Stephen Sondheim, for the 1990 film, Dick Tracy...
" and "Material Girl
Material Girl
"Material Girl" is a song performed by American singer-songwriter Madonna. It was released on January 30, 1985, by Sire Records, as the second single from her second album Like a Virgin. It also appears slightly remixed on the 1990 greatest hits compilation, The Immaculate Collection, and in its...
," getting her monocle caught on her headset microphone at the beginning of "Express Yourself", and not realizing that her headset microphone was still live as she exited the stage after "Where's the Party," resulting in her command at a backstage crewmember to "get the fuck out of my fuckin' way"). All three Parisian dates were taped by Alek Keshishian
Alek Keshishian
Alek Keshishian is a Lebanese-born Armenian film director. He is best known for his 1991 film Madonna: Truth or Dare, which for a time was the highest-grossing documentary of all time....
for Truth or Dare
Truth or Dare (documentary)
Madonna: Truth or Dare is a 1991 American documentary film chronicling the life of American singer-songwriter Madonna during her 1990 Blond Ambition World Tour...
(aka In Bed with Madonna).
Video of the 2nd night of the USA leg of the tour (May 5, 1990, Houston, Texas) taken from the video screens has been widely circulated among the fan community. In addition a poor quality Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
-only DVD Blond Ambition Tour 1990 is from the same Houston show, not to be confused with the 1st night of the USA leg of the tour (May 4, 1990, Houston, Texas) which was also partially aired live on the MTV special 'Blond Date' during the 'Madonna Weekend'.
In the UK, BBC Radio 1 broadcasted the full show, live from Wembley Stadium in London on Saturday 21 July which led to controversy over the amount of swear words Madonna uttered live on air and the BBC had to issue an apology. Highlights of the show were lated aired after the 1992 interview with Madonna and Simon Bates.
The second show in Dallas was recorded for radio broadcast in the USA with the in-between song chatter removed. 'Express Yourself' and 'Open Your Heart' are recorded from the first Dallas show, whereas the remainder of the recording is from the second Dallas show.
Radio NRG broadcasted highlights from the first European show in Sweden on June 30.