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Why Madonna’s Girlie Show Tour Was A Two-Fingered Triumph

Madonna’s Girlie Show world tour set new standards not only for the “Queen Of Pop”, but also for the blockbuster live shows of the future.

Just a decade after her self-titled debut album hit the shops, Madonna ’s career appeared to have completed an entire orbit around the supernova of global fame. Her breakthrough had swiftly scaled once MTV got the Like A Virgin album ’s singles in their sights: she’d enjoyed a solid run in the super-league with that record’s follow-up, True Blue , and basked in creative recognition with Like A Prayer , while the controversial Erotica pushed the envelope beyond anything yet seen in pop music. Launched in the autumn of 1993, The Girlie Show tour was crafted to remind everyone just what had made Madonna one of the best musicians of the 80s .

Listen to the best of Madonna here .

The setlist: a sharp, slick affair.

The structure and storytelling of Madonna’s previous tour, Blond Ambition, had established a new template and creative standard for stadium concerts. Three years later, The Girlie Show was a sharper, almost slicker affair, segmented into four simple sections.

Opening proceedings with Madonna’s recent hit single, Erotica , the Dominatrix portion showcased the erotic, voyeuristic themes omnipresent in Madonna’s early-90s work. The next section, Studio 54, started as an effervescent headrush before, almost as quickly, darkening with reflections on the AIDS crisis, which was arguably at its vicious peak as The Girlie Show made its way around the world. In 1993, there wasn’t much optimism that the health disaster would be over any time soon, and as one of the most pioneering LGBTQ+ musicians of the era, Madonna made awareness of HIV’s dangers and the plight of those affected a signature of her work.

The third segment, Weimar Cabaret, was the show’s lightest, with campy crowd-pleasers such as Like A Virgin performed in a Marlene Dietrich style, along with a rare airing for I’m Going Bananas, from 1990’s I’m Breathless soundtrack album . The final two songs of The Girlie Show setlist – Justify My Love , in a Cecil Beaton homage, and a celebratory Everybody – made up the fourth act: the night’s inevitable encore.

After a decade in the business, Madonna wasn’t about to take the easy option by simply parading her catalogue of hits in a crass attempt to win favour. Many of the best Madonna songs , among them Vogue , Express Yourself , La Isla Bonita and Holiday , were present and correct with the aforementioned Like A Virgin, but that was it. Anyone hoping for a quickfire rendition of Madonna’s groundbreaking run of No.1 singles was at the wrong show, with the “Queen Of Pop”’s restless focus on moving things along already in evidence on what would become her last international tour of the 20th century.

The tour dates: A challenge to her “enemies”

Across Madonna’s international tours, The Girlie Show stands out for the places she didn’t visit – the entire East Coast of the US, plus continental Europe outside Paris (a Frankfurt date got cancelled due to technical problems) – while taking in less-routine territories such as Turkey and Israel. The Girlie Show also marked Madonna’s first concerts in Australia and South America, with performances in Argentina, Brazil and Mexico. It wouldn’t be until 2016 that Madonna would play in Oceania again, where she closed the Rebel Heart Tour in Sydney. Fans left unable to visit the countries she did play on The Girlie Show were rewarded with a 1994 VHS cassette and LaserDisc release, filmed in Sydney’s Cricket Ground on 19 November 1993. The Girlie Show: Live Down Under was later reissued as a DVD.

Launching The Girlie Show on 25 September 1993, in London, where the tabloid reaction to Erotica and the Sex book had been particularly combative, was a brave move, but Madonna wasn’t in the mood to take prisoners at this juncture in her astonishing career. She went on record saying she was opening the 39-date tour in the UK because it was where she had the “most enemies”. Fans were dazzled by the 17-song set, though controversy would follow (there were protests by Orthodox Jews in Israel). Madonna, however, had long since stopped worrying about the storms that trailed in her wake.

The legacy: Repositioning Madonna as a masterful live performer

The Girlie Show was an attempt by Madonna to reset focus away from the headlines and back on her ability to stage a spectacular live show. With brother Christopher Ciccone as tour director, plus a troupe of world-class dancers, including Carlton Wilborn, who had appeared with Madonna on Blond Ambition and in its groundbreaking documentary feature, Truth Or Dare (aka In Bed With Madonna) , and many costumes created by Dolce & Gabbana, this was a glittering tour de force, drawing on the edges of what staging technology could create in the early 90s. The tour broke attendance records in Brazil and grossed a reported $70 million in US dollars.

More importantly, The Girlie Show repositioned Madonna as a masterful live performer with an adoring audience. The “Queen Of Pop” had arguably never looked or sounded so confident on stage, and each night demonstrated just how inspiring she can be when she comes out fighting. The musical renaissance of Ray Of Light was five years in the future, but The Girlie Show tour set Madonna’s live legacy on an even footing with her studio creations, and would be something she would lean into more strongly in the next millennium.

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The Girlie Show World Tour

The Girlie Show World Tour is the fourth tour by Madonna . It promoted her fifth studio album Erotica . A documentary about the tour titled Truth or Dare (In Bed With Madonna) was released later.

Background [ ]

The Girlie Show was based on her criticized album, Erotica . The show had a so-called visual theme "Circus Burlesque." The singer said it was "a mixture of a rock concert, a fashion show, a presentation of circus, a cabaret act and burlesque". She also had a complex visual style and a more introspective concept and theme most obvious and serious, showing different forms parts of the show. Madonna explored the sexual theme, as he had done in her album.

The show had a more complex than previous tours Madonna stage. She had a walkway leading to a smaller stage, several elevators, elevating platforms behind three-set, and a turntable in the middle of the main stage.

The scenery required 24 hours to be mounted and armed was directed by Madonna's brother, Christopher Ciccone.

At first, The Girlie Show was a thoughtful tour only to tour Australia and Japan, but in the process it was decided that it would cross four continents, resulting in Madonna visiting countries that had not been visited on previous tours, marking her first touring visit in Australia, South and Central America, and the Middle East.

The song " Bad Girl " was to be played during this tour, but for unknown reasons ended up being replaced by " In This Life ".

It was rumored that Madonna manipulated particular concert dates in the US and Canada because this time the presentations were small compared with their previous tours; according to her admirers, that an interpretation under Erotica album sales and her book was due Sex.

Setlist: [ ]

Act 1: Dominatrix

Act 2: Studio 54

Act 3: Weimar Cabaret

• 1 Carlos Leon
• 2 Erotica Photoshoot
• 3 Ray of Light Photoshoot

By the way, if you ever hear me say again ‘I’m never going on tour again’, don’t believe me Madonna

On September 25, 1993 Madonna kicked off her fourth tour in London’s Wembley Stadium , where adoring fans from all over the world reunited to see what The Queen of Pop had to say on stage after her hugely popular Blond Ambition Tour. The result was a fresh blend of Circus, Cabaret, Theatre and Magic.

The Girlie Show – named after a painting with the same name by American artist Edward Hopper – visited the UK, France, Israel, Turkey, Canada, the USA, Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Australia and Japan.

Back in 2005 celebrated that magical tour with an extensive interview with the choreographer of the show, Alex Magno . Alex shared with our readers his personal “dreams come true” story of how he left his native Brazil to become a professional and successful dancer in the USA, but he also revealed exclusive and interesting behind the scenes stories about the making of The Girlie Show.

Check out his story by clicking the image below.

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On Tour with the Idol

• The Virgin Tour
• Who’s That Girl
• Blond Ambition
• The Girlie Show
• Drowned World Tour
• Re-invention Tour
• The Confessions Tour
• Sticky & Sweet Tour
• The MDNA Tour
• Rebel Heart Tour
• Madame X Tour
• The Celebration Tour

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Girlie Show - Schedule

Asia (middle east), north america, south america.

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• All setlist songs  ( 923 )

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• American Life Promo Tour  ( 4 )
• Blond Ambition World Tour  ( 58 )
• Confessions Promo Tour  ( 3 )
• Confessions Tour  ( 60 )
• Drowned World Tour  ( 47 )
• Hard Candy Promo Tour  ( 3 )
• Madame X Tour  ( 75 )
• Music Promo Tour  ( 2 )
• Re-Invention Tour  ( 56 )
• Rebel Heart Tour  ( 82 )
• Sticky & Sweet Tour  ( 85 )
• The Celebration Tour  ( 81 )
• The Girlie Show  ( 39 )
• The MDNA Tour  ( 88 )
• The Virgin Tour  ( 41 )
• Who's That Girl  ( 39 )
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Average setlist for tour: The Girlie Show

• Song played from tape The Girlie Show Theme Play Video
• Erotica Play Video
• Fever ( Eddie Cooley  cover) Play Video
• Vogue Play Video
• Rain Play Video
• Express Yourself Play Video
• Deeper and Deeper Play Video
• Why's It So Hard Play Video
• In This Life Play Video
• Song played from tape The Beast Within Play Video
• Like a Virgin Play Video
• Bye Bye Baby Play Video
• I'm Going Bananas Play Video
• La Isla Bonita Play Video
• Holiday Play Video
• Justify My Love Play Video
• Everybody Play Video

Show Openers

Main set closers, show closers, encores played.

This feature is not that experimental anymore. Nevertheless, please give feedback if the results don't make any sense to you.

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The Girlie Show World Tour

The Girlie Show World Tour (also referred to as simply The Girlie Show ) was the fourth concert tour by American singer and songwriter Madonna , in support of her fifth studio album, Erotica . The tour visited the Americas , Europe , Asia , and Australia for the first time, selling 360 000 tickets in this leg only. [2] Madonna's inspiration for the name of the tour was a painting called "Girlie Show" by Edward Hopper . The tour is estimated to have grossed over US$70 million. [2] [3] Two separate television specials were broadcast during the tour, one made during the Japanese leg of the tour and shown only on Japanese television; Madonna Live in Japan 1993 – The Girlie Show and an HBO special Madonna Live Down Under – The Girlie Show which was later released in 1994 by Warner Music Vision on home video. [4]

• 1 Background
• 2 Concert synopsis
• 3 Broadcasts and recordings
• 5.1 Opening act
• 6 Canceled shows
• 8 References

Proclaiming after her 1990 Blond Ambition World Tour that she would "never go on tour again", it only took her three years until she hit the road again. After that, she said that if "you ever hear me say again 'I'm never going on tour again', don't believe me." [5]

The Girlie Show was launched in support of Madonna's 1992 album, Erotica . The show had the central visual theme of a "sex circus". Described as "a mixture of a rock concert, a fashion show, a carnival performance, a cabaret act and a burlesque show", the show had a more complex stage than those from Madonna's previous tours: it had a runway that led from the center of the main stage to a minor stage, a revolving elevated platform in the middle of the main stage, balconies in the rear of the stage, and a giant illuminated "Girlie Show" sign above stage, among other features. The tour was directed by Madonna's brother, Christopher Ciccone ; costumes for the tour were designed by Italian fashion house Dolce & Gabbana .

Madonna played an unusually few five dates in the U.S. It was speculated that this was related to the Erotica album's particularly low sales in that country and the extreme negative backlash surrounding Madonna's book Sex and film Body of Evidence . The tour was chronicled by the photo book The Girlie Show , which included a CD with three live tracks: "Like a Virgin", "In This Life", and "Why's It So Hard."

Photography for promotional material, posters and publicity for the show was by Herb Ritts . The same imagery was used on the " Bye Bye Baby " single cover, which was released during the Australian leg of the tour and also on a Brazilian promotional EP, The Girlie Show which included the tracks "Erotica", "Deeper and Deeper", "Bad Girl", "Fever", "Rain" and "Bye Bye Baby". [6] Other images from the same shoot were also included in The Girlie Show book released in 1994 and also on the 1993 single release, " Rain ".

Some venues forbade nudity, so dancer Carrie Ann Inaba wore a halter top at those shows. Uproar developed in Puerto Rico after Madonna rubbed the Puerto Rican flag between her legs on stage. [7] In São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro , Madonna performed the Brazilian song " The Girl from Ipanema ". [8] During her second show in Buenos Aires , Madonna performed a snippet of the song " Don't Cry for Me Argentina " from the musical Evita . Two years later she would end up playing the titular role in the film adaptation by Alan Parker . Trouble in Israel occurred when Orthodox Jews staged protests to force the cancellation of the singer's first-ever show in that country. The rallies were unsuccessful as the show was sold out and went on as scheduled. [7]

Concert synopsis

The show was divided into four sections: Dominatrix , Studio 54 , Weimar Cabaret , and Encore . It began with calliope fanfare as a pierrot - who makes several cameos later - appears from the red curtain near a tall go-go pole on which a topless dancer Carrie Ann Inaba performed. Madonna then makes her entrance striking poses and swinging her whip in dominatrix gear from a spotlit platform to sing " Erotica ". Next came " Fever " where she takes her jacket, mask and glove off and dances suggestively with two shirtless male dancers before disappearing among flames. " Vogue " is performed in a beaded headdress with a Hindu flavor; she serenaded the audience with a Motown -influenced " Rain ", complete with a " Singin' in the Rain " dance interlude which features the pierrot. Afterwards, she descends from the ceiling on a giant glitter ball , wearing a blond afro wig (inspired by the 1932 film Blonde Venus which stars Marlene Dietrich ) to perform a disco -styled " Express Yourself " and " Deeper and Deeper ". Following a simulated orgy, she sings "Why's It So Hard" and "In This Life"; the pierrot watches Madonna during the latter song.

Another interlude, " The Beast Within ", features an apocalyptic dance with sexual overtones. This leads to " Like a Virgin ", where Madonna performed in a classic tuxedo with a Marlene Dietrich vocal accent; while doing a comedic act with the pierrot. She then acts as a sideshow barker, singing " Bye Bye Baby " during a chair routine with her dancing girls; this was done in the same manner as her performance at the 1993 MTV Video Music Awards . After the Hispanic "I'm Going Bananas", she staged a rendition of " La Isla Bonita " before donning military trench coats for a marching, funked-up version of " Holiday "; the circus theme is heard before and after this song. For encores, she appeared in Victorian -themed costumes for " Justify My Love ", and finally brought the house down with a minimal " Everybody ". As the red curtain fell and carnival music played, the pierrot emerged yet again, only to reveal its identity as Madonna herself: she closed the show by singing the phrase "Everybody is a Star" as the curtain falls.

Broadcasts and recordings

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The broadcast was produced in association with HBO and was titled Madonna Live Down Under: The Girlie Show . Initially, the November 20 show, the second of two dates at the Sydney Cricket Ground , was to be filmed and aired. However, a massive storm forced the cancellation of the show, so the November 19 show, which had been filmed as a "safety show", was aired instead in USA (HBO) and Germany (Premiere). A month later an edited version of this original broadcast was shown on UK TV (Sky). A re-edited version of this concert was released worldwide on VHS and Laserdisc on April 26, 1994 as The Girlie Show: Live Down Under . It was nominated for the Grammy Award of Best Long Form Music Video in 1995.

Additional video recordings were made during the Japanese leg of the tour and shown only on Japanese television, Madonna Live in Japan 1993 – The Girlie Show and the October 7 show at the Inonu Stadium in Istanbul was aired on ATV in Turkey. UK radio station, BBC Radio 1 , broadcast the entire second show at Wembley Stadium on December 26 and Brazilian radio broadcast the show at Maracanã stadium , Rio de Janeiro, Brazil with live commentary.

• "The Girlie Show Theme" (Fanfare Introduction)
• " Erotica "
• " Fever " (Edit One mix)
• " Rain " (contains excerpts from " Just My Imagination " along with elements of " Singin' in the Rain ")
• " Express Yourself "
• " Deeper and Deeper " (contains excerpts from " It Takes Two " and " Love to Love You Baby ")
• "Why's It So Hard"
• "In This Life"
• " The Beast Within " (Dancer Interlude)
• " Like a Virgin " (contains excerpts from " Falling In Love Again ")
• " Bye Bye Baby "
• "I'm Going Bananas"
• " La Isla Bonita "
• " Holiday " (contains excerpts from "Holiday for Calliope")
• " Justify My Love "
• " Everybody Is a Star " / " Everybody " (contains elements of " Dance to the Music ", and " After the Dance ")

Set list per official DVD Tracklisting. [9] [10] [11]

Opening act

• Yonca Evcimik and Kenan Dogulu - Turkey
• U.N.V. - some North America dates
• Peter Andre - Australia

Source: [19]

Canceled shows

• Production Designer - Christopher Ciccone
• Musical Director - Jai Winding
• Stage Direction - Jeffrey Hornaday
• Lighting Designer - Peter Morse
• Costume Design - Dolce & Gabbana and Rob Saduski
• Choreographers - Alex Magno , Keith Young, Michelle Johnston and Niki Haris
• Dancers - Ungela Brockman, Christopher Childers, Michael Gregory, Carrie Ann Inaba , Jill Nicklaus, Ruth Inchaustegui, Luca Tommassini, and Carlton Wilborn
• Madonna - Lead vocals
• Victor Baley - Bass
• Michael Bearden - Keyboards
• Luis Conte - Percussion
• Donna DeLory - Backing vocals
• Niki Haris - Backing vocals
• Omar Hakim - Drums
• Mike McKnight - Keyboards
• Paul Pesco - Guitar
• Jai Winding - Keyboards
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• ↑ 2.0 2.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
• ↑ Lenig 2010 , p. 145
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• ↑ http://audienciamundotv.wordpress.com/2012/12/05/assistir-show-da-madonna-em-sao-paulo-morumbi-ao-vivo-online-gratis-05122012/
• ↑ http://www.rioguides.com/en/information/rio-s-attractions/the-obvious/152-maracana-stadium-uk
• ↑ http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/get_out/article_09a20c0d-ea49-5ae8-a6e7-ed56bba0ab12.html?mode=jqm
• Pages using duplicate arguments in template calls
• Pages with broken file links
• Madonna (entertainer) concert tours
• 1993 concert tours
• Pages with script errors

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• The Girlie Show (Madonna)

The Girlie Show (Madonna) Explained

The Girlie Show was the fourth concert tour by American singer and songwriter Madonna, in support of her fifth studio album, Erotica (1992). It began on September 25, 1993, at the Wembley Stadium in London, England, and ended on December 19 of the same year at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo , Japan.

In October 1992, Madonna simultaneously released Erotica and the coffee table book Sex . The former ended up being Madonna's lowest selling album at the time, while the latter received extensive media attention, and backlash from fans and critics; nonetheless, it was commercially successful. After the critical and commercial failure of the erotic thriller Body of Evidence starring Madonna, the tour was announced in July 1993. The 39-date tour marked the first time the singer visited places such as Turkey , Israel , Mexico , Puerto Rico , Argentina , Brazil and Australia . According to some critics, it was the singer's way to "revive" her music career following the negative reaction to the thriller. The tour took its name after an Edward Hopper painting titled "Girlie Show". Madonna's brother, Christopher Ciccone , was appointed tour director.

Like her previous Blond Ambition World Tour (1990), the concert was divided into different thematic sections: Dominatrix , Studio 54 , Weimar Cabaret , and an encore . Madonna opened the show dressed as a dominatrix surrounded by topless dancers, while lighter moments included her descending from the ceiling on a giant disco ball wearing an Afro wig for " Express Yourself " (1989), as well as singing " Like a Virgin " (1984) in the guise of actress Marlene Dietrich. The Girlie Show received generally positive reviews from critics, who agreed that despite the controversy surrounding the singer, she could still please her audience. Upon completion, it was reported to have grossed US$70 million.

Several organizations in different countries protested to force the cancellation of the concerts, due to their explicit sexual nature. In Puerto Rico, Madonna passed the island's flag between her legs on stage, resulting in outrage among Puerto Rican society. A number of concerts were recorded and broadcast, with the show on November 19, 1993, in Sydney, Australia being aired as a special on HBO ; the following year, it was released on video under the title . The concerts in Fukuoka, Japan were also filmed, but broadcast exclusively on Japanese television.

In October 1992, Madonna released simultaneously her fifth studio album Erotica , and her coffee table book Sex . Consisting of sexually provocative and explicit images, photographed by Steven Meisel , the book was met with a strongly negative reaction from the media and the general public, but was commercially successful. [1] The widespread backlash overshadowed Erotica which, despite positive reviews, ended up as the singer's lowest selling album at the time; [1] [2] Madonna continued her provocative imagery in the 1993 erotic thriller Body of Evidence , a film which contains scenes of sadomasochism and bondage but it was critically panned and a commercial failure . On July 9, 1993, The Philadelphia Inquirer announced that Madonna would embark on the Girlie Show, a new concert tour. Some critics suggested that the tour was as an attempt by the singer to "revive" her musical career after Body of Evidence . [3] Madonna's inspiration for the tour was a painting by Edward Hopper of the same name, depicting a burlesque dancer.

"When I finished the Blond Ambition tour, I swore on my life that I would never even think of going on tour again as long as I lived. I was spent. I was exhausted. I was sick of traveling. I wanted stability. So, I threw myself into making movies, recording a new album, and I also put out a book called Sex . So much for stability. Needless to say, as rewarding as all these creative endeavors were to me, they could not take the place of performing live. Theater is my life--or is my life theater? I'm not sure and it really doesn't matter. Being on stage is where I feel most alive, and it's where I'm able to pull all of my creative energies into one outlet. It's the only place where I can combine all of my influences and all of my inspirations into one living, breathing animal. The stage is the only environment where cubist painting, burlesque, flamenco dancing and the circus can live together under one cozy roof. Taking the adventure one step further is to play in front of a different audience every night. dealing with different cultures, different expectations, different ways of expressing pleasure and bewilderment--this to me is the ultimate thrill. The ultimate risk. And I love taking risks. You may have heard that about me. There's no way this book could truly recapture the excitement of the 'Girlie Show', but it comes pretty damn close. By the way, if you ever hear me say, "I'm never going on tour again", don't believe me." [10]

Development

"First I had choreographed stuff I had them do. Then I asked them to dance and improvise, whatever the music moved them to do. Then I called back all the people who looked good and could really dance and I asked each of them to tell a joke or an amusing story. If they were really embarrassed and couldn't do it I didn't pick them. Then the ones that were left, I asked them if they would shave their heads. Not that I was going to shave their heads. I just wanted to see how far they were willing to go for me". [12]

Madonna and Ciccone decided to work with five different choreographers , one of them being American actor Gene Kelly , whom the singer wanted to choreograph the performance of single " Rain ". However, tension soon arose as Kelly was uncomfortable with the dancers; he believed they had been selected based on personality rather than for their abilities as dancers. He also wasn't too fond of the show's "heavy sexual overtones", according to Ciccone. Feeling Kelly's position wasn't working out, Ciccone convinced the singer to fire him; eventually, Madonna, "shamefaced at having single-handedly conceived of such a terrible fate for this venerable American icon", agreed with her brother and dismissed Kelly. Alex Magno was then appointed one of the Girlie Show's main choreographers. For the show's main theme, Madonna and her brother agreed on a "burlesque circus" and, for inspiration, would watch Bollywood films, Thai dance numbers, Carol Reed 's Trapeze (1956), as well as the work of Marlene Dietrich, Louise Brooks, Erté , and Zizi Jeanmaire . Like Blond Ambition, The Girlie Show was divided into four different thematic acts: Dominatrix , Studio 54 , Weimar Cabaret , and an encore .

The wardrobe was in charge of fashion designer duo Dolce & Gabbana; Madonna gave them instructions to watch a number of films, including My Fair Lady (1964) and Cabaret (1972), to bring to life the "striptease, Vegas type of show" she envisioned. [13] 1,500 costumes were created for the tour's troupe, that ranged from dominatrix boots, a sequin ed bra, and a Victorian -inspired dress to a simple white tank-top and cut-off denim shorts. Domenico Dolce recalled that, "both Madonna and I share a Fellinian version of the circus, but we also like those glamorous costumes that you can see in the movies from the '50s"; the duo agreed on "perfection" being the biggest challenge they encountered while working with the singer. [14] The designers would "redo" the stuff that would rip or come apart during the tour; "We followed the tour this way. From time, shorts and other things were missing. We followed the tour and assisted Madonna, despite being always in Milan", they explained. [15]

The show had a more complex stage than those from Madonna's previous tours; it included a catwalk that extended from the main stage and led out towards the audience, and two hydraulic risers that rose from beneath the stage to elevated platforms and several smaller balconies. [16] A large illuminated sign reading "Girlie Show" was hung above the stage. Two huge drawings, portraying the face of Madonna hidden behind a black mask, were placed on the sides. [17] [18] Two aircraft were needed to ferry the tour around Europe, including the largest Soviet transport plane ever made; it took four full days and 100 employees to assemble the stage, with one additional day for the setting up of production. [19] During MTV Australia 's special Girlie Talk , Madonna commented about having her hair cut before the tour: "my hair was hot pink. I went through this Pippi Longstocking phase where I just had to have, like, pink red hair and braids [...] and when I dyed my hair of all these crazy colors [...] I tried to make it blond again, [but it] started to break off everywhere so I kind of gave myself a haircut whatever I like it or not. For the tour I wanted something clean and after I cut all the dancers' hairs I was trying to decide what I wanted to do with my hair and I thought of having it dark like in my 'Rain' video, but then I didn't want to have the same color hairs of all the dancers, so I shortened and kept this color." [20]

Concert synopsis

The concert was divided into four different thematic sections: Dominatrix , Studio 54 , Weimar Cabaret , and an encore. It began with a calliope fanfare as a pierrot – who made several cameos later – appeared on stage. This was followed by a topless dancer sliding down a 20-foot pole high above the stage. Then, Madonna emerged as a short-haired dominatrix, wearing a black sequined ensemble consisting of jacket, bra, hot pants, elbow-length gloves , knee-high boots, and domino mask while brandishing a crop to perform " Erotica "; her dancers posing suggestively in the background. The next number was "Fever", which Madonna performed alongside half-naked male dancers. Towards the end, the singer and the two men disappeared in a flamed circle on the stage. The third song, " Vogue ", featured Madonna wearing an elaborate Asian beaded headdress and engaging in a Thai-inspired choreography. For " Rain ", Madonna and back-up singers and dancers Niki Haris and Donna De Lory wore long see-through black robes and sat on stools in the center of the stage. An instrumental interlude closed the act: the pierrot, along with several dancers dressed in black and twirling umbrellas, did a choreography reminiscent of the 1952 musical film Singin' in the Rain .

The Studio 54 act began with " Express Yourself "; a distorted voice from off-stage claimed "I'm gonna take you to a place you've never been before". Then, Madonna descended from the ceiling on a giant disco ball, wearing a blond afro wig, 1970's style halters and royal blue Bell-bottom pants. She was joined by Haris and De Lory in similar outfits. The end of the performance was connected to the next song, " Deeper and Deeper ", which featured a male member from the audience jumping onstage, seemingly trying to dance with a startled Madonna, ripping off his tearaway pants and revealing himself as one of the dancers from the show. "Why's It So Hard" saw Madonna simulating an orgy with all the dancers, while "In This Life", the act's final song, saw her singing alone on the stage as the pierrot watched from afar. The show's second interlude, "The Beast Within", featured two men doing an apocalyptic dance with sexual overtones as Madonna, from off-stage, recited the lyrics.

" Like a Virgin " opened the Weimar Cabaret segment: Madonna wore top hat and a tailcoat while singing in the guise of actress Marlene Dietrich, pronouncing the word "virgin" as "wirgin". [21] " Bye Bye Baby " saw Madonna, Haris, and De Lory performing with three scantily clad women in a choreographed, highly sexual routine. "I'm Going Bananas" was then sung in "Judy Holliday/Betty Boop/Cyndi Lauper-ish vocals." For the next number, " La Isla Bonita ", Madonna removed the tailcoat, and performed in a blue and white striped shirt. She sang on top of a rising platform while one of the musicians walked around bare-chested playing the acoustic guitar. The final song before the encore was " Holiday "; it featured Madonna and the dancers wearing long trenchcoat s and doing a military parade while an American flag was hung in the background. The final numbers were "Justify My Love" and a mashup of Sly and the Family Stone 's " Everybody Is a Star " (1969) and Madonna's own " Everybody ": the former had the singer and dancers wearing Victorian costumes and her holding a lorgnette , and the latter saw them change into white tops and denim shorts. Afterwards, as a red curtain fell and carnival music played, the pierrot emerged yet again, only to reveal its identity as Madonna herself. The singer closed the show by singing the phrase "Everybody is a Star" as the curtain fell once again.

Critical response

The Girlie Show was generally well received by critics. In his book Madonna: An Intimate Biography , J. Randy Taraborrelli wrote: "While still sexy, it was still more of an innocent burlesque rather than a blatant attempt to shock [...] this concert had the feeling of a racy Barnum and Baileys circus", and praised it for revealing a "softer" side of the singer. On a similar note, Gar Graff from the Detroit Free Press noted the tour revealed a more personal side to Madonna than her previous tours; he called it a "stylish, theatrical [...] sophisticated, tightly scripted, two hour cabaret." [22] Thom Duffy from Billboard said the tour "transcended its own playfully erotic hype and earned kudos as pure entertainment", also noticing a "sense of humor and burlesque" that Blond Ambition lacked. Duffy concluded that, despite the controversy surrounding Madonna at the time, she could still "confound and excite her audience." [23] Similarly, Richard Corliss, writing for Time , expressed that, "Madonna, once the Harlow harlot and now a perky harlequin, is the greatest show-off on earth", and deemed the tour "at once a movie retrospective, a Ziegfeld revue, a living video, an R-rated take off on Cirque du Soleil ." [24]

Paul Taylor from The Independent was positive on his review of the show's opening night at London; "her performance-which featured spanking, four-letter outbursts and suggestive references to oral sex and the size of one dancer's manhood clearly delighted most of her fans." [25] Also of the opening night, Entertainment Weekly s Tyler Brule commented that, "Madonna may have lost some of her glitter lately. But as she demonstrated in the kickoff of her Girlie Show tour at London's Wembley Stadium, she hasn't forgotten the twin pillars of her success—how to put on a show, and how to make a buck." [26] Frances Hubbard from the Daily Express opined that the singer is "at her worst when she turns moody and pretentious", and that, "if Madonna is on her way down, it's a gentle descent. The world's best-marketed pop goddess will be around for a while yet." [27] In his review at the show at New York's Madison Square Garden , Jon Pareles from The New York Times noted thatm "after the proudly uningratiating 'Blond Ambition' tour in 1990 [...] 'The Girlie Show' tweaks fewer taboos." Pareles pointed out that the singer "sings just enough solo parts to prove she's not lip-synching ", concluding that with Blond Ambition she was "pop's least flirtatious sex symbol", but was "likeable again" on the Girlie Show. [28] The Los Angeles Times s Jeff Kaye wrote that, "despite the scanty costumes adorning the star and her troupe of singers and dancers, and the liberal doses of group groping and gender-bending, there wasn't anything that could be called shocking [...] there was a sense that this adoring crowd had seen and heard all this stuff before."

However, not all reviews were positive. The British press took what Kaye called a "mean-spirited stance" against the singer and the tour; after she arrived in London, a British magazine proclaimed itself a "Madonna-Free Zone", refusing to publish or show any pictures of the concerts. [26] [29] Bruce Elder from The Sydney Morning Herald gave a mixed review; "the best that could be said [...] was that it was an event, an occasion, a place to be seen at, but as pure dance, pop or rock entertainment, it was nothing special." He also wondered if the singer was "really committed to celebrating sexual liberation or [did she] simply hijacked sadomasochism and homosexuality in the name of good old American capitalism." Elder further noticed a "kind of coldness and distance" in the performances and pointed out "too many flat spots [...] to make this a truly memorable concert." [30] More negative was The Washington Post s Tom Shales , who wrote that, "her attempts now to shock and titillate have become belabored self-parodies [...] Madonna's 'Girlie Show' is silly, not shocking." On their rankings of Madonna's tours, The Advocate s Gina Vivinetto and VH1 's Christopher Rosa placed the Girlie Show in the fourth and fifth position, respectively. [31] The Odyssey 's Rocco Papa considered it Madonna's best concert tour: "Not only did [the Girlie Show] feature some of the best staging of Madonna's career, it was also impeccable musically [...] She also displayed a happiness and warmth to the audience that made this show stand out". [32] The Girlie Show came in third on Billboard s 2024 ranking; Sal Cinmquemani described it as a "visual visual tour-de-force . Madonna was in fine voice throughout [...] [And] she's never had a better live band, either". [33]

Commercial reception

The Girlie Show proved to be commercially successful. In London, 15,000 tickets were sold within two hours, while the opening night was attended by 72,000 people. [34] Madonna's very first concert in Israel attracted an audience of 50,000 people. [35] The three shows at New York City's Madison Square Garden grossed US$2,020,475 million, while the three Mexican concerts grossed $8,927,703 million; prices ranged from $28.13 to $125. [36] [37] The first show at Argentina's River Plate Stadium saw the singer playing to an audience of 50,000. In Brazil, she broke attendance records: 86,000 and 120,000 people attended the concerts in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, respectively. It remains the second largest crowd ever on Rio's Maracanã Stadium for a concert by a female artist, behind Tina Turner's 1988 Break Every Rule World Tour (attended by 188,000 people). [38] The average ticket price for the shows was $15. [39]

In Australia, Madonna set the record for the biggest ticket sales with over 360,000 tickets sold; the first date sold 52,000 tickets in an hour and 20 minutes, with prices ranging from $45 to $142. [40] The single concert at the Adelaide Oval attracted over 40,000 people, standing as one of the most attended concerts in the venue's history. [41] [42] The dates in Melbourne and Sydney sold 147,241 and 135,000 tickets, respectively. [43] In Sydney, over 90,000 tickets were sold in an hour. [44] Billboard then reported that the eight Australian concerts had grossed over US$18.5 million. [45] Upon completion, the tour was reported to have grossed a total of $70 million from 39 concerts.

Controversies

Like previous Madonna tours, the Girlie Show was subject to controversy. One planned concert in Frankfurt was condemned by a German politician who declared it "exceeded the bounds of decency" and should be banned to those under 16. Norbert Geis , parliamentary spokesman for Chancellor Helmut Kohl 's party, had previously warned: "Either Madonna drops these obscenities... or she will not be allowed to appear". The concert ended up being cancelled, with the organizers citing "technical difficulties" as the reason. [46] Trouble in Israel occurred when Orthodox Jew s staged protests to force the cancellation of the singer's first show in the country; Avraham Ravitz , from the Torah Judaism Party , expressed that "this is a holy land [...] people from all over the world did not move here in order to see this human garbage". [40] However, rallies were unsuccessful as the sold-out show went on as scheduled. [47]

In Puerto Rico, certain groups feared Madonna's influence over teenagers and demanded the concert's cancellation. [48] During the show, Madonna held a small Puerto Rican flag to her bosom and then slipped it slowly through her legs. This was met with backlash: the leader of the Independence Party called the act "an infamy without parallel in the history of our country"; Governor Pedro Rosselló described it as "an unfortunate incident", and urged the people from the country to repudiate the singer. [49] Senator Enrique Rodríguez Negrón filed a censure resolution, which was rejected by President of the legislature Roberto Rexach Benítez . [50] Representative David Noriega called Madonna "vulgar and insensitive", and accused her of abusing the country's hospitality. [49] Luis de Rosa, president of the Puerto Rican Chamber of Commerce of South Florida, said Madonna "has no right to go to someone's homeland and pass their flag through her private parts". [51] The chamber and other Puerto Rican groups urged Hispanic citizens to gather outside the singer's Miami home to wave Puerto Rican flags and destroy her records; about 30 people showed up. [51] [52] Madonna's supporters claimed she meant no harm, and had simply put the flag there because she couldn't find her pocket. [49]

More controversy arose in Argentina; cardinal Antonio Quarracino, archbishop of Buenos Aires, called the singer "blasphemous and pornographic" and asked then-president Carlos Menem not to receive her. Additionally, Bishop Osvaldo Musto called for a cancellation and recommended confession for any practicing Catholic who attended the concerts elsewise. Jorge María Storni, president of the organization Tradición, Familia y Propiedad, supported the cancellation of the concerts, since according to his words, Madonna's main goal was to "undermine the foundations of social order". Alexander Molinas ―consultant of Menores e Incapaces de la Cámara Civil― went as far as to ask civil judge Marcela Perez Pardo to ban the shows because they threatened "intimacy and religious conscience"; the request was dismissed but the judge did order that anyone under 13 be accompanied by an adult. [53]

In Mexico, an anti-abortion organization urged Interior Ministry officials to deny the singer's entry to the country. A spokesman dismissed this request and explained that there was no reason to deny her a visa. Pro Life President Jorge Serrano Limón said Madonna was mocking the Catholic people, and that those attending the concerts did not have "the right to publicly mock the moral and religious values of Catholics or the patriotic values of Mexicans". Additionally, social communicologist Nino Canún presented a television special called ¿Y usted qué opina? (English: So what's your opinion? ), where the audience, among them a priest , presented their arguments as to why "this morally clueless singer shouldn't be allowed to perform in the country". [54] A ministry official dismissed the controversy by saying that "whoever likes it can go [to the concert] and whoever doesn't, well don't go". Later, during the concert, Madonna wore a sombrero and simulated an orgy as response. [54]

Upon Madonna's arrival in Australia, controversy aroused when she was given by Michael Gudinski , one of the promoters of the tour's Australian leg, a didgeridoo , a traditional instrument among the Aboriginals which is allowed to be played only by men; "the fact [Madonna] is a Westerner and the didgeridoo as a gift does not change the fact she should not be carrying it around", said Badangthun Munmunyarrun, an Aboriginal elder. [55] Gudinski later explained that he was working with Yothu Yindi at the time, and presented Madonna with the didgeridoo Yindi had given him, but planned to get the instrument back from her and replace it with a new one. In 2015, Madonna confirmed she still had the didgeridoo. [56]

Broadcasts and recordings

See main article: The Girlie Show: Live Down Under . Cashbox magazine reported on November 6, 1993, that one of the shows at the Sydney Cricket Ground stadium would be broadcast through HBO on November 20; this marked the second time Madonna worked with the network following the Blond Ambition broadcast three years earlier. [57] Initially, Madonna intended to film the tour in Argentina or Mexico, but she ultimately chose Australia instead, as she liked the event being billed as "Madonna Down Under". [58] On November 13, 1993, Billboard reported Westwood One would do a simultaneous broadcast of the special; it officially aired on HBO as Madonna Live Down Under: The Girlie Show . HBO started its broadcast from Club USA in New York City, leading to the concert itself. [59] [60] With a 17.0 rating and 27 share overall, it became the network's second most-watched original program of the year, following the George Foreman vs. Tommy Morrison fight. [61] [62]

On April 26, 1994, the special was released on LaserDisc and VHS under the title . [63] It earned Madonna a nomination for Best Long Form Music Video at the 37th Annual Grammy Awards and peaked at number 31 and 32 on Billboard s Year-end Top Music Videos and Top Video Sales charts, respectively. [64] [65] In addition to the official release, British radio station BBC Radio 1 broadcast the London show on December 26, 1993. The concerts in Fukuoka, Japan were filmed and aired exclusively on Japanese television. [66] [67]

Set list and samples adapted per Madonna's official website and the liner notes of The Girlie Show: Live Down Under . [68] [69]

Act 1: Dominatrix

• "The Girlie Show Theme"
• " Erotica "

Act 2: Studio 54

• " Express Yourself "
• " Deeper and Deeper "
• "Why's It So Hard"
• "In This Life"
• "The Beast Within"

Act 3: Weimar Cabaret

• " Like a Virgin "
• " Bye Bye Baby "
• "I'm Going Bananas"
• " La Isla Bonita "
• " Holiday "

Act 4: Encore

• "Justify My Love"
• " Everybody Is a Star " / " Everybody "
• Madonna sang " Don't Cry for Me Argentina " on the first Buenos Aires concert, and " The Girl From Ipanema " on Rio de Janeiro. [70] [71]

Cancelled dates

Adapted from The Girlie Show program. [78]

• Madonna – creator, vocals
• Niki Haris - vocals
• Donna De Lory - vocals
• Jai Winding - keyboards
• Michael Bearden - keyboards
• Paul Pesco - guitar
• Victor Bailey - bass
• Omar Hakim - drums
• Luis Conte - percussion
• Mike McKnight - additional keyboards
• Ungela Brockman - dancer
• Christopher Childers - dancer
• Michael Gregory - dancer
• Carrie Ann Inaba - dancer
• Jill Nicklaus - dancer
• Ruthy Inchaustegui - dancer
• Luca Tommassini - dancer
• Carlton Wilborn - dancer

Choreographers

• Alex Magno - choreographer
• Keith Young - choreographer
• Michelle Johnston - choreographer
• Niki Haris - choreographer

Wardrobe and crew

• Dolce & Gabbana - designers
• Rob Saduski - designer
• Christopher Ciccone - production designer
• Jai Winding - musical director
• Jeffrey Hornaday - stage director
• Peter Morse - lighting director

Bibliography

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External links

• Madonna.com > Tours > The Girlie Show

Notes and References

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• Tulich . Katherine . Concert Action is Up Down Under: Global Tours Discover The Wonderful World of Oz . Billboard . November 12, 1994 . 106 . 46 . 66 . February 2, 2021 . 0006-2510.
• Web site: Madonna Cancels German Stop For Girlie Show . The Philadelphia Inquirer . February 2, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160128034943/http://articles.philly.com/1993-10-01/living/25939271_1_girlie-show-huffamoose-sperm . January 28, 2016 . October 1, 1993.
• Web site: Smith. Neil. Show-stealer Madonna on tour . BBC Music . May 24, 2004. July 6, 2012.
• Web site: Nicolau . Elena . 1993: Madonna makes headlines in Puerto Rico. . . February 2, 2021 . August 28, 2018.
• Web site: Madonna flag antics outrage Puerto Rico governor, chamber . . February 2, 2021 . October 28, 1993.
• News: Welch III. Robert C.. Madonna 'Rebel Heart' Tour: 'Living for Love' Singer to Return to Puerto Rico 22 Years After Disrespecting Flag . March 2, 2015. February 2, 2021 . Latin Post.
• Web site: Ramirez . Deborah . Puerto Ricans Plan Madonna Protest . . February 2, 2021 . November 5, 1993.
• Web site: Puerto Ricans Protest Madonna . Associated Press (AP). . February 2, 2021 . 17 . November 7, 1993.
• News: Madonna en Argentina: sus dos visitas . November 25, 2008. February 2, 2021 . La Nación . Spanish.
• News: Madonna en México: Confiesa que ha pecado . Vázquez Galindo . Humberto. November 26, 2012. February 2, 2021 . Spanish . Vanguardia . Santa Clara.
• News: Males-only Gift To Madonna Riles Australian Aborigines . November 18, 1993. February 2, 2021 . Chicago Tribune.
• Web site: Madonna ready for her Australian tour . . February 3, 2021. December 10, 2015.
• Steinberg . Aaron . Industry Buzz . . November 3, 1993 . 57 . 12 . 4 . 0008-7289. February 4, 2021.
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• News: Griffin. Dominic. Review: 'Madonna Live Down Under: The Girlie Show' . November 21, 1993. April 15, 2017. Variety .
• Borzillo . Carrie . Programmers Share Syndication Secrets . Billboard . November 13, 1993 . 105 . 46 . 94 . February 4, 2021 . 0006-2510.
• Goff . John . TV Talk . Cashbox . December 11, 1993 . 56 . 16 . 8 . February 4, 2021.
• Sholin . Dave . That's Sho-Biz . Gavin Report . January 7, 1994 . 1986 . 8 . February 4, 2021.
• Let He Who is Without Sin Rent Some Other Video . Billboard . March 26, 1994 . 106 . 13 . 176 . February 4, 2021 . 0006-2510.
• Web site: Grammy Awards - Madonna . . September 16, 2019.
• Top Music Videos and Top Video Sales . Billboard . January 7, 1995 . 107 . 1 . 46 and 63 . February 4, 2021 . 0006-2510.
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• Madonna. . DVD. Warner Home Video . 1993.
• Web site: Madonna en Argentina: sus dos visitas . Rolling Stone Argentina . May 7, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20101111103755/http://www.rollingstone.com.ar/1074129 . November 11, 2010 . es . November 25, 2008.
• Web site: Boeckel . Cristina . As aventuras de 'Madonna in Rio': estrela cantou 'Garota de Ipanema, causou na Sapucaí com Jesus Luz e se considerou ‘periguete’ . . May 7, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240501080519/https://g1.globo.com/rj/rio-de-janeiro/show-da-madonna/noticia/2024/05/01/as-aventuras-de-madonna-in-rio-estrela-cantou-garota-de-ipanema-causou-na-sapucai-com-jesus-luz-e-se-considerou-periguete.ghtml . May 1, 2024 . pt . May 1, 2024.
• Web site: Gezici . Ílker . Beni Madonna'nın sahnesine koyun, onu hiç aratmam! . . February 3, 2021 . Turkish . March 4, 2012.
• Web site: Balıksırtı . Şengül . Madonna, Kenan Doğulu'yu hatırlar mı acaba? . . February 3, 2021 . Turkish . August 6, 2012.
• AB Boxscore: Top 10 Concert Grosses . Billboard . November 13, 1993 . 105 . 46 . 22 . February 3, 2021 . 0006-2510.
• AB Boxscore: Top 10 Concert Grosses . Billboard . November 6, 1993 . 105 . 45 . 24 . February 3, 2021 . 0006-2510.
• AB Boxscore: Top 10 Concert Grosses . Billboard . December 4, 1993 . 105 . 49 . 19 . February 3, 2021 . 0006-2510.
• Web site: #TBT: El día que Madonna se pasó la bandera entre sus piernas . . February 10, 2021 . Spanish . January 28, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20210210060719/https://www.primerahora.com/entretenimiento/musica/notas/tbt-el-dia-que-madonna-se-paso-la-bandera-entre-sus-piernas/. February 10, 2021.
• Book: Coulter . John. Chase . Margot . Madonna: The Girlie Show. 1993. Boy Toy, Inc., Sire Records Merchandise.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License . It uses material from the Wikipedia article " The Girlie Show (Madonna) ".

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Photos From All of Madonna’s Concert Tours, From 1985 to Now

Here are photos from every single one of Madonna's tours over the past 40 years.

By Michael Calcagno

Michael Calcagno

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Madonna kicked off 2023 by announcing an incredible global tour  to honor her four decades of hits.

The Celebration  Tour  will kick off Saturday, July 15, at the Rogers Arena in Vancouver and will make additional stops in Phoenix, Detroit, Atlanta, Toronto, Montreal and more before concluding at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Oct. 8. The tour’s European leg will pick up with a pair of dates at The O2 arena on Oct. 14-15 and will make stops in Paris, Barcelona, Milan, Berlin and more before concluding in Amsterdam on Dec. 1 at the Ziggo Dome. Bob the Drag Queen will be a special guest on the tour.

As of Jan. 20, only a handful of tickets are still available — the tour is 98% sold out — after fans bought up 600,000 tickets in a matter of hours to see Madonna’s retrospective run in North America and Europe.

To celebrate the upcoming string of shows, we at Billboard have compiled photos from all of Madonna’s beloved tours, spanning from all the way back to 1985, when Madge hit the road for The Virgin Tour in support of her first two album, to the 2019 Madame X tour.

The Virgin Tour

Madonna performs on The Virgin Tour at the St. Paul Civic Center in St. Paul, Minnesota on May 21, 1985.

Who’s That Girl World Tour

Madonna in concert during her Who’s That Girl World Tour at Madison Square Garden in New York on July 13, 1987.

Blond Ambition World Tour

Madonna performs on stage at Feyenoord Stadium, de Kuip, Rotterdam, Netherlands on the Blond Ambition World Tour on July 24, 1990.

The Girlie Show

Madonna performing on stage on her The Girlie Show tour at Wembley Stadium in London on September 25, 1993.

Drowned World Tour

Madonna performs on stage on a bucking bronco on her Drowned World Tour in Earls Court, London on July 12, 2001.

Re-Invention World Tour

Madonna performs onstage during her “Re-Invention” World Tour 2004 at The Great Western Forum, May 26, 2004 in Inglewood, California.

Confessions Tour

Madonna performs onstage at the first London concert of her “Confessions” World Tour at Wembley Arena August 1, 2006 in London, England.

Sticky & Sweet Tour

Madonna performs onstage during the opening night of her “Sticky and Sweet” tour at the O2 Arena on July 4, 2009 in London, England.

The MDNA Tour

Madonna performs during the MDNA North America tour opener at the Wells Fargo Center on August 28, 2012 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Rebel Heart Tour

Madonna performs onstage during her “Rebel Heart” tour at Wachovia Center on September 24, 2015 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Madame X Tour

Madonna performing during the Madame X Tour of the Paramount+ original movie MADAME X.

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Madonna - The Girlie Show Australian Tour 1993

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• The Girlie Show 30th Anniversary!
• The Girlie Show

The Girlie Show celebrates its 30th anniversary today!

Celebrate by looking at the following

• The Girlie Show archive – press articles, merchandise, video, itinerary and much more
• The Girlie Show photo gallery – exclusive pictures taken on opening night
• The Girlie Show Live Report – full live report on the opening stop of the tour in London
• The Girlie Show YouTube playlist

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The Short & Girlie Show

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Past Events

Here are the most recent UK tour dates we had listed for The Short & Girlie Show. Were you there?

August 2019

• Fri 2 Aug Brighton, Manchester Street Arts Club Indigo Club - Pride Special 2019 The Short & Girlie Show, Hannah Brackenbury, Greymatter

December 2018

• Thu 6 Dec Brighton, Manchester Street Arts Club The Short & Girlie Show

September 2018

• Fri 21 Sep Brighton, Manchester Street Arts Club The Short & Girlie Show, Sara Siebel, Ali MacFarlane
• Thu 8 Mar The Brighton Hotel The Short & Girlie Show, Hannah Brackenbury, Julie Jepson

December 2016

• Sat 17 Dec Brighton, The Verdict The Short & Girlie Show, Hannah Brackenbury

October 2015

• Sun 25 Oct Coventry, EGO Performance Company The Short & Girlie Show
• Fri 23 Oct Bristol Improv Theatre The Short & Girlie Show

August 2015

• Sun 16 Aug London, The Phoenix Arts Club The Short & Girlie Show
• Sat 15 Aug London, The Phoenix Arts Club The Short & Girlie Show
• Sun 14 Jun Soho/London, SHE Soho The Short & Girlie Show
• Sun 14 Jun London, The Bedford The Short & Girlie Show
• Fri 17 Apr Brighton, The Caroline Of Brunswick Pub Njambi McGrath, Dan Fardell, Daphna Barham, The Short & Girlie Show
• Sat 14 Mar Brighton, The Verdict The Short & Girlie Show

February 2015

• Sat 21 Feb Brighton, Above The Short & Girlie Show, Hannah Brackenbury, Marine, Cat Bear Tree
• Sat 21 Feb Brighton, The Queens Hotel The Short & Girlie Show, Hannah Brackenbury, Marine, Cat Bear Tree
• Sun 15 Feb Soho/London, SHE Soho The Short & Girlie Show

December 2014

• Sat 13 Dec Brighton, The Verdict The Short & Girlie Show

September 2014

• Fri 19 Sep London, The Miller The Short & Girlie Show, Music Box (2)