Singapore - February 28th

[Gargamel 8,775]

It's confirmed: Madonna is coming to Singapore

 

 

SINGAPORE – After decades of waiting, Madonna’s fans’ finally get their wish. A teaser was released on Mediacorp VizPro’s Facebook page announcing the fact that yes, the Queen of Pop is finally coming to Singapore with her Rebel Heart Tour 2016 (rated R18 for sexual references) this year.

 

It will be the 57-year-old singer’s first time here. In 1993, she was banned from bringing her controversial Girlie Show World Tour to Singapore.

 

The teaser didn’t reveal anything other than the venue: The Singapore National Stadium.

 

Ticketing and other details will be announced later, so watch this space.

 

http://www.todayonline.com/entertainment/music/its-confirmed-madonna-coming-spore

 

Mediacorp VizPro's FB : https://www.facebook.com/vizproevents?__fns&hash=Ac3WWhg9Nh8waC5L

[madbella 596]

Confirmed on Madonna.com (Again)

 

February 28th - National Stadium

 

Icon presale = Tomorrow (January 07th at 10 AM)

 

Public sale = January 12th at 10 AM

[rifky888 42]

seating map

[groovyguy 63,856]

Madonna to perform in Singapore, but her tickets will cost you

http://mashable.com/2016/01/06/madonna-singapore/?utm_cid=mash-com-Tw-main-link#xLvb7RATxsqI

SINGAPORE — After months of speculation, it has been confirmed that Madonna, the OG Queen of Pop, is bringing her controversial Rebel Heart Tour to Singapore on February 28.

 

But tickets to catch the Material Girl will cost you a pretty penny. Local concert organiser Mediacorp Vizpro says ticket prices start from SG$108 and goes up to a whopping SG$1,288 for a VIP pass.

 

To date, Madonna's VIP tickets are the most expensive concert tickets in Singapore, with G-Dragon's 2013 show coming in a close second at $1,000, which included a meet-and-greet session.

 

The 57-year-old singer's recent world tour has been described as "outrageous", "blasphemous" and "a little too obsessed with sex" by the foreign press, which therefore comes as no surprise that Singapore's Media Development Authority has put an R18 rating and "sexual references" advisory on her Singapore tour.

 

Madonna will be taking the stage at Singapore's National Stadium for the first time, but she already caused a ruckus back in 1993, when her Girlie Show World Tour was banned because the authorities found her performances "border(ing) on the obscene... (and) known to be objectionable to many on moral and religious grounds", according to The Straits Times.

 

Singapore is just one of the many stops on Madonna's Rebel Heart Tour's Asian leg. Other countries include Hong Kong, Macau, Taipei, Japan, Bangkok and Manila, all of which have highly priced VIP tickets.

 

Public sales of her Singapore tour's tickets will commence on January 12 at 10am SGT, and are available at sportshubtix.sg, its hotline (65) 3158-7888, on site at the National Stadium box office and all SingPost outlets. Pre-sale tickets for the Madonna Icon Fan Club will be on sale from January 7, 10am to January 8, 5pm.

 

The concert organisers have also partnered up with several credit card companies to offer pre-sale tickets. Citi credit card holders will have a chance to purchase pre-sale tickets from January 9, 10am to January 10,5pm; while OCBC credit card holders can get theirs on January 11, from 10am to 5pm.

[groovyguy 63,856]

1.5 hours?

Rated R18 (Sexual References)

And only ONE VIP ticket price category ($1288)

 

http://www.sportshub.com.sg/sportshubtix/Pages/Madonna-2016.aspx

NATIONAL STADIUM

S$108 - S$1288

28 FEB 2016 (SUN)
8:00PM

ENGLISH

 

Promoter: East West Best Inc Price:

MADONNA FAN CLUB - LIFETIME LEGACY MEMBERS PRE-SALE
START DATE: 7 JANUARY 2016
10:00AM onwards on Internet
END DATE: 8 JANUARY 2016 5:00PM 

MADONNA FAN CLUB - JUNIOR/LIVE PASS MEMBERS PRE-SALE
START DATE: 7 JANUARY 2016
11:00AM onwards on Internet
END DATE: 8 JANUARY 2016 5:00PM 

CITI® CARD PRE-SALE
START DATE: 9 JANUARY 2016
10:00AM onwards on Internet and phone
END DATE: 10 JANUARY 2016 5:00PM 

OCBC CARD PRE-SALE
START DATE: 11 JANUARY 2016
10:00AM onwards on Internet and phone
END DATE: 11 JANUARY 2016 5:00PM 


GENERAL SALES
START DATE: 12 JANUARY 2016
10:00AM onwards across all channels

​​Admission Policy
Rated R18 (Sexual References)
Only 18 years old and above are permitted to venue, reserves the right to check ID at entrance.

 

CATEGORY TICKET PRICES VIP* S$1288 CAT 1 S$688 CAT 2 S$588 CAT 3 S$488 CAT 4 S$388 CAT 5 S$288 CAT 6 S$188 CAT 7 S$108

*VIP (S$1288)

• [*]

- Comes with VIP package, to redeem on show day at the door. [*]- Redemption booth to be advised closer to concert day.

All prices reflected include GST and exclude booking fee. 
Booking fee for tickets S$30.00 and below: S$1.00 per ticket.
Booking fee for tickets S$30.01 and above: S$4.00 per ticket.
 

All information is correct at the time of publishing but subject to change. â€‹â€‹â€‹â€‹â€‹â€‹â€‹â€‹â€‹â€‹â€‹â€‹â€‹â€‹â€‹â€‹â€‹â€‹â€‹â€‹â€‹â€‹â€‹â€‹â€‹â€‹â€‹â€‹â€‹

​​​​​​​​​​​​

 

Sales Channels: 1. www.sportshubtix.sg 
2. Singapore Indoor Stadium Box Office
3. +65 3158 7888 
4. All SingPost Outlets Duration: Approx. 1.5 hours Doors Open Time: 6:00PM Start Sales Date: 7/1/2016 10:00:00 AM Ticket Limit: 4 tickets per transaction (pre-sale period)

[groovyguy 63,856]

The Rated R18 (Sexual References) is making news!

 

Madonna's Singapore concert is for adults only

http://tribune.com.pk/story/1022916/madonnas-singapore-concert-is-for-adults-only/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Bacon+Butty&utm_content=Paki+Tribune

SINGAPORE: The Singapore leg of pop superstar Madonna’s global Rebel Heart Tour has been restricted to fans aged 18 and above, the concert’s local coordinator said Wednesday.

 

The one-night-only event on February 28, Madonna’s first-ever concert in the city-state, will be held at the 55,000-seat National Stadium, entertainment firm MediaCorp Vizpro said.

 

“Please note that this concert is rated ‘R18′ with the consumer advisory on ‘Sexual References’. Only those above 18 years of age will be permitted into the venue,†it said on its Facebook page.

 

Concerts and other forms of public entertainment are classified by the Media Development Authority, which also regulates the film and broadcast industries.

 

The Straits Times newspaper noted that Madonna’s concert tour setlist includes a segment involving dancers dressed as scantily-clad nuns pole-dancing on cross-shaped stripper poles.

 

Affluent Singapore, often ridiculed as a “nanny state†for its tradition of social control, has eased censorship in recent years and become an Asian entertainment hub. But the authorities say its population is still largely conservative.

 

Madonna’s virgin gig in Singapore is rated R-18 due to ‘sexual references’

https://sg.news.yahoo.com/madonnas-virgin-gig-in-singapore-is-rated-r-18-084359981.html

Pop superstar Madonna is touching down in Singapore for her very first gig here next month but her fans who are below 18 will have to give it a miss.

 

The eagerly anticipated one-night only gig on 28 February at the National Stadium, part of Madonna’s “Rebel Heart†global tour, is rated R-18 due to “sexual referencesâ€.

 

In comparison, the 57-year-old entertainer’s two-day shows on 17-18 February in Hong Kong have not been given any rating so concert goers as young as 3 years old can attend them.

 

If the YouTube video clips of her previous “Rebel Heart†gigs are anything to go by, fans can expect to see half-naked pole-dancing nuns and samurais carrying crosses.

 

Tickets will go on sale from 12 January via SportsHubTix, with eight different ticket prices ranging from the most expensive at $1,288 (VIP) to the cheapest at $108.

 

Madonna is no stranger to controversy and has always been known for her outrageous style and outspoken views.

 

Her music video for “Like A Prayer†featured burning crucifixes. On stage, she once exposed her nipple during a concert in Istanbul as part of her MDNA tour, and she kissed singers Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera at the MTV Video Music Awards in 2003.

 

Widely known as the “Queen of Popâ€, Madonna has a hugely successful career spanning more than three decades.

 

Making her debut in 1982, Madonna has produced 13 albums and a string of global hits such as “Like A Virginâ€, “Vogueâ€, “Papa Don’t Preach†and “Like A Prayerâ€.

[madgefan 10,152]

So, they didn't change the venue then... and she skipped a whole region because of the stadiums thing. Weird  But I'm happy for the fans in Singapore, they've never ever had the chance to see her live unless they travelled to Japan and Australia 1,000 years ago 

[groovyguy 63,856]

Madonna not allowed to perform religiously sensitive songs such as Holy Water at her concert here

http://www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/entertainment/madonnas-r18-show-will-be-adjusted-to-comply-with-mda-guidelines?xtor=CS3-17

Madonna will not be allowed to perform the song Holy Water at her upcoming first Singapore show at the National Stadium on Feb 28, says the Media Development Authority (MDA).

 

An MDA spokesperson says in a statement: "Madonna's upcoming Rebel Heart Tour concert has been rated R18 as it contains sexually suggestive content which is more suitable for adults. This is reflected in the consumer advice so that the public can make an informed choice.

 

"In determining the rating, MDA had carefully reviewed the proposed setlist and consulted the Arts Consultative Panel. Religiously sensitive content which breach our guidelines, such as the song Holy Water, will thus not be performed in Singapore.

 

"The concert organiser must comply with the terms of the license, which states that the concert should not contain content or materials which offend any race or religion, and that the performance overall must fall within the guidelines of the R18 rating."

 

According to a statement from Live Nation Lushington, one of the parties involved in arranging the Madonna show for Singapore, "the artiste management and tour management worked closely with MDA on providing show, video and lyric content and the suggested set list for Singapore".

 

The North American and European shows in Madonna's current worldwide Rebel Heart tour include a segment in which she performs a medley of Holy Water, a song from her latest album Rebel Heart, and 1990 hit Vogue while scantily clad nuns pole-dance on cross-shaped stripper poles.

 

Live Nation Lushington's statement adds that the organisers acknowledged the "overtly sexually explicit" and "religious content" deemed unsuitable by MDA .

 

"Minor adjustments were made to ensure R18 licensing conditions could be met without compromise to the delivery of a first-rate and world-class performance."

 

However, the statement also stresses that the concert's setlist is not set in stone and that Madonna will have final say in how the show turns out.

 

"The final running order and set list for the Singapore performance will be determined by the artiste and revealed at the show itself within the set guidelines."

 

Besides Singapore, Madonna's other regional stops include Hong Kong, Thailand, Macau and Manila.

 

In 1993, the 57-year-old American singer's controversial Girlie Show World Tour was banned here when police said her performances in the tour show "border on the obscene... (and are) known to be objectionable to many on moral and religious grounds".

[groovyguy 63,856]

Fan report:

 

It is very difficult to buy a ticket online. 

Don't know how many tickets were put up for pre sale for the Singapore show, but it's selling so fast, it's almost sold out. 

Some people can't even access the site due to "extreme high traffic"! 

[SimonVenekeo 1,893]

I had online friends tell me the same. I tried around 6 pm yesterday and I used my Legscy code and got in no problem. About half the sections were Limited Availability.

[groovyguy 63,856]

Ticket sales @ http://sportshubtix.evenue.asia/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/SEGetEventInfo?ticketCode=GS%3ASSH01%3ASH16%3AN0228%3A&linkID=global-ssh01&shopperContext=&pc=&caller=&appCode=&groupCode=MADONNA&cgc=

Move the cursor over section to see the ticket availability

 

Standing Pen A - Unavailable

Cat 6 [$188] & Cat 7 [$108] - Unavailable

Cat 5 [$288] - Limited Availability

​Cat 4 [$388] - Limited Availability

​Cat 3 [$488] - Sections 109 & 142 Limited Availability / Sections 107 & 144 Available

Cat 2 [$588] - Available

Cat 1 [$688] - Sections PA1/PB2/PE2/PF1 Limited Availability / PC2 & PD2 Selling Fast / Sections 114-116 & 135-137 Available

VIP [$1288] - Sections PC1 & PD1 Limited Availability / Sections PB1 & PE1 Available

[Breathless 5,286]

OMG poor people! What a nightmare - plus only 1.5 hr show (if it's true), that's not really fair.

[Fighter 28,798]

we'll see if she performs it or not  

[LUKESAVANT 1,208]

Something tells me... She's not going to change her show.  

[groovyguy 63,856]

Madonna fans mature enough and do not need to be shielded

http://www.todayonline.com/voices/madonna-fans-mature-enough-and-do-not-need-be-shielded

I refer to the letter “Fair to impose restrictions on Madonna concert†(Jan 11), which justifies censorship of the Feb 28 performance.

The writer addressed the need for censorship ratings. But on top of an R18 rating, Madonna was also told she would not be able to perform religiously offensive songs such as Holy Water.

 

The writer argued that “censorship guidelines sharpen the public’s ability to chooseâ€. I disagree. An R18 rating is already enough to stop minors from attending, unless the writer is implying that those above 18 need protection, too.

 

Discerning audience members, including Singapore concert-goers, can judge for themselves. The Madonna concert, as with any other event that had courted similar controversies, is a ticketed event. Tickets to these events do not come cheap, and fans will think it through before they take the plunge.

 

Those who are uncomfortable with the content can choose not to attend the concert. Those who decide to attend know what Madonna will be bringing to the stage.

 

Is the writer arguing that Madonna fans, who will most likely be aware of what to expect, also need protection?

 

We live in a shared space with diverse views and interests. We cannot mature as a society if we constantly lean on censorship guidelines to “cultivate a discerning audienceâ€.

[groovyguy 63,856]

Seriously it's these religious nutjobs that are a greater threat that are a greater threat to Singapore than Madonna!

 

"Stop RebelHeartTour in Singapore" Religious conservatives are against Madonna’s performance

 

 

Stop Madonna concert! PM Lee should intervene – FCBC Pastor Lina Khong supports

http://theindependent.sg/stop-madonna-concert-pm-lee-should-intervene-fcbc-pastor-lina-khong-supports/

Madonna’s ‘Rebel Heart Tour’ is coming to Singapore on 28 February 2016 and some religious conservatives in Singapore are against Madonna’s performance here.

 

Facebook user Carrie Shalom, posting in the group ‘We are Against Pink Dot in Singapore‘ (a network which encourages mostly anti-LGBT (lesbian, gay, transgender and trans-sexual) discussions), said that after the Adam Lambert concert, now Madonna’s coming here, and that such concerts would “corrupt more of our people, our young people and harm societyâ€.

Carrie posted this picture:

With the caption:

“Singapore IS ROTTING… Fast… When authorities permit Pink ROT to be celebrated and promoted, year after year after year, homosexuality, transgender affirming propaganda films in our cinemas, Adam Lambert in Celebrate Countdown 2016 and NOW trashy, crude and vulgar Madonna with her profusely Sacrilegious, Sexually and Religiously Offensive and Obscene Rebel Heart World Tour IN Singapore to corrupt more of our people, our young people and harm society!

 

Parents and sound-minded citizens, you have a duty NOT to sit on the fence or stay silent when you see our morals and values being eroded away by militant secularists and LGBT activists!â€

 

The picture has drawn some criticisms for being misleading.

 

Another Facebooker, Jack Lin, commented on the picture saying, “Wow. Seriously. I think this is intentional misleading. That picture was not taken from the countdown here. That's obvious stirring and misleading and misinformationâ€.

 

Another commenter, Lovely Hiro said, “It is ok for group to protest against Madonna’s style etc…. However, if Lambert din performed as per the pix shown suggesting that he did for countdown, think it is not right to anyhow portray that he did. We are not like those people. We don’t want to be like them. Please change the pix. Thanks.â€

 

Another commenter, Jason Sim, has supported the idea of not having Madonna here. He said:

“Maybe the PM should step in. He wants Singapore to survive another 50 years…this is not the right direction. A nation without morale and values will not last. A nation without strong families will not last. A nation that is divided will not last. Openness to new ideas are fine but not ones that will cost a nation everything so as to give in to morale decay.â€

 

One of the senior pastors of Faith Community Baptist Church (FCBC), Rev (Dr) Lina Khong has not only supported Jason’s comment, but has also asked him to write in to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong to intervene in the staging of the concert.

 

Rev Khong is the wife of Apostle Lawrence Khong, the founder and senior pastor of FCBC.

 

Apostle Khong is one of the more prominent faces of the ‘Wear White Campaign’, a movement that was set-up to counter the Pink Dot movement (a movement for societal acceptance of LGBT and their families).

 

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong was Rev and Apostle Khong’s classmate in National Junior College. Apostle Khong had said in an interview that all 3 “would hang out togetherâ€.

[Breathless 5,286]

They are so far behind in this world - omg........ They are like robots! It's scary.

[Breathless 5,286]

This was really well written in the other article, someone who gets it:

 

We live in a shared space with diverse views and interests. We cannot mature as a society if we constantly lean on censorship guidelines to “cultivate a discerning audienceâ€.

[groovyguy 63,856]

Eight reasons to see Madonna live

http://www.todayonline.com/entertainment/music/eight-reasons-see-madonna-live

 

Just in case you’re having second thoughts about catching the Queen Of Pop in her debut Singapore concert

 

SINGAPORE — It has been a long time coming, and for many here, Madonna’s debut Singapore concert at the National Stadium on Feb 28 is akin to lightning in a bottle. You know, the kind of show you won’t get to see again; not that we’re saying this is possibly the Queen Of Pop’s final tour.

 

Still, there are those who are asking: Is it a show worth watching? The answer, of course, is yes. Fact is, her Rebel Heart Tour has already proven rather successful: At the end of 2015, it earned a No 11 spot on Pollstar’s 2015 Year-End Top 100 Worldwide Tours list, after grossing US$88.4 million (S$127 million) from 49 shows with a total attendance of 693,061. (And to paraphrase that Elvis album, 693,061 fans can’t be wrong.)

 

But we understand if you need a bit more convincing, so here are a few key reasons why the show is a must-watch.

 

SHE’S IN SINGAPORE FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME

Madonna is the most successful female artiste of all-time with more than 300 million records sold worldwide, and she has scored 57 Billboard hits, which include 38 Top 10s. She is also the all-time top touring female artiste, with 10 world tours grossing more than US$1 billion to date. Yet, in a stellar career that spans 34 years, her Feb 28 date in Singapore marks the pop icon’s first performance here. And not because The Girlie Show was banned in 1993, but the Rebel Heart Tour is arguably the sultry provocateur’s least controversial tour to date. Still, that does not guarantee she will make a return trip any time soon.

 

a VISUAL SPECTACLE

To say that every Madonna concert is a spectacle is to generalise what is, in fact, a pulsating pop concert jam-packed with trend-setting theatrics — take her iconic Blond Ambition Tour from the 1990s, with its Metropolis-influenced sets, corsets designed by Jean Paul Gautier and use of headset microphones. From evolving sets to riveting video backdrops, enthralling choreography to glitzy costumes, a Madonna concert is almost always sheer entertainment and never short of surprises. The Rebel Heart Tour, with its Samurai/Rockabilly/Gypsy/Cabaret themes, carries on in the same vein.

 

REBEL HEART IS HER BEST ALBUM TO DATE

The bulk of the music will be from the megastar’s 13th studio album, Rebel Heart, which is her best work since 2005’s Confessions On A Dance Floor. Presented in lively staged routines are tracks such as Living For Love, Iconic, B**** I’m Madonna, and Body Shop, while the most stirring, heartfelt songs — namely Ghost Town and the title track Rebel Heart — are transformed into stadium sing-alongs whenever the lady brings out her guitar (and there are lots of guitar moments).

 

 

SHE WILL STILL PERFORM THE CLASSICS

She has enough material (isn’t she the Material Girl after all?) in her back catalogue for a string of Greatest Hits tours, but, as always, the multiple Billboard and Grammy Award winner only chooses songs that are “thematically and sonically†in sync with the tour’s overall concept. Still, you can expect her to croon re-arranged/remixed versions of evergreen favourites such as Like A Virgin, Into The Groove, La Isla Bonita, Material Girl and Holiday.

 

SHE CAN DANCE

Dance is part of Madonna’s DNA and precision choreography has always been a key element in every one of her concerts. On her own or flanked by an agile troupe of dancers, every number is designed to lock every eyeball onto the energetic choreographed action on stage. Always upping the ante, the Rebel Heart Tour at times comes across more like a Cirque du Soleil show — with the lady herself executing a couple of age-defying acrobatic moves, while her dancers almost steal the show with their hair-raising stunts on giant swaying poles during the performance of Illuminati. In short: There’s never a dull moment.

 

ThERE’S DESIGNER GARB ON SHOW

By the Material Girl’s own reckoning, this tour holds the honour of her “having the most clothes onâ€. Oscar-nominated designer Adrianne Phillips, who has designed and styled Madonna’s last five tours, leads a line-up of “designer who’s who†that include Alexander Wang, Fausto Puglisi and Alessandro Michele for Gucci who have provided inputs for this show. Standouts include the Phillips-designed red kimono for Iconic, the matador-inspired outfits for Living For Love by Nicholas Jebran, and the stunning silver number embellished with thousands of Swarovski crystals for a 1920s Paris club-themed segment by Jeremy Scott for Moschino.

 

 

THERE’S HIGH-TECH STAGING

Do not expect the mother-of-four to stay in one spot. The Rebel Heart Tour stage set-up comprises a main stage with an extended catwalk that has a circular stage in the centre and a heart-shaped stage at the end. Madge and her dancers will be performing up and down the catwalk so more of the audience can see them up close. The main stage itself is devised to allow special structures on it to morph into different shapes and forms throughout the show, from a high platform to an angular wall to a giant video screen. It has to be seen to be believed.

 

SHE’S STILL GOT IT

Madonna is the one that all the princesses of pop today — from Taylor Swift, Katy Perry to Beyonce — and of yesterday — Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Pink — looked up to in the hopes of being as successful, if not timeless. Frankly, many die-hard fans did not think she could have lasted this long. At 57, she has hardly passed her prime, and can still dance rings around people half her age. While critics and ageists are telling her to pack up and retire, time and time again, Madonna has proven that she can still entertain the masses with great music and showmanship that is uniquely her own.

 

Madonna performs at the Singapore National Stadium on Sun, Feb 28. Tickets at S$108 to S$1,288 from Sports Hub Tix (http://www.sportshubtix.com).

[madbella 596]

It would be great record the DVD here. 

 

It would be Rebel to do what comes from her Heart.

[Guest]

If Madonna changes her show for Singapore I will lose respect for her.

 

You cannot have an album, a tour and concept called "Rebel Heart" if you can't rebel.

 

If she does change than she should change the show to "Capitalist Heart" not "Rebel Heart".

[groovyguy 63,856]

Weekly Magazine February Issue 2016 (Singapore Edition)

[Elazul 250]

Interesting idea to choose that as a cover when she's likely cut that part of the show...

[groovyguy 63,856]

Madonna's Feb 28 concert in Singapore costs investors $14 million

http://www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/entertainment/madonnas-feb-28-concert-in-singapore-costs-investors-14-million

Madonna's upcoming Rebel Heart concert at the National Stadium on Feb 28 is costing its Taiwanese investors US$10 million (S$14 million).

 

The cost for her first concert here includes air freight for the pop star's 27 containers holding the stage, lighting and wardrobe set-ups.

 

One of the concert's two investors, Mr James Lee, 53, the chief executive of Kinglun International Holdings - a Taiwan-based property company - revealed the entire cost of the concert in an interview with The Straits Times on Tuesday (Feb 16). The other investor is also Taiwanese but Mr Lee and Mediacorp declined to reveal his identity.

 

The property magnate also fancies himself as a concert promoter, having brought Western acts such as Mariah Carey and Air Supply to Taiwan over the last three years. He is usually a fan of the acts he brings in, saying that "music culture is an important trend that's upcoming, which is one of the reasons why we have decided to invest in it".

The Madonna concert marks his first time investing in a concert in Singapore. He did not invest in Madonna's Taiwanese concerts, which took place on Feb 4 and 6.

 

 

While he did try to get on board for those shows, he was unsuccessful as most of her shows during the Asian leg of her tour are handled by subsidiaries of international concert promoter Live Nation.

 

Since there was no investor for the Singapore show at the time, Mr Lee decided to step in. 

 

By bringing the Rebel Heart tour here, he hopes that people from neighbouring countries such as Indonesia and Malaysia will fly in to see her. "It'd be a waste if people in this part of the world don't get to see her show," he said, adding that "it's a show not to be missed, she's such a legendary queen of pop".

 

He says the biggest challenge for the show was getting the government on board, explaining that no other shows on her tour had to be "curated" beforehand.

 

According to a statement from the Media Development Authority (MDA) last month, Madonna is not allowed to perform the song Holy Water and the show has been given an R18 rating.

 

The statement added: "In determining the rating, MDA had carefully reviewed the proposed setlist and consulted the Arts Consultative Panel. Religiously sensitive content which breach our guidelines, such as the song Holy Water, will thus not be performed in Singapore."

 

Mr Lee admits that they were worried when the government "had some conditions for approval for the show". They were equally concerned that Madonna would say no to performing in Singapore.

 

"But surprisingly, she not only agreed to come, but she is willing to change the content just for the Singapore audience," Mr Lee explains.

The current Asian stops on her worldwide tour - namely Taipei, Bangkok and Tokyo - include a segment in which she performs a medley of Holy Water, a song from her latest album Rebel Heart, and 1990 hit Vogue while scantily clad nuns pole-dance on cross-shaped stripper poles.

 

When asked if that segment would be removed, Mr Lee says: "From our understanding, it will not be removed, instead it will amended."

 

While he is not entirely certain of the changes for the rest of the show, he says: "What I can tell the Singapore audience is that they will not lose any part of the experience, but I think they should be happy because they're going to see something different from other parts of the world."

 

This will also be the first concert at the National Stadium that will require a reconfiguration of the seating to accommodate the show.

 

According to Mr Lee, the seating will be pulled out to cover the running track of the stadium so that the seats located at the sides are closer to the stage. The entire process will take 10 days and comes at an additional cost.

 

"We are willing to spend this money just to make it more viable and to bring people closer to the stage," he says.

 

Some 80 to 90 per cent of tickets have been sold, but after some negotiations, Mr Lee says that more tickets will be released in the $388 and standing tickets category. These additional tickets will go on sale on Wednesday morning (Feb 17) at 10am via Sports Hub Tix.

 

He insists that his participation as investor in the concert "is not for profit" and that he is fulfilling a promise to his friends in Singpore. Mr Lee and his wife come to Singapore three or four times a year.

[Stevo 6,436]

Wow! It's mind boggling to think one date cost investors $14million!!