• The Drowned World Tour was Madonna’s first world tour since The Girlie Show in 1993
  • the planned Bedtime Stories tour (1995) and Ray Of Light tour (1999) were both cancelled
  • Madonna almost cancelled shows in Berlin due to throat issues
  • In Berlin people had the chance of winning a ticket to the show, however they had to have sex with one of the hosts of the radio show in question
  • There was also a girl in Germany that had to walk around town with her bare boobs in body paint to win a ticket
  • Once again in Germany a host of a local radio station pretended to be Guy Ritchie while phoning her hotel asking to speak to her. They actually put him through to her and Madonna accepted the phone call. However she quickly learned this wasn’t her husband on the phone and slammed down the receiver after saying ‘for f**ks sake’
  • The first two shows in Cologne were cancelled due to technical problems, unfortunately therefore the premiere in Germany was scrapped and the show was now set to premiere in Barcelona
  • Madonna cancelled a show in East Rutherford due to laryngitis
  • The September 11 show was re-scheduled in LA due to the 9/11 terrror attacks
  • The second show in Barcelona was filmed professionally but has never been seen in full. Clips of this taping have been used in the HBO special behind the scenes
  • Several things went wrong during the second Barcelona show such as the screens that weren’t working at all times. Madonna stuck on fake eyebrows during the geisha section, probably wasn’t happy with them as they weren’t used anymore
  • Mirwais joined Madonna to play ‘Don’t Tell Me’ at the Paris June 27th show
  • During one of the London shows her wig fell off during the geisha section, she decided to keep it in the show as a theatrical moment
  • Madonna changed her punk costume when she played the US, from then on it seemed she had a ‘change of hair’ every show she played
  • The second show in Detroit was filmed professionally and broadcast on HBO. It aired on Dutch Canal+ as well
  • The Drowned World Tour was released officially on VHS and DVD, the same show as the Detroit one but with different camera angles
  • Right after ending the tour Madonna went on to work on the remake of ‘Swept Away’ with Guy Ritchie

June 05 – Arena, Cologne, Germany (cancelled)
June 06 – Arena, Cologne, Germany (cancelled)
June 09 – Palau Sant Jordi, Barcelona, Spain
June 10 – Palau Sant Jordi, Barcelona, Spain
June 13 – Fila Forum, Milan, Italy
June 14 – Fila Forum, Milan, Italy
June 15 – Fila Forum, Milan, Italy
June 19 – Max Schmeling-Halle, Berlin, Germany
June 20 – Max Schmeling-Halle, Berlin, Germany
June 22 – Max Schmeling-Halle, Berlin, Germany
June 23 – Max Schmeling-Halle, Berlin, Germany
June 26 – Palais Omnisports de Paris Bercy, Paris, France
June 27 – Palais Omnisports de Paris Bercy, Paris, France
June 29 – Palais Omnisports de Paris Bercy, Paris, France
June 30 – Palais Omnisports de Paris Bercy, Paris, France
July 04 – Earls Court, London, England
July 06 – Earls Court, London, England
July 07 – Earls Court, London, England
July 09 – Earls Court, London, England
July 10 – Earls Court, London, England
July 12 – Earls Court, London, England
July 21 – First Union Center, Philadelphia, PA
July 22 – First Union Center, Philadelphia, PA
July 25 – Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
July 26 – Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
July 28 – Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
July 30 – Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
July 31 – Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
August 02 – Continental Airlines Arena, East Rutherford, NJ
August 03 – Continental Airlines Arena, East Rutherford, NJ (cancelled)
August 07 – Fleet Center, Boston, MA
August 08 – Fleet Center, Boston, MA
August 10 – MCI Center, Washington, DC
August 11 – MCI Center, Washington, DC
August 14 – National Car Rental Center, Miami, FL
August 15 – National Car Rental Center, Miami, FL
August 19 – Philips Arena, Atlanta, GA
August 20 – Philips Arena, Atlanta, GA
August 25 – The Palace of Auburn Hills, Detroit, MI
August 26 – The Palace of Auburn Hills, Detroit, MI
August 28 – United Center, Chicago, IL
August 29 – United Center, Chicago, IL
September 1- MGM Grand, Las Vegas, NV
September 2- MGM Grand, Las Vegas, NV
September 5 – Oakland Arena, Oakland, CA
September 6 – Oakland Arena, Oakland, CA
September 9 – Staples Center, Los Angeles, CA
September 11 – Staples Center, Los Angeles, CA (rescheduled)
September 13 – Staples Center, Los Angeles, CA
September 14 – Staples Center, Los Angeles, CA
September 15 – Staples Center, Los Angeles, CA

Drowned World Tour Europe  – photographs by Kimberly van Pinxteren and Hans Schaft