Madonna blows off steam in New York

Despite her bitter custody battle over teen son Rocco with her ex, Guy Ritchie, Madonna was 'in a great mood' when she arrived at 11 p.m. at Omar’s in the West Village on Tuesday night with Givenchy designer Riccardo Tisci.

Spies said she came in a 'flowing white dress' and was 'makeup-free.'

Madge and Tisci headed to a back room, where they met up with R&B singer Maxwell and 'several male models.' One spy added, 'She asked the chef to prepare special pasta for her with veggies, which was not on the menu.'

Maxwell DJ’d and got people dancing to his own tunes. Around 1:30 a.m., he put on Madonna’s 'Like a Prayer.' The group stayed until 3 a.m.

Madonna posted a pic with Tisci and the caption, '2 Italian Leo’s . . . Don’t mistake our kindness for weakness.'

From Page Six

2 Italian Leo's. 👑👑🔫. Don't mistake our kindness for weakness. 😂 pic.twitter.com/ahlTfnYNvL

— Madonna (@Madonna) 30 March 2016

Back to school!

Back to school!✍🏻🦄🐎🐎🐎🐎. Starting from the bottom🎉🎉🔫 pic.twitter.com/8mdlv8GxHe

— Madonna (@Madonna) 29 March 2016

Easter = New Life

Easter = New Life pic.twitter.com/yZFpyYjgC0

— Madonna (@Madonna) 27 March 2016

Madonna: 'Don't Park In My Driveway!'

The Material Girl star hit headlines on Thursday when she was reportedly ordered to remove signs in front of her property which read, 'Tenant parking only....unauthorized vehicles will be towed away at vehicle owner's expense.. In addition, the words .No Parking. had been embossed in cement on the sidewalk, and the nearby curb had been painted yellow.

Madonna's neighbour reported the signage and the singer's attempt to reserve her own parking spot to the New York Department of Transportation. An official visited Madonna's $40 million (£28 million) Upper East Side townhouse on Wednesday and ordered her team to remove the signage immediately, according to TMZ.com.

Editors of the U.K.'s Daily Mail picked up the story, with a headline which read: 'She's playing 'B**ch, I'm Madonna': Pop icon angers NYC neighbors by putting up FAKE 'No parking' signs outside $40 million Upper East Side Penthouse.'

Hours after news broke, Madonna took to Instagram and posted a screenshot of the Daily Mail's article, and seemingly brushed off the criticisms by poking fun at the entire situation.

'Yes Bishes I am Madonna, and that is my driveway and if people park in front of it i cant drive in my driveway! So sorry the city doesn't like the color yellow! We will paint a nice dull grey to keep our neighbors happy! Sorry! Im saying 3 extra Hail Mary's this Easter for this transgression!'

From contactmusic.com

Madonna Holds Record for Highest-Grossing Touring Solo Artist in Billboard Boxscore History

Following the close of Madonna's critically acclaimed Rebel Heart Tour this past Sunday night in Sydney, Australia, Madonna is the Top Grossing Touring Solo Artist in the history of Billboard Boxscore with over $1.31 billion in ticket sales sold over the course of her career.

Madonna is also the third top grossing touring act (behind The Rolling Stones and U2) since tracking began in 1990. Produced by Live Nation Global Touring, the Rebel Heart Tour kicked off on September 9th, 2015 in Montreal and visited arenas in 55 cities on four continents over seven months. Madonna performed 82 shows, plus a special fan club show in Melbourne. It grossed $169.8 Million with 1,045,479 in attendance.

Madonna visited several cities for the first time ever, including Bangkok, Hong Kong, Macau, Manila, Auckland, Taipei, Nashville, Omaha, and Louisville. She also performed multiple shows in several cities, including three shows apiece in New York, Turin, and Melbourne. She played two shows in Miami, Berlin, Barcelona, London, Paris, Tokyo, and Sydney, to name a few.

The Rebel Heart Tour also attracted raves for the Material Girl, with the New York Times calling her 'unstoppable' and Rolling Stone remarking that 'there's nobody else near her throne.' Entertainment Weekly plain and simply summed it up proclaiming: 'Madonna reigns.'

The Rebel Heart Tour was directed by Jamie King with musical direction by Kevin Antunes (the band's keyboardist Ric'key Pageot, drummer Brian Frasier-Moore, guitarist Monte Pittman, and background vocalists Kiley Dean and Nicki Richards), lead choreography by Megan Lawson, hair by Andy LeCompte, makeup by Aaron Henrikson, and costume design by Arianne Phillips.

Beloved for her boundary-pushing fashion, Madonna and Phillips, whose original designs are also in the show, collaborated with Alessandro Michele for Gucci, Alexander Wang, Fausto Puglisi, Jeremy Scott for Moschino, Nicolas Jebran, Miu Miu, Prada and Swarovski to create the sumptuous costumes.

The final two shows of the tour in Sydney were filmed for an upcoming release.

From PR Marketwired Press Release

Debi Mazar: 'Welcome home to my friend Madonna!'

Madonna's longtime friend Debi Mazar shares this picture of her and Rocco and shows her support for Madonna on this Instagram post.

UK Press: Metro

UK newspaper the Metro published this report today about the last night of the Rebel Heart Tour.

Missing the Insane Clown Posse already!

Missing the Insane Clown Posse already! 😂 #tearsofaclown 🎉🍷🍷🎉🍷🍷🎉🍷 pic.twitter.com/NybkJ2Dxqq

— Madonna (@Madonna) 22 March 2016

The Rebel Heart Tour is over, say goodbye....

Next Chapter...............All the World is a stage. ❤️#rebelheart4life pic.twitter.com/okSxy259iZ

— Madonna (@Madonna) 21 March 2016

Madonna shrugs off controversy in epic final Aussie show

After a 23 year wait, Madonna returned to Australia for the final leg of her Rebel Heart world tour, bringing with her the controversy that has surrounded much of her three decade-plus career.

Epic late starts, reports of drunken behaviour onstage, emotional break downs due to a custody battle and being accused of sexually assaulting a minor dominated the headlines during the Material Girl’s almost two week stint Down Under.

After taking Melbourne and Brisbane by storm, the 57-year-old pop culture icon hit Sydney for the last two shows of her 82 date tour.

The Australian press went into overdrive when Madonna turned up on stage in Brisbane for her first Queensland show of the tour at 11.18pm, almost two hours past her expected start time.

For her final show on Sunday night, the second of two nights at Sydney’s Allphones Arena, Madonna once again took no notice of the backlash, finally appearing on stage at a very tardy 11.30pm – the latest of the entire world tour - before proceeding to begin an almost three hour set - the longest of the tour.

Expectation and anticipation went into overdrive for the Harbour City fans, who appeared to keep a calm albeit weary vigil as they awaited the pop diva to finally appear on stage.

A rousing reception after a video introduction featuring Mike Tyson heralded her long awaited arrival.

Madonna’s 12th studio album Rebel Heart dominated the early proceedings before Burning Up, her first ever Australian hit in 1983, upped the ante with Madonna rocking out while playing a Flying V guitar.

The show’s spectacular highlight came early on when Madonna performed Holy Water, her Kanye West produced ode to oral sex, mashed up with Vogue while pole dancing alongside scantily clad dancers dressed as nuns, one of which she sensationally body surfed on much to the crowd’s jaw-dropping glee.

Somewhat apathetically, Madonna apologised for her late start explaining that she was filming the Sydney show for a future DVD release and that she wanted everything to be perfect.

She then pulled out the almost forgotten 1980s hit True Blue, which was remixed into a sweet acoustic love song performed while she strummed on the ukulele.

The momentum continued as Madonna worked her way through a string of exceptional pop performances, proving why she is still at the top of her game in a live arena after so long and with so much detrition.

Deeper and Deeper, from 1992’s Erotica, was in its high energy original form, HeartBreakCity leading into Love Don’t Live Here Anymore showcased her vocal prowess and an electro dance version of Like a Virgin brought the house down as she danced without abandon, solo on the cross shaped catwalk like it was the 1984 MTV Music Video Awards all over again.

It might have been the last show of a gruelling world tour, but there was no signs of exhaustion as Madonna worked her way through the mammoth 160 minute show that peaked at the end of its third act with the 1989 monster hit Like a Prayer that saw the packed arena almost shake to its core.

The well-publicised potty mouth was evident throughout, with Detroit-raised entertainer teaching the crowd to use her favoured catchcry (“f... f... f... yeah”) whenever she addressed them.

But there was no emotional breakdown, no mention of her 'missing' 15-year-old son Rocco, no drunken slurring and no falling off tricycles.

For the final show, she gave a heartfelt thank you to her loyal dancers, crew and band before allowing them to spank her (all 19 of them) while playfully making light of the scandal where she exposed a 17-year-old fan’s breast onstage last week in Brisbane.

'I am 18. I am old enough to know better and young enough to want to anyway,' she joked while being bent over as her crew waited their turn to spank her behind.

The 'sexual assault scandal', as it has been referred to in the press internationally, was again referenced when said teenager Josephine Georgiou and her mum Toni were in the crowd in VIP seats and were singled out by Madonna when she did her nightly bridal bouquet toss into the crowd.

A master media manipulator, Madonna used the moment to ask Josephine to marry her before deciding it wouldn’t work because they both can’t cook and the Gold Coast model is a vegan.

As the clock hit 2am, an exhausted and satisfied crowd put their hands collectively in the air as Madonna finished her show, and tour, with a faithful, upbeat performance of Holiday before she strapped on a harness and disappeared behind the video screens.

She said she would be back, but Australians have heard that many times over the years.

It might have been 23 years, but Madonna did not disappoint or make her presence in Australia unnoticed, and for a 57-year-old woman to still create such a buzz – for good or bad – against the social media pop starlets of the modern world that is no easy task.

From The West Australian

Madonna's Instagram: 'Thank you to all my Rebel ❤Fans!'

Madonna posted several pictures from her last Rebel Heart Tour in Sydney on Sunday night / Monday morning on her Instagram page:

'Treat me like I'm a bad girl even when im being good. To you! I don't want you to thank. Me you can just Thank Me‼. Last show is Sydney! 💯. ❤ ‪#‎rebelhearttour'

'The show is over say goodbye! Thank you to all my Rebel ❤Fans! It was an amazing year! 👑😂💘🙏💐🔜 ❤ #rebelhearttour'

'Last night...........Best Night! Thank you Sydney! ❤ #rebelheart4life'

'All Good things Must come to an end😪. Thank you to all my Rebel❤Fans for going in this journey with me! ❤ #rebelheartsneverdie'

Madonna Son's Future To Be Decided In The US

It would be a 'very great tragedy' if any more of the 'precious and fast receding days' of Madonna and Guy Ritchie's son Rocco's childhood were taken up by a custody dispute, a High Court judge has said.

The 57-year-old singer wants the teenager to return to live with her in the US after he remained in London with his father after a visit.

Litigation had begun in London and New York but Mr Justice MacDonald ruled that the English proceedings could be halted.

The judge analysed the latest round of the dispute at a private hearing in the Family Division of the High Court in London earlier this month.

He was asked to decide whether he should allow English proceedings to draw to a close - or whether he should make decisions about Rocco's welfare.

No-one involved was in court when the ruling was handed down but Mr Justice MacDonald pleaded with Madonna and Ritchie to try to settle the dispute.

He said the youngster was a 'very great credit' to his parents and urged Madonna and Ritchie to spend time enjoying his company.

Lawyers have told him that both had outlined proposals for negotiation. More court hearings are expected to be held in New York.

'At the root of these proceedings....is a temporary breakdown in trust,' said the judge in his ruling. 'For all the media coverage, comment and analysis, this is a case born out of circumstances that arise for countless separated parents the world over.'

He added: 'I renew, one final time, my plea for the parents to seek, and to find, an amicable resolution to the dispute between them. Most importantly.....summer does not last forever. The boy very quickly becomes the man. It would be a very great tragedy for Rocco if any more of the precious and fast receding days of his childhood were to be taken up by this dispute.

'Far better for each of his parents to spend that time enjoying, in turn, the company of the mature, articulate and reflective young man who is their son and who is a very great credit to them both.'

From Sky News / Yahoo! News

Last pre show Game face!

Last pre show Game face.😂👍🏻🔜👑. See you bishes out there! ❤️#rebelheartsneverdie pic.twitter.com/Lw9M9O2uv6

— Madonna (@Madonna) 20 March 2016

Final Tour shows In Sydney To Be Filmed

Documenting her return to Australia for the first time in 23 years and saving the best for last, Madonna today announced that she will film her Sydney Australia concerts at the Sydney Olympic Park NSW on March 19th and 20th. These are the final shows of her seven-month Rebel Heart world tour where Madonna has performed 80+ shows in over 20 countries.

Throughout the tour Madonna has pulled several actors, comedians, fans, fellow musicians and even a news anchor to the stage for a special dance as her 'Unapologetic Bitch.' This weekend in Sydney Madonna will choose a few fans as her 'Unapologetic Bitches,' all which will be documented by the taping this weekend.

Danny B. Tull and Nathan Rissman, both of whom have worked extensively with Madonna on her feature films and tour movies, will direct the live video which will be part of a larger project to be released at a later date.

From Madonna.com

Madonna in Melbourne: No Tears on the Clown!

madonnalicious reader Susan shares this great shot from the first Melbourne show on Saturday 12 March.

Liz Smith: Sorry, Haters

Liz Smith takes to task all the haters out there currently criticising Madonna:

Now Madonna, who will end her 'Rebel Heart' tour in a few days, in Sydney, Australia, is embroiled in a terrible custody battle over her and Ritchie's son, Rocco. Madonna is strict, Guy is not. That, apparently, is Rocco's problem. He's 15. Madonna adores her son. She loves all of her children. She's not a perfect person and would be the first to admit it, but she has been a good parent. (She would also admit that like all parents, she has things to learn and accept in that area, too.)

As miserable as this custody issue has made her, the very last thing that she would do is self-destruct. I know there's a contingent out there that wants this super-controlled, phenomenally successful woman to lose it, and become a tragic figure. Just like all the others - Judy and Marilyn and Amy and Billie and Jim Morrison and Janis, etc. Some of these people even claim to be fans! They think she needs to be 'humbled.' Not. Going. To. Happen.

I think it all will work out, but sorry haters - or you people out there who just love a good celebrity tragedy - she's not heading down the road to perdition and/or messy decline. She hasn't worked this hard and this long to allow that to happen.

To read the full article visit: www.newyorksocialdiary.com

Sydney Get Ready!

Saving the beat for last in Sydney! @hardcandyfit is addicted to sweat!! Get ready! 🍭🍭🍭🍭🍭🍭🍭🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉❤️ #rebelhearttour pic.twitter.com/57N2DmXduz

— Madonna (@Madonna) 15 March 2016

Be Madonna's #FinalUnapologeticBitch

During the past 7 months, Madonna saw a lot of amazing and funny Unapologetic Bitches joining her on stage. If you think you got what it takes to be the #FinalUnapologeticBitch, post a video of you dressed for the show and showing your best dance moves to your Instagram along with the #FinalUnapologeticBitch hashtag.

You may be selected to join her on stage during her March 19 & March 20 shows in Sydney! Good luck!!

Madonna plays off drunk rumours in Instagram post

Madonna says she would never perform at a concert 'high or drunk' in an Instagram post early Tuesday.

The pop star played off the reported rumors that she appeared drunk onstage during her current world tour. She wrote 'too bad people don't know the art of acting and playing a character.'

During Madonna's live set, she plays a character who drinks a shot onstage.

She wrote the post in response to a fan who was defending her on Instagram. She told the fan 'thanks for supporting me.'

Madonna called the claims she was drunk sexist. She wrote: 'Sexism is alive and kicking but i am #livingforlove.'

From Associated Press Via Yahoo! News

Molly Meldrum says he was ‘overwhelmed’ by Madonna singing for him

Molly Meldrum said he was overwhelmed by Madonna’s onstage tribute to him in Melbourne. Madonna dedicated Take a Bow to Meldrum, calling him 'the first man in Australia to fall in love with me.'

'I’m really shy, but it was lovely for her to do that,' an emotional Meldrum said. 'But it was so overwhelming. I didn’t know what was going on when she was coming towards me.'

Madonna had given Meldrum front row tickets and leaned over the stage to hand him the microphone and take a swig from a hip flask. 'Once she got closer she could see I was tearing up, and it was almost like she went for more!,' Meldrum said.

Meldrum told the singer, and all of Rod Laver Arena, 'I f---ng love you!'

Madonna replied 'I love you too. You take care of yourself, you hear me?'

Meldrum revealed a Madonna trade secret - the hip flask only contained water.

'Madonna is incredible,' Meldrum said. 'The show is amazing - her, the band, the dancers, the choreography - it’s just awesome.'

Meldrum gave Madonna a copy of her autobiography The Never, Um, Ever Ending Story. 'There’s a whole chapter in there about her,' Meldrum said. 'We’ve had some great times together.'

Madonna and Molly’s history stretches back to 1983, when his show Countdown championed the singer in her early days. That meant Australia was the first place to make her single Burning Up a hit and Holiday went Top 5 in Australia first. Australia also gave Madonna her first No. 1 anywhere in the world with Like a Virgin.

All three songs feature in the Rebel Heart tour - Madonna’s first visit down under since 1993.

Madonna has only performed Take a Bow on stage four times since it was a No. 1 hit in 1994, two of those times being in Melbourne this week.

Meldrum, recovering from a fall in Thailand, was a hero in the crowd. However one overenthusiastic audience member gave him a friendly slap on his sore arm. 'I nearly wanted to punch him, which I apologise for, but it was like shot in the arm. He didn’t mean it, but I can’t shake hands or anything at the minute, I’m still in pain.'

Molly and @Madonna up close - a beautiful moment #RebelHeart - via @linda_freedman pic.twitter.com/Zg4vAq9glv

— cameron adams (@cameron_adams) March 12, 2016

While the fan dream of Kylie Minogue getting on stage with Madonna in Melbourne didn’t happen, singer and drag performer Courtney Act was pulled out of the crowd by Madonna for the song Unapologetic B---h.

Madonna got very up close and personal with Act, who got into the moment by stripping off and chatting with the superstar, who seemed to have no idea she had a profile herself.

Courtney Act appeared on Australian Idol but got her international break by appearing on RuPaul’s Drag Race in 2013 and is an in-demand performer around the world. Act tweeted today 'woke up to find last night did actually happen!'

From news.com.au / Cameron Adams

Events: NYC Madonna Dance Party

Fan Pictures: 'Tears Of A Clown'

madonnalicious reader Glenn was lucky enough to attend Madonna's intimate 'Tears Of A clown' show in Melbourne on Thursday, and he shares these fantastic pictures from the event!

Madonna 'wants to heal wounds' in row over son Rocco's future

Madonna has told a High Court judge that she wants to restore peace and heal wounds opened in a dispute with ex-husband Guy Ritchie over the future of their 15-year-old son Rocco.

A lawyer for the singer told Mr Justice MacDonald that she wanted to end litigation.

Her hopes for the future were revealed at a private hearing in the Family Division of the High Court in London on Friday.

The singer and the film-maker are embroiled in litigation in England and New York.

Judges have heard that Rocco had remained in London with his father after a visit. Madonna wants the teenager to return to live with her in the US.

Lawyers have told Mr Justice MacDonald that Madonna wants to end legal proceedings she had launched in England.

The judge has to decide whether English proceedings should draw to a close or whether he should make decisions about Rocco's welfare.

He finished hearing evidence on Friday, after a hearing lasting several days, and is expected to deliver a ruling in the near future.

Rocco and Mr Ritchie had been at the hearing but not Madonna. The singer's lawyers told the judge that she wanted to attend but was on tour in Australia.

Mr Justice MacDonald urged Madonna and Mr Ritchie to try to settle their dispute. And lawyers told him that both Madonna and Mr Ritchie had outlined proposals for negotiation.

Madonna proposed that Rocco and Mr Ritchie travel to her home in New York when she ended her current tour to try to 'reach a resolution'. Mr Ritchie proposed a 'round table' meeting in London involving lawyers.

Members of Madonna's legal team had taken instructions from her after she finished performing in Melbourne on Thursday. And David Williams QC, who headed the team, outlined Madonna's wishes on Friday.

'What she has always wanted to do and still continues to seek to do is to find a way in which this family can get to heal the wounds which have been inflicted on this family over the past four months or so and to chart a course for Rocco and the family which enables them to put this behind them and to restore peace to the family,' he said.

'She really very much hopes that the family can get back together in New York over the Easter vacation and start the process, with all of them involved, in trying to reach a resolution to this problem.'

Alex Verdan QC, who represented Mr Ritchie, said his client had proposed a round-table meeting in London. Mr Verdan said any lawyers anyone wanted would be able to attend.

He said Madonna and Mr Ritchie had not been in the 'same place at the same time' since the dispute began.

Mr Justice MacDonald said one of the problems was that Madonna and Mr Ritchie, a film-maker, could not decide which country negotiations should take place in.

The judge had ruled earlier this week that little detail could be revealed about the hearing in London. But he relaxed restrictions on Friday after an application from the publishers of The Sun and Daily Mail newspapers.

From Associated Press Via Yahoo! News

This Clown is crying tears of Joy. Thank you Melbourne💘

This Clown is crying tears of Joy. Thank you Melbourne💘#tearsofaclown pic.twitter.com/OLq7yoSXOw

— Madonna (@Madonna) 10 March 2016

Clown Squad 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉💘 #tearsofaclown pic.twitter.com/UXwngNATTH

— Madonna (@Madonna) 10 March 2016

Tears Of A Clown: Setlist

Madonna has just finished (as of 02:50 am on Friday morning) her intimate one-off 'Tears Of A Clown' show in Melbourne. The show was recorded and is going to be included in a Rebel Heart Tour DVD. Here is the setlist:

Send In The Clowns (Cover)
Drowned World/Substitute For Love
X-Static Process
Between The Bars (Cover)
Nobody's Perfect
Easy Ride
Intervention (Dedicated to Rocco)
I'm So Stupid
Paradise (Not For Me)
Joan of Arc
Don't Tell Me
Mer Girl
Borderline
Take A Bow
Holiday

This is a setlist to die for! Mer Girl 😘💗 #TearsOfAClown #RebelHeartTour #madonna pic.twitter.com/VUsY4M2nrA

— Louie Bromley (@louie1401) March 10, 2016

Tears Of A Clown: Merchandise

madonnalicious reader Glenn attended the 'Tears Of A Clown' show and shared these pictures of the one-off special tshirt produced just for this show.

Madonna's Tears Of A Clown intimate concert for fans

The rain has been pelting down on Madonna’s most diehard fans, who have waited 23 years for her to visit. Now they have to wait no more.

The Queen of Pop has hit the stage in an extravagant clown outfit, with a billowing yellow top and pink and white striped socks. The 57-year-old opened her Tears of a Clown show with a series of jokes before performing Drowned World/Substitute for Love from her 1998 album Ray of Light.

The mum-of-four also rode a tiny tricycle around the stage at The Forum in Melbourne to the delight of superfans.

An emotional Madonna later surprised fans by dedicating her song Intervention to her teenage son Rocco who refuses to move back to New York to live with her.

The doors were meant to open at 8.30pm but Guy Oseary then told the soaking fans, many who had camped overnight at the Forum theatre in Melbourne since Monday, that the doors would not be open before 10.30pm and the pop singer would most likely not be on stage before 11.30pm.

Fans said online the delay was because Madonna was rehearsing the show up until the last minute.

Superfans, wearing Madonna T-shirts, passed the time performing singalongs in the street before the doors finally opened around midnight.

Concertgoers have flown in from around Australia and the world - including a couple from Germany - to see the Queen of Pop. Queues stretched up Hosier Lane into Flinders Lane.

The curfew for the venue is 2am.

The fans at the intimate Forum could only win tickets via Madonna’s fan club or through Rebel Heart tour sponsor Telstra. Names have been printed on tickets to stop the money-can’t-buy tickets being scalped.

Report by Cameron Adams / news.com.au

Madonna's done some jokes now Send in the Clowns #TearsOfAClown pic.twitter.com/8lfOeoNoV0

— cameron adams (@cameron_adams) March 10, 2016

A small gift for Australia for being so patient!

All the World loves a clown.........a small gift for Australia for being so patient!🎉😂. ❤️ #rebelhearttour pic.twitter.com/zsgLCfjF4E

— Madonna (@Madonna) March 8, 2016

Insane clown Posse.....................🎉🎉🍾🍾‼️😂👍🏻❌🍷💘💘🐿🎉🎉👍🏻💃🏻https://t.co/iIdVbVY3cY

— Madonna (@Madonna) March 9, 2016

Send in the Clowns....

Send in the Clowns..,,,,,,,................there ought to. Be. Clowns. ❤️#rebelhearttour pic.twitter.com/IqmzBdWYow

— Madonna (@Madonna) 8 March 2016

Events: Madonna Mania is about to hit Melbourne

Just Like A Prayer, Chapel Off Chapel will take you there....to celebrate the Queen of Pop’s arrival in Melbourne after 23 years with a pre-show party and everybody is invited!

Hosted by SUPERGIRLY an all-singing, all-glamour laugh fest combining amazing vocals, wicked humour and clever writing. SuperGirly will have you looking at Madonna music in a new light. Supergirly will be joined musical theatre star ANA MITSIKAS on keys – this is your post show foyer Madonna showcase.

In 1998 during her stint in London, SuperGirly was asked to perform for a private party for Madonna. 'We were asked to perform at a private party for Madonna. I just thought it was a drag queen; I had no idea it was going to be Madonna. We got there, and there she was on the couch. It was very surreal.'

STRIKE A POSE and GET INTO THE GROOVE as we remix and revisit Madonna’s greatest hits with massive line-up of special guests – including musical theatre stars from upcoming musical productions here at Chapel Off Chapel including Violet - The Musical, Tick, Tick, Boom, CrossXRoads and Dogfight – The Musical and we’ll keeping you VOGUEing the night away with special dance performances from contemporary dance company Lion Heart, tap dance crew Footnotes and special jazz funk number by The Space - Dance Academy.

Where’s The Party: Chapel Off Chapel - 12 Little Chapel St - Prahran
Date: 11 March 9:30pm
Admission: Free – STRIKE A POSE
MORE INFO:  www.chapeloffchapel.com.au

Madonna Dedicates Song to Son Rocco

Madonna was overcome with emotion onstage as she spoke about her son, Rocco, and dedicated a performance of 'La Vie en Rose' to him at a concert in New Zealand on Saturday (March 5).

The singer is in the midst of a legal battle with ex-husband Guy Ritchie over custody of their 15-year-old son.

'It’s true, there is no love stronger than a mother for her son,' Madonna said of Rocco. 'And if I talk about it too much, I might cry.'

'But I would like to dedicate this song to him. It’s a love song for a man, but I know he’ll be one, one day,' she told the audience at Auckland’s Vector Arena.

'I hope he hears this somewhere and he knows how much I miss him,' she said before singing 'La Vie en Rose.'

From Billboard.com

A Happy Girl in New Zealand!

A Happy Girl in New Zealand! What FUN💘🎉🎉🎉🎉💃🏻🦄‼️❌👍🏻💯👑 ❤️#rebelhearttour pic.twitter.com/olP6xfghI1

— Madonna (@Madonna) 5 March 2016

Tears of a Clown

Tears of a Clown. 😂❌ 🍷https://t.co/HvHuGGDecC

— Madonna (@Madonna) 4 March 2016

Madonna announces secret show in Melbourne

Madonna has announced an intimate club show - featuring her unexpected stand-up comedy work as well as music - in Melbourne next week.

The superstar will play the Forum next Thursday March 10. The venue holds only 1500 people, tiny by Madonna’s standards.

The club show, Tears of a Clown is an exclusive free fan show that will fuse 'music, art and comedy'.

Madonna said in a statement 'I wanted to do something special for Australia because you have been so patient and waited so long. The Tears of a Clown show will make its debut on March 10. Performance art, comedy, story telling and music of course! Especially for my Rebel Heart fans down under!'

The free tickets will only be available through Madonna’s fan club but if you’re rushing to join, bad luck, entrants have to have been members before March 1 this year.

You have to be over 18 and post a photo of yourself excited about Madonna’s return to Australia for the first time in 23 years on your social media accounts. More details are at madonna.com

Tour partner Telstra are also offering free tickets to customers at telstra.com/music.

Madonna had teased Australian fans by stating on stage in Macau last month that she would do a secret show down under. She also joked it might be a stand up comedy show she’d called Tears of a Clown. It turns out she was not joking about the joking.

From news.com.au

Madonna-Ritchie custody dispute reaches High Court in London

A dispute between Madonna and ex-husband Guy Ritchie over custody of their son Rocco reached Britain's High Court on Thursday, where a judge said he hoped the couple could reach an amicable settlement.

Ritchie attended a hearing before judge Alistair MacDonald. Neither Madonna nor 15-year-old Rocco was present.

Madonna wants Rocco, who lives with his filmmaker father in England, to return to her custody in the U.S.

The case has unfolded in New York, but Madonna also issued an application in England under an international legal convention. Lawyers say the singer now wants to withdraw it and end the British legal proceedings.

On Wednesday, a New York judge implored the couple to put their son's interests first and end their months-long legal battle. Justice MacDonald echoed that sentiment, saying it was his 'fervent hope' that the couple could reach an agreement.

'An amicable negotiated resolution is definitely the way forward and in Rocco's best interests,' he said.

Another hearing is scheduled later his month.

In December, New York State Supreme Court Justice Deborah Kaplan ruled that Rocco should return to his mother's custody. Records show Madonna, whose legal name is Madonna Louise Ciccone, moved for the judge to enforce that order.

On Wednesday, Kaplan said she wasn't going to remove the order but also would not issue a warrant to compel Ritchie to appear in New York.

From Associated Press Via Yahoo! News

Madonna in Auckland: Five reasons why Madonna is still the Queen of Pop

Madonna is in Auckland folks. We're not trying to preach, but this is something of a big deal.

Sure, Queen Madge has faced her fair share of controversy over the past few years. All the custody to-ing and fro-ing, in and out of court with her ex-husband Guy Ritchie, the recent Philippines flag debacle and her general button-pushing antics both on stage and in the media.

But if there's one thing the original Material Girl does deserve a little credit for it's her ability to endlessly reinvent herself and somehow maintain a thirty-year reign in pop culture, style and music.

To read the five reasons visit: www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment