Madonna Proves She Is Still the Queen of Pop at Ball Arena Concert

"Never forget who you are," Madonna told a dancer portraying her younger self.

And as she went on to demonstrate at Ball Arena on March 19, Madonna definitely hasn't forgotten who she is: She has been, and always will be, the reigning queen of pop. Her Celebration Tour, which was rescheduled from last July after she was hospitalized with an infection, is honoring over four decades of Madonna's paradigmatic pop music since her eponymous debut album was released in 1983. Never did I think I would be so thrilled to see a 65-year-old in lingerie simulate an orgy on stage with a horde of muscled dancers, but here we are: Madonna proves that true talent — and being a true icon — has nothing to do with age.
From incredible choreographed numbers and costuming to pure pageantry and, of course, some of the best pop music that's ever been made, the concert was a crystal-clear reminder of Madonna's formidable impact — not just in music, but on society. Sure, there was obvious lip-syncing (including an almost comical method of pretending to play a guitar) and Madonna's dance moves are less flashy than they used to be (her dancers help to mask that). But as a friend texted me after the concert, "She knows that we're really just there to like, watch her be...in whatever form that takes."

That couldn't be more true, and it indicates the incomparable influence Madonna has had on pop culture. With such powerful people, our minds often craft a presence for them that's magical and dynamic before we ever encounter them in real life. And then when you do see them? Madonna could punch you in the face, and you'd thank her and hope that she'd spit on you the next time. Just ask the people she threw the rest of her beer on in last night's crowd (whoever caught that Budweiser bottle, I hope you cherish it forever).

As Madonna fans know, she's earned that status — her Celebration Tour showcases how. As the concert's MC, Bob the Drag Queen (who donned a Baroque dress and wig similar to Madonna's 1990 "Vogue" VMA performance), reminded the audience, the pop star arrived in New York City in 1978 with just $35 and a dream. Her music stood out for its political, social and religious criticism, while uplifting LGBTQ+ rights at the dawn of the AIDs epidemic. As a result, Madonna quickly became a gay icon, and has remained dogmatic in her support of that community. During the performance of her 1986 single "Live to Tell," you could almost feel shivers run through the crowd as images of men and women who were lost to HIV/AIDs flashed over the screens, including Freddie Mercury and Keith Haring. With this song about perseverance and resilience, the moment showcased how Madonna was integral to both the joy and strength found during a terrifying era.  The pop star told her story in five thematic acts that included theatrical elements, among them being denied entry to a club, speaking to her former self and a vogueing competition (for "Vogue," of course). With the dancers decked out in plaid and Madonna wearing a mini-skirt, corset and chain-link covered jacket, the audience was transported to New York City in the late '70s and early '80s, while she performed such hits as "Nothing Really Matters," "Everybody" and "Open Your Heart." Vintage photos of the famed rock club CBGB, where she performed one of her first songs, appeared in the background while she sang "Burning Up" and "played" the electric guitar.

With a crowd of mostly Boomers and Gen Xers, it was touching to witness the nostalgia. Two women near me, around the same age as Madonna, burst into tears and clung to each other as she performed "Holiday," and Ball Arena transformed into a glittering Studio 54 with a giant disco ball on stage. Another woman came with her twenty-something son ("my mom is my Madonna," he told me) and they apparently knew all the choreography, dancing together adorably throughout the night.

It was evident that Madonna didn't have to learn as much choreography for this show, though, which was the perfect setup for an artist with so many decades to cover: She was lifted, she was carried, she was strapped into a floating box. At one point, she was lying down on top of a rising platform until she was completely obscured, only shown singing on the screens — presumably this was meant to come across as live-steaming, but let's be honest, it was a break for Madonna. In fact, the star a got quite a lot of time off stage, although those moments were supplemented by impeccable, theatrical moments from the dancers. She even brought back a scene from her 2004 Re-Invention World Tour for "The Beast Within."
When she was on stage, Madonna demonstrated that she's still the sex symbol she's always been — "Justify My Love" was notably steamy, with a performance that might as well have been an orgy. I did see some straight couples get up to leave at that point, but Madonna's never been afraid to ruffle feathers. Throughout the '90s and '00s, the media consistently questioned how she would stay relevant, labeling her an exhibitionist. In fact, past articles and critical headlines layered the screens at one point during the show, as old interviews played on the speakers.

"Would you have traded it for anything?" a woman is heard asking a young Madonna, who answers: "A mother." That underscored Madonna's own journey to becoming a mother of six, and made her moment of performing "Bad Girl" with her daughter, Mercy James, on the grand piano even more compelling. (Another daughter, Estere, took the catwalk to show off her moves for "Vogue.") At the end of the section, Madonna is heard calling out that she's been told "to age is a sin."

While she constantly had to deal with sexism, Madonna now has to reckon with ageism, too. But she has proven herself incapable of being put down by critics. Other notable artists have offered career retrospective tours, but by the end of this show, it was hard to think of another musician who both influenced and reflected cultural shifts as much as Madonna did.

Chugging a beer, Madonna noted that she's always been controversial, but the most controversial thing she's done, she said, was "stick around."

And we're the better for it.

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