My Blond Ambition Tour in Rotterdam experience – by Romano van der Steen (English & Dutch)
(scroll down for Dutch version)
MADONNA BLOND AMBITION TOUR 1990 ROTTERDAM
July 24 1990….today exactly 25 years ago. When it comes to music and show I witnessed one of the most beautiful experiences ever. After becoming a fan in 1984 (her performance at Live Aid in 1985 sealed the deal for me) I was thrilled that she embarked on a world tour in 1987 and made a stop in Rotterdam. With her Who’s That Girl Tour she put on a show as never seen before. But as usual we had to wait and see whether she would be repeating this or that this was just common for artists such as her. Well…by now we know better.
she kept on scoring hits and her albums (back then known as long play records) blew up the speakers, creating a feeling of euphoria unknown up to this point. She was about to go on tour again. In 1990 she traveled all over the world with her Blond Ambition Tour. Rotterdam was included again. July 24 marked the day. I knew from experience that Madonna was capable of putting on a grand show, but was she able to top her previous show? She couldn’t….she truly outdid her previous show from 1987 and topped it in an almost impossible way.
From when the lights were dimmed and the thumping sounds of the opening I was in such ecstacy that I remained frozen in my seat and just watched in awe. An indescribable feeling. When she finally appeared and asked her famous question “Do you believe in love!!’ to the stadium, there was no holding back. As lifted by an angel I suddenly stood up and lost myself as a young God in the enormous musical spectacle that was happening on stage. I remained standing and dancing since (I might have taken my seat during a ballad) and I surrendered to the unexplainable feeling that this woman delivered to the stadium. A show (especially back then) on such a high level that you instantly forgot all your worries and experienced a phenomenal beautiful evening. I even shed a few tears during Oh Father and goosebumps all over during Like a Prayer. The bed scene in Like a Virgin completely took my breath away and completely lost it during Vogue and Holiday.
Thirty minutes after the last song I was still gazing at that deserted stage, where something phenomenal had just happened. With in the lead a woman that proved to be in a whole new level and that she was not just any other performer that would be lost in anonimity after her first tour. This was all too unique….too unusual…too good. The huge spectacle of the Blond Ambition Tour was overwhelming and again completely ahead of it’s time.
That same woman is still here in 2015. Still unique…still unusual..still too good. Doing her thing despite all the criticism in a way of such a level of class, that after 25 years you still get that same feeling with every new album and every new tour as back on July 24 1990. When you are able to achieve this as a woman in a music world that is dominated by men, you are one of a kind. I know for sure that I will experience the same feeling during the upcoming Rebel Heart Tour as I did during the Blond Ambition Tour in 1990. Because we are talking about Madonna here….the phenomenal woman who constantly succeeds. I am very proud to have been her fan for the past 32 years, the woman who 25 years after the Blond Ambition Tour still has the same ambition to give her loyal followers a breathtakingly experience.
Dutch – Nederlands
MADONNA BLOND AMBITION TOUR 1990 ROTTERDAM
24 juli 1990…vandaag exact 25 jaar geleden.Op muzikaal-en showgebied was ik getuige van één van de allermooiste ervaringen die ik ooit beleefde. Nadat ik in 1984 fan van Madonna was geworden (na haar optreden op Live Aid in 1985 was ik helemaal definitief om) was ik dolgelukkig dat zij in 1987 op wereldtoernee ging en ook Rotterdam aandeed.Met haar Who’s That Girl Tour zette ze iets formidabel groots neer wat nog nooit eerder was gedaan. Maar zoals altijd moest maar worden afgewacht of ze dit ooit nog zou herhalen of dat dit het zoals bij zoveel artiesten gewoon was.Nou…inmiddels weten we beter.
Ze bleef hits aan de lopende band scoren en haar albums (toen nog langspeelplaten genoemd) spatten uit de boxen en zorgden voor een uitzinnig gevoel en een euforie die ongekend was. Ze zou weer op toernee gaan.In 1990 was het zover en reisde ze de wereld over met haar Blond Ambition Tour.En ook Rotterdam werd niet overgeslagen. Op 24 juli was het zover. Weliswaar wist ik dat Madonna tot grote dingen in staat was na haar vorige tour maar of ze dat nu zou kunnen evenaren was nog maar de vraag.En dat kon ze niet.Sterker…ze overtrof haar prestatie uit 1987 op een welhaast onmogelijke manier.
Vanaf het dimmen van het licht en de bonkende tonen van de opening was ik in een dusdanige extase dat ik verstijfd van ongeloof en spanning op mijn stoel bleef zitten en die zinderende opening over mij heen liet komen.Een onbeschrijfelijk gevoel. En toen ze daar dat eindelijk tevoorschijn kwam en haar bekende regel “Do you believe in love!!!” het stadion ingooide was het hek van de dam.Als door een engel opgetild kwam ik plotsteling overeind en ging als een jonge God mee in het enorme zang-en dansspektakel wat zich op het podium voltrok. Geen minuut heb ik meer gezeten (misschien af en toe tijdens één van de ballads) en ik gaf mij over aan dat onverklaarbare gevoel dat deze vrouw het stadion in bracht. Een show (zéker voor die tijd) van een ongekend hoog niveau waarbij je al je zorgen vergat en als een blij kind een fenomenaal mooie avond beleefde. Zelfs nog enkele tranen latend bij “Oh Father” en met zwaar kippevel over het hele lichaam meedeinsde op “Like A Prayer”.Ademloos toekijkend naar de beroemde bedscene tijdens “Like A Virgin” en tijdens “Vogue” en “Holiday” weer compleet uit je dak gaan.
En een half uur na de laatste klanken zat ik nog steeds ademloos naar dat inmiddels verlaten podium te kijken waar zich zojuist iets fenomenaals had afgespeeld. Met in de hoofdrol een vrouw die definitief bewees van een ongekend hoog niveau te zijn en niet zomaar een zangeres die na haar eerste tour in de anonimiteit zou verdwijnen.Daarvoor was dit allemaal te uniek…te ongewoon…te goed. Het grote spektakel van de Blond Ambition Tour was overwelmend en voor die tijd nogmaals ongekend.
En anno 2015 is diezelfde vrouw er nog steeds.Nog steeds uniek…nog steeds ongewoon…nog steeds te goed. Tegen ladingen kritiek inzwemmend gewoon haar weg blijven gaan op een manier van een zeldzaam hoog niveau waardoor je 25 jaar na dato nog steeds bij elk album en elke tour datzelfde gevoel over je heen krijgt als op 24 juli 1990. En wanneer je dat,als vrouw in een door mannen gedomineerde muziekwereld,nog steeds voor elkaar weet te krijgen ben je unieker dan uniek en ben je beter dan de overtreffende trap van goed. Ik weet zeker dat ik bij de Rebel Heart Tour straks weer overladen wordt met diezelfde gevoelens als toen in 1990. Want het betreft hier Madonna…die fenomenale vrouw die dit telkens weer weet te bewerkstelligen. Ik ben apetrots mijzelf al 32 jaar fan te mogen noemen van die vrouw die 25 jaar na de Blond Ambition Tour nog steeds diezelfde ambition heeft om haar trouwe volgers een adembenemende ervaring te bezorgen.
Written by Romano van der Steen for MadonnaUnderground
Show us your Basquiat!
Calling all Rebel Hearts artists! Your online fan art has really caught Madonna’s eye and moved her. She has asked if you can submit your best creations, from any era, style and look. Madonna has been inspired by your creativity and would like to display a digital gallery of your artwork live during the upcoming Rebel Heart tour. To be eligible to participate, you must be at least 18 years old and the sole owner and creator of the artwork and other modifications to the photograph, and you must sign your creation with your name — we want to make sure to give credit where deserved!
Upload your creation as a high quality TIFF or JPEG file that is 800 x 960 pixels minimum in size (larger formats welcome) to your favorite file sharing service and e-mail us the link to it at art4madonna@gmail.com before July 30th 2015.
Looking forward to seeing your works of art! What do you got, Show us your Basquiat!
By submitting, posting or uploading your artwork to us, you are confirming that (1) you are the only owner and creator of your submission and no one else owns any rights to your submission; (2) the only name on your submission is your name and you are 18 years or older; (3) you grant us and our designee(s) a royalty-free, worldwide, perpetual, fully sub-licensable, irrevocable, transferable, non-exclusive right to use, reproduce, modify, create derivative works from, distribute, digitally perform, publicly perform and publicly display and otherwise exploit in any manner your submission, and/or to incorporate it in other works in any form, media or technology now known or later developed, for any purpose whatsoever, commercial or otherwise, without compensation to or prior approval by you ,and you have all rights necessary to make this grant of rights to us; (4) your submission is not subject to any obligation of confidentiality, attribution or otherwise and does not violate any applicable laws, rules or regulations; (5) you indemnify us and our designees, and we are not and will not be liable, for any use or disclosure of your submission and (6) your submission is and will be exclusively governed by and subject to the laws of the State of New York, United States of America (including, without limitation, its laws pertaining to copyright) and you irrevocably waive any “moral rights” or other similar rights or claims regarding attribution of authorship or integrity of your submission pursuant to any law throughout the world.
Madonna.com
My Blond Ambition Tour in Rotterdam experience – by Dave Crombeen
My first ever Madonna concert
“Dave in a few years you won’t hear anything about her anymore, you will outgrow her”.
Wow it’s been 25 years since I first saw Madonna live, I remember it like it was yesterday.
I was only 13 at the time, too young to go on my own. Thankfully my father managed to get field tickets and he was willing to come with me. I did want to arrive early as I needed a good spot and wasn’t that tall back then. Yeah I also queued back in the day :)
I remember arriving at the stadium around 9 in the morning, the weather was good but there was a crowd already. After visiting the merchandise booth around 100 times, I decided on buying something around 3pm.
My father was still in the queue so he could keep our spot safe. However when I returned to the merchandise booth, I was told that the gates were about to open. I decided to run back and shout it aloud to everyone that the gates were about to be openend. Everybody immediately stood up…..and then….nothing for two more hours. Oh well no one can really blame a 13-year old right?
When they did open I just ran for it. We found a spot in the front field, now we call it the infamous Golden Circle. Another few hours waiting and then it was finally time.
Madonna arrived!!!
I have goosebumps while writing this. When she appeared on stage, I just stood there with my mouth open for at least thirty minutes and did not move at all. I was in some kind of trance. This was beyond amazing!! After those first 30 minutes, I danced and sung my heart out as if it were the very last time of my life.
A girl was pulled on stage by Madonna during Holiday. Oh my God I was soooo jealous!! When the show ended I just couldn’t stop talking about it, to be honest this was the case throughout the following months.
I was so deeply impressed.
My father too by the way. He attended quite a few shows back in the day, but this to him was the best live show he had ever seen. Such a combination of show and theater was unique. It had never been done before. Madonna really took the live show to a whole new level.
Dave Crombeen
Bitch I’m Madonna officially Madonna’s most succesful video
Bitch I’m Madonna has now had over 65 million views making it her most succesful video to date!
Congrats to M!
Celebrate by watching the video again (above in our header) or head over to Vevo.com
25 years ago today! The legendary Blond Ambition Tour in Rotterdam
While writing this and preparing for a brand new world tour, it is exactly 25 years ago to the day that I experienced my Blond Ambition Tour. I was lucky to have seen this show eight times!
(2x) Paris, Turin, Dortmund, (3x) London and Rotterdam.
Such a fabulous memory, the year I turned 21, went on a holiday n my own and the summer was extemely humid.
It took a lot of work to make arrangements for this, without the internet, no cell phones, no just a regular phone call for tickets or just go and see how I was going to end up.
There was a lot of confusion, the show in Sweden (did not have a ticket, but was present outside, they were way too expensive on the black market) was postponed to a day later, the show in Berlin on July 1 got cancelled, Cologne was transferred to Dortmund and Berlin to München.. a lot of controversy in Italy, one show in Rome was eventually cancelled.
My favorite show of the ones I’ve seen, was the one where she performed on my birthday in London (the first show). I spent the night outside at Wembley Stadium.
Her show in Rotterdam had a drama start for me, first I overslept (I was planning on spending the night outside), but did not get there until noon. Thankfully some friends of mine were so friendly to save a spot for me. This was my very last show (completely broke). M was really into it and totally spoke her mind throughout the show.
For the first time she picked a girl from the audience to dance on stage with her to Holiday.
To read my full detailed report, please click HERE
Hans Schaft
Hold Tight to be the next single in Italy
Hold Tight will be the new single in Italy due for radio release on July 24, according to Comingsoon.it and earone.it
In Italy this is the official third single after Living For Love and Ghosttown have been released previously to radio.
For more info in Italian, please click HERE
Old Madonna clips make appearance in new Pixels movie
Reported by various people already and the review by the Boston Herald confirms it; Madonna makes an appearance in the brand new Pixels movie in the form of old interview clips from the 80’s.
Here’s an excerpt from the film review:
And then there’s the aliens’ amusing habit of communicating with Earth by way of old Madonna clips, Hall & Oates music videos, and (at one point) a giant talking replica of Max Headroom. Pop-cultural nostalgia, of course, practically constitutes its own genre by this point, and “Pixels” is hardly the first feature-length valentine to our fondly remembered mass-entertainment touchstones.
Madonna Feels Like Picasso, Says Art Has No Expiration Date (new phone interview on tour)
Madonna thinks artists deep into their careers should stop if they don’t have anything more to say. But at 56, the singer says she still has things to talk about, and in short, she feels like Pablo Picasso.
“I like to compare myself to other kinds of artists like Picasso. He kept painting and painting until the day he died. Why? Because I guess he felt inspired to do so,” she said. “Life inspired him, so he had to keep expressing himself, and that’s how I feel.”
Madonna released her self-titled debut album in 1983, and her latest album, “Rebel Heart,” earlier this year. She said the key to sticking around is her continual desire to inspire others.
“I don’t think there’s a time, a date, an expiration date for being creative,” she said. “I think you go until you don’t have any more to say.”
The pop icon will launch her Rebel Heart Tour on Sept. 9 in Montreal. The tour includes more than 60 shows across North America, Europe, Australia and Asia.
“The theme I really truly explore in this show more than anything is love and romance,” she said in a phone interview from her home in New York City last week. “I want people to walk out like they’re feeling inspired and like they’ve seen something they’ve never seen before (and) felt something they’ve never felt before.”
Comedian Amy Schumer, whose new movie “Trainwreck” opened impressively at No. 2 with $30.2 million last weekend, will open for three Madonna shows in New York.
“She’s a role model for women, and I am too, and I think it’s a good match,” said Madonna, who added that the idea to bring Schumer on board came from the singer’s management team. “I love her and … I just thought, ‘That’s interesting.’ (I’ll) try something new and different rather than the usual run-of-the-mill — have a band, have a DJ. It’s definitely a new thing. I hope it works — fingers crossed.”
Madonna says picking the set list for her upcoming tour has been hard, mainly because she wants to sing her newest songs but also satisfy her longtime, die-hard fans.
“I realize I have 32 years of other songs, so I have to pick and choose. I sit there for weeks and weeks and weeks trying to figure out which of my old catalog I want to do,” she said. “It’s a puzzle that we have to put together ’cause thematically the songs — the old and the new — they have to go together; sonically they have to go together.”
She’s even picky about the costumes onstage.
“What people wear, from their footwear to the buttons on their jacket, is all very important to me,” she said.
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Read more on ABC News
The MDNA Tour to air on Dutch television NPO3 on July 31
Dutch channel NPO3 will be repeating the broadcast of Madonna’s MDNA Tour on July 31 at 23:50 local time.
This is the third (and final) time they will air the show in HD quality.
Vr 31 juli 2015
23:50 tot 01:50
NPO3
Polaroids show iconic artists in New York
(CNN) – Andy Warhol, Madonna, Debbie Harry, Grace Jones, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Glenn O’Brien, John Lurie — iconic symbols from a bygone New York City. One that was cheaper, grittier and pulsing with new music, art and powerful personalities.
Swiss photographer and director Edo Bertoglio lived in the hot core of the old Big Apple. From 1976 to 1989, he captured New York’s thriving artist community on his Polaroid camera.
Those shots make up the 140 photos in his new book, “New York Polaroids 1976-1989.” It is sort of a “personal diary,” chronicling Bertoglio’s surroundings and friends in intimate and passing moments, much like quick shots taken on phones today.
Bertoglio’s Manhattan was far from the today’s Manhattan, which now has the highest cost-of-living in the United States. Rents were so cheap that artists could work in a restaurant for a few days a month to pay the bills, and then they could spend the rest of their time creating and partying in clubs like Studio 54, Mudd Club and Club 57.
Read full article by CNN here
Beyoncé And Taylor Swift Earn MTV VMA Nods While Madonna Is Completely Snubbed
Beyoncé and Taylor Swift are having a great day. Both artists received a slew of MTV VMA Nominations. They are joined by Ed Sheeran, who has also received multiple nominations.
Beyoncé’s video for “7/11” earned nominations for Video of the Year, Best Female Video, Best Pop Video, and Best Choreography. The video for “7/11” was described as “savvy superficiality” by the Guardian.
“She’s pop’s Benny Hill! She’s also its savviest businesswoman, and – for all the goofing around – the 7/11 clip is as steely an insistence as ever that she is the world’s biggest pop star.”
Taylor Swift, the only other pop star more popular than Beyoncé now, received multiple nods for the video for “Bad Blood,” which include Video of the Year, Best Female Video, Best Pop Video, Best Collaboration (with Kendrick Lamar), Best Cinematography, and some others.
Surprisingly, Madonna, who is largely responsible for the existence of MTV, was completely snubbed. Though the video for “Ghosttown” is a fan favorite, it is believed that the video for “B***h I’m Madonna” was the one submitted for consideration. The video, which has received more than 60 million views since its release last month, is Madonna’s biggest hit in years.
“B***h I’m Madonna” has received wildly mixed reviews. Her critics consider the video desperate, while her fans, for the most part, think the video is just ironic fun, where Madonna is completely in on the joke. Jason Lipshitz from Billboard thinks Madonna’s latest is one of the best this year.
“Forget the all-star cameos by Katy Perry, Kanye West, Beyonce and Miley Cyrus — no jammed-in cameos can steal the spotlight from Madonna’s unhinged party scene, which includes booty-shaking, shot-taking, a bathtub make-out, and Madge crowd-surfing like a wild teenager.”
The Daily Beast, however, thought Madonna’s video was just plain sad.
“For all of the talk of these megawatt celebrity appearances, Madonna, who filmed the video at the bar at the top of the Standard Hotel, couldn’t even get most of them to show up on location to shoot with her.”
Beyoncé is one of the stars in Madonna’s video. Last year, not only did Beyoncé earn the Video Vanguard Award, but she performed a medley of hits and was widely praised for her performance. MTV thought Beyoncé’s video was flawless.
“On Sunday night (August 25), she took viewers on an emotional journey with a well-orchestrated medley from her recent, self-titled album, that ended with tears as she accepted the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award from her husband, Jay-Z,” noted the review.
The 2015 MTV VMAs will be hosted by Miley Cyrus. However, it’s quite possible that Beyoncé will be the one to truly rule the show.
Brand new Rebel Heart Tour Amsterdam promo poster
This brand new poster to promote Madonna’s shows in the Ziggo Dome in Amsterdam, have been spotted in Amsterdam.
The December 5 show is sold out, you can however still get tickets for Madonna’s second night in the Ziggo Dome on December 6 HERE
B****, I’m a condom! Madonna parody promotes safe gay sex
A gay sexual health charity has recorded a raunchy Madonna parody – and all in the name of safer sex.
Impulse Los Angeles, which is dedicated to promoting healthier sexual lifestyles among gay men, recorded a send-up of the gay icon’s latest single, ‘Bitch, I’m Madonna’.
The parody, titled ‘Bitch, I’m a Condom’ is an attempt to promote the use of condoms among gays – and it does it in style.
The video features a huge cast including RuPaul’s Drag Race alum including Pandora Boxx and Manila Luzon, ribbing the Queen of Pop… and also featuring a man dressed as a condom.
The group explains: “Impulse United is proud to produce their first ever Safer Sex Parody! There is nothing funny about the risks of HIV, but together we can educate & protect ourselves from STI’s.
“Collaborating with the voices of various LGBT influencers like, Manila Luzon, Pandora Boxx, Jai Rodriguez, Pablo Hernandez & Impulse LA, we strive to promote the message of safer sex practices.”
It features the lyrics: “We go hard and we go long, we are sexy, smart and strong, we can love whoever we want, and we use a condom.
“When we go off we can’t be tamed, just be you, there ain’t no shame, plus or minus we’re all the same, and I wear a condom.”
“Bitch I’m a condom! Bitch, bitch I’m a condom!”
Madonna recently stirred controversy – by advertising her album with a picture of a Muslim man kissing a Jewish man.
She recently joined Grindr to chat to a number of fans about her new album.
The singer has previously claimed that gay rights are “way more advanced” than women’s rights.
Read more on PINK NEWS
