Madonna Set To Play Australia: Will She Be As Good As Lady Gaga?

Madonna is going to play Australia for the first time since 1993. MadonnaTribe, often considered the Bible when it comes to Madge fans, broke the news.

“An update by the Australian division of Live Nation Entertainment, which has a page dedicated to the Rebel Heart Tour up since March is still missing, but now the local press is reporting that an announcement can finally take place next week”

The site goes on to explain that Madonna is expected to announce her first concerts down under in 22 years next Tuesday, June 9, and she’s expected to spend one month in Australia and possibly play places like Melbourne, Sydney, Perth, and Brisbane.

The fan site also notes that fans were let down when they expected the dates to be announced on March 2 — the same day the other Rebel Heart Tour dates were announced. This time, it looks like it’s going to happen for sure. Tickets, which are likely going to be among the highest-priced ever in Australia, will likely sell incredibly well, especially given that Madonna is still very popular in Australia and her fans have been waiting 22 years to see her.

As cliché as it sounds, Lady Gaga’s name is going to be discussed when Madonna plays Australia. Gaga herself was the last big pop star to play in Australia and the reviews were, for the most part, outstanding. MTV Australia gave the ARTPOP Ball concert its biggest rave.

“Wow. What a show and if the art and pop worlds were to get married and live happily ever after then Gaga would definitely be their celebrant.”

Despite the fact that the two mega pop stars and groundbreaking gay rights activists are no longer enemies, the pitting against each other will exist, whether they like it or not. Madonna will probably play to a lot more people than Lady Gaga did in Australia, but will her shows earn the same amount of respect? It’s difficult to say, especially since Madonna is such a polarizing pop star — far more polarizing than Lady Gaga has ever been.

Even if Madonna puts on a show that makes fans jump from their seats into the high heavens, there will always be a few critics just waiting to berate her, knock her, and minimize her success. Despite the fact that the Rebel Heart Tour is already a major success (see all the second dates added at different venues), outlets like the New York Post called the tour a flop only four days after the tickets went on sale for shows more than six months away.

The people Madonna needs to satisfy the most on the Australian leg of her Rebel Heart Tour aren’t the critics; the fans’ opinion is a lot more important. Madonna has broken many promises to play Australia over the past 22 years and she needs to give the concert of a lifetime in order to make people happy. Judging by Madonna’s previous concert tours, she may just hit another musical home run.

[Photo by Andrew H. Walker / Getty Images]