Madonna is 61. The singer is currently touring her latest album Madame X. But unlike nearly every single one of her previous tours, this one is taking place in theaters – not arenas that hold 20,000 people or stadiums that hold 70,000. The reason isn’t that she doesn’t sell tickets anymore. Most of her shows have been sold out, and she has performed a number of shows at each city she visits. Opting for a theater tour was to make it easier on her. It’s a smaller space. It’s less production. It’s not as intense as her previous treks.
Not to undermine her current outing, it is still as show-stopping as a Madonna show can get. It’s a very long show that has the queen of pop dancing and jumping around for over two hours. While the choreography isn’t as complex as what we are used to from Madonna, it is still intense enough to take a toll on her body.
Madonna probably canceled a total of 10 shows throughout her 35-year career. For this Madame X Tour, she is now at her ninth show cancelation in just a span of 5 months. Almost all of the cancelations related to injuries. This has fans gone mad, and her usual critics beyond excited because some people (sadly) live for the demise of a successful pop star.
Both fans and critics have suggested that perhaps it is time for her to wrap things up. Maybe it is time to call the entire tour quits. After all, she still has 14 shows left in London and then another 14 shows scheduled in Paris. Let’s keep in mind that since the majority of the tour consisted of small residencies at a total of 11 cities, a lot of her fans are actually traveling to see her. This creates problems with travel expenses.
Ever since her 2008/2009 Sticky & Sweet Tour (her most physically-intense show), she has been struggling with all sorts of problems with her body. She even fell off one of her horses in 2009. During her MDNA Tour in 2012, she was also doing pretty elaborate, extreme dances and stunts. It was so bad that after each show, she would ice her knee for about one hour. She didn’t seem to struggle too much during her last arena outing, the Rebel Heart Tour, in 2015/2016 though.
This time around there is a lot more physical therapy that takes place before and after her shows. However, it is not enough. She is still barely making it through the shows. Some fans that have attended describe that towards the end of some of her shows she could be seen limping around. Not too long ago, at one of her shows, she replaced her usual heels for boots. Something that she didn’t love doing as the boots were ‘ugly’ according to her. She did say ‘it was boots or the show.’ That’s not good.
So what’s going to happen in the next month and a half of shows?
Madonna is without a doubt a fighter. She won’t give up easily. Madame X won’t let this end her, and she shouldn’t. Perhaps, she could do with reducing the amount of shows but giving fans enough notice. Maybe, she should just tone down her performance. But she won’t do that … no way. She’s going to risk it all. And, quite frankly, that’s why she is Madonna.
Here are the entire tour dates from Madonna’s Madame X Tour. Canceled shows are in red.
2019
09/15 – Howard Gilman Opera House, New York City, New York (Production Issues)
09/17 – Howard Gilman Opera House, New York City, New York
09/18 – Howard Gilman Opera House, New York City, New York
09/19 – Howard Gilman Opera House, New York City, New York
09/21 – Howard Gilman Opera House, New York City, New York
09/22 – Howard Gilman Opera House, New York City, New York
09/24 – Howard Gilman Opera House, New York City, New York
09/25 – Howard Gilman Opera House, New York City, New York
09/26 – Howard Gilman Opera House, New York City, New York
09/28 – Howard Gilman Opera House, New York City, New York
10/01 – Howard Gilman Opera House, New York City, New York
10/02 – Howard Gilman Opera House, New York City, New York
10/03 – Howard Gilman Opera House, New York City, New York
10/05 – Howard Gilman Opera House, New York City, New York
10/06 – Howard Gilman Opera House, New York City, New York
10/07 – Howard Gilman Opera House, New York City, New York (Injury)
10/10 – Howard Gilman Opera House, New York City, New York
10/12 – Howard Gilman Opera House, New York City, New York
10/16 – Chicago Theater, Chicago, Illinois
10/17 – Chicago Theater, Chicago, Illinois
10/21 – Chicago Theater, Chicago, Illinois
10/23 – Chicago Theater, Chicago, Illinois
10/24 – Chicago Theater, Chicago, Illinois
10/27 – Chicago Theater, Chicago, Illinois
10/28 – Chicago Theater, Chicago, Illinois
11/02 – Golden Gate Theater, San Francisco, California
11/04 – Golden Gate Theater, San Francisco, California
11/05 – Golden Gate Theater, San Francisco, California
11/07 – The Colosseum at Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, Nevada
11/09 – The Colosseum at Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, Nevada
11/10 – The Colosseum at Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, Nevada
11/12 – The Wiltern, Los Angeles, California (Production Issues)
11/13 – The Wiltern, Los Angeles, California
11/14 – The Wiltern, Los Angeles, California
11/16 – The Wiltern, Los Angeles, California
11/17 – The Wiltern, Los Angeles, California
11/19 – The Wiltern, Los Angeles, California
11/20 – The Wiltern, Los Angeles, California
11/21 – The Wiltern, Los Angeles, California
11/23 – The Wiltern, Los Angeles, California
11/24 – The Wiltern, Los Angeles, California
11/25 – The Wiltern, Los Angeles, California
11/30 – Wang Theater, Boston, Massachusetts (Injury)
12/01 – Wang Theater, Boston, Massachusetts (Injury)
12/02 – Wang Theater, Boston, Massachusetts (Injury)
12/07 – Metropolitan Opera House, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
12/08 – Metropolitan Opera House, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
12/10 – Metropolitan Opera House, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
12/11 – Metropolitan Opera House, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
12/14 – The Fillmore, Miami, Florida
12/15 – The Fillmore, Miami, Florida
12/17 – The Fillmore, Miami, Florida
12/18 – The Fillmore, Miami, Florida
12/19 – The Fillmore, Miami, Florida
12/21 – The Fillmore, Miami, Florida
12/22 – The Fillmore, Miami, Florida (Injury)
2020
01/12 – Coliseu dos Recrelos, Lisbon, Portugal
01/14 – Coliseu dos Recrelos, Lisbon, Portugal
01/16 – Coliseu dos Recrelos, Lisbon, Portugal
01/18 – Coliseu dos Recrelos, Lisbon, Portugal
01/19 – Coliseu dos Recrelos, Lisbon, Portugal (Injury)
01/21 – Coliseu dos Recrelos, Lisbon, Portugal
01/22 – Coliseu dos Recrelos, Lisbon, Portugal (Injury)
01/23 – Coliseu dos Recrelos, Lisbon, Portugal
01/27 – The Palladium, London, England
01/29 – The Palladium, London, England
01/30 – The Palladium, London, England
02/01 – The Palladium, London, England
02/02 – The Palladium, London, England
02/04 – The Palladium, London, England
02/05 – The Palladium, London, England
02/06 – The Palladium, London, England
02/08 – The Palladium, London, England
02/09 – The Palladium, London, England
02/11 – The Palladium, London, England
02/12 – The Palladium, London, England
02/13 – The Palladium, London, England
02/15 – The Palladium, London, England
02/16 – The Palladium, London, England
02/20 – Le Grand Rex, Paris, France
02/22 – Le Grand Rex, Paris, France
02/23 – Le Grand Rex, Paris, France
02/25 – Le Grand Rex, Paris, France
02/26 – Le Grand Rex, Paris, France
02/27 – Le Grand Rex, Paris, France
02/29 – Le Grand Rex, Paris, France
03/01 – Le Grand Rex, Paris, France
03/03 – Le Grand Rex, Paris, France
03/04 – Le Grand Rex, Paris, France
03/07 – Le Grand Rex, Paris, France
03/08 – Le Grand Rex, Paris, France
03/10 – Le Grand Rex, Paris, France
03/11 – Le Grand Rex, Paris, France
