Madonna tour 2023 LIVE: Ticketmaster launch, extra O2 dates ...
Tickets for Madonna's The Celebration tour have gone on sale today and UK fans worried they might miss out on seeing the Queen of Pop have a glimmer of hope after the star announced a string of extra dates.
As well as dozens of North American dates, including two nights at New York's famous Madison Square Garden, the Queen of Pop will now perform at The O2 Arena on Saturday, October 14, Sunday, October 15 and Tuesday, October 17 before moving onto Italy, France, Belgium, Germany, and other major European cities.
Whether you know her as the Material Girl, her Madgesty or Madame X, it's fair to say that Madonna's status as a music icon and pop-culture figure mean the shows will be packed full of anthems.
READ MORE: How to get tickets for the only UK show of Madonna's 2023 tour
Tickets are on sale now (Friday, January 20) on Ticketmaster and LiveNation after an eventful pre-sale for fan club members and O2 Priority customers.
Right now there are three UK shows available, but speculation is rife that others may yet be announced throughout the morning to feel a mysterious gap between the last London show on October 17 and the start of her mainland Europe leg starts a week later in Antwerp.
We're liveblogging throughout the morning with ticket updates and information on pricing and seating plans as well as breaking news of those all-important possible extra dates as and when they're announced.
Keep this page open for updates and let us know how you're getting on via Twitter, email or comments on this blog.
11:51Narin Flanders
I'm hoping people got a look in at the seats for Wednesday before I did - by the time I was at the front of the queue there was literally nothing available booking for two people together across any price bracket, much less the ones I'd actually feel comfortable paying.
The queue is still running on Ticketmaster and LiveNation but down at a relatively short 1,000 fans.
Have you had success? Let us know via Twitter, email or comments on this blog.
11:36Narin Flanders
When you join the music promoter's queue for the new date you get this cheery message on the bottom of the screen:
11:28 Due to overwhelming demand for Madonna, ticket availability is now extremely limited on some dates, and some ticket options will be unavailable.
Good news! Another show has just been added on Wednesday, 18th October 2023.
It was never in doubt that the UK was home to a massive fanbase for the pop legend, but releasing dates like this is a bit exhausting and makes it difficult for fans to plan.
Ticketmaster and LiveNation now listing the new date. I'm currently 984 in the queue, I'll update with availability info on the new date shortly.
11:30KEY EVENT
If there was ever any doubt that the UK loved Madonna it is thoroughly dispelled now. A fourth date has been announced for London's O2 - Wednesday, October 18.
You know the drill, tickets coming up on Ticketmaster and LiveNation, probably in the length of time it takes for me to click post here. See you in the queue.
11:18Narin Flanders
I got in the queue for the Tuesday show pretty much as soon as it opened - I was certainly in it by the time I posted my last update at 10.55am.
I'm now at the front (at 11.15am) and able to look at what's still left to buy and the answer is, for me at least... nothing.
Every price bracket - seated, American Express premium and VIP options are all coming up with the error:
Something went wrong...An error occurred and we could not reserve your tickets.
Has something gone wrong or is it already sold out? Bear with me as I try and find out.
Alternatively, give it a try yourself on Ticketmaster and LiveNation - and let me know how you're getting on.
10:58KEY EVENT
Head to Ticketmaster and LiveNation to join the queue. Ticketmaster currently at around 150,000 fans trying for tickets.
But we officially now have three London dates which, unless I've missed some announcements this morning - which, let's face it, is possible as it's been bedlam here - London is playing host to the most Madonna gigs in a single city for The Celebration tour so far.
If I'm wrong feel free to correct me via Twitter, email or a comment here and I'll amend but right now I had Madison Square Garden and Paris on two nights each along with possibly a couple of other North American venues.
But for now, we wait in queue for the third show. Any more for any more?
10:49KEY EVENT
She's done it. An extra show for the O2 has been announced for Tuesday, October 17.
Tickets still on sale for the first two dates here at Ticketmaster and LiveNation. Stand by for confirmation when the Tuesday date goes on sale.
Cancel the flights to Copenhagen. For now.
10:45Narin Flanders
Clearly two gigs in London is not enough. The queue for Ticketmaster is now over 180,000 with the firm warning availability is extremely low and suggesting fans check back later, presumably in case people look at the prices, decide against and tickets go back into the allocations pot on Ticketmaster and LiveNation.
10:39Narin Flanders
With both London dates now coming up, inevitably, as low availability within just half an hour of tickets going on sale, intrepid British fans have started looking further afield to see the superstar in action.
We've seen people discussing on Twitter how some of the mainland European dates are significantly cheaper than London, with some of them even being held at more intimate venues.
One fan has booked for Antwerp which is £100 cheaper than London and an option, if you fancy combining a Madonna gig with a city break away. We're also seeing people stating Paris and Amsterdam are significantly cheaper although we haven't been able to get into the relevant Ticketmaster sites to confirm.
I've always fancied Copenhagen as a place to visit, she's playing there too...
For now though, limited London options - at the pricier end from what we can tell - are still available via Ticketmaster and LiveNation. I think many of us are hoping for some more dates though.
10:24Narin Flanders
Say what you want about the Queen of Pop but people definitely still love her. 170,000 people are currently in the virtual queue for tickets.
Of course with The O2 Arena holding 20,000 as standard for a concert right now it looks like some people are going to be disappointed... Time for the diva herself to announce some extra dates, maybe?
If you want to join the queue, Ticketmaster and LiveNation are both up and working - so at least there's no technical difficulties to contend with so far, just epic demand for pop royalty.
10:17Narin Flanders
Crucially according to the small print the one thing it doesn't include is any artist involvement whatsoever. So if you were hoping for a picture of you and the Material Girl the best you can hope is managing a selfie during the show.
If you want one, or any other ticket, you can get it here on Ticketmaster, just click your preferred date.
But what do you think? Is it worth the money? Would you pay it? Let me know via Twitter, email or a comment on this blog.
10:11KEY EVENT
I've finally been able to get a look at the full standard ticket brackets for the gigs:
£46.55 £92.75 £141.95 £223.50 £276.75 £432.25There are other VIP options which go up to a whopping £1,300 and include a host of extras but for a general ticket this is what you're looking at.
Floor seating is available at £276.75 and £432.25
Level one is available at £223.50, £276.75 and £432.25
Level four is apparently at all prices levels (although £276 is showing sold out)
Standing pit is £432.25. I know I'm old but for that money I'd really like a chair.
All these figures are for Sunday and the best available I'm being offered for a pair is still £141.95 with the warning of it being high up.
I'm using Ticketmaster but the tickets are available on LiveNation and may have a slightly different offering.
10:03Narin Flanders
We're IN! This is unexpected at 10.01, for once the Ticketmaster tech appears to have smiled upon us.
However news is a bit mixed. The cheapest seat we've been offered for a pair for Saturday is £141.95 each and comes with the not-exactly-reassuring note 'NB: SEATS ARE HIGH UP.'
Goodness only knows where the £44 ones are - possibly in the car park.
Going to take a look at availability for the Sunday now.
If you want your own tickets Ticketmaster and LiveNation are both now on sale.
10:00KEY EVENT
So far there are two dates available - Saturday, October 14 and Sunday, October 15. There are rumblings as yet unconfirmed there may be others.
Our top tip is if you're worried about availability go for the Sunday date as it wasn't included in this week's pre-sales so far so there should be more tickets to choose from.
These are the all-important Ticketmaster and LiveNation links.
Let us know how you're getting on. We joined the queue at 9.46am and are now in the queue although so far back they've not told us what number we're at. Not sure this bodes well...
09:46KEY EVENT
It's almost time for the long-awaited Madonna general sale and the Ticketmaster virtual queue is open.
These are the all-important Ticketmaster and LiveNation links.
Go go go!
09:06Narin Flanders
Phew. I can go back to listening to my epic Amazon Music Madonna playlist.
If you are looking to see Madonna in London and stay over afterwards, now is a good time to be thinking about hotels - especially for those speculative extra dates.
Our sister site MyLondon reported hotel prices rocketing to up to £300 a night and Booking.com saw 93% of hotels close to The O2 Arena booking out before the first tickets even went on sale.
But if you're happy with a reasonably simple room a short distance away, Travelodges around the area start at £107.99 for a double room for a night and, for an extra £22, fans can get book flexible rooms that can be cancelled if they don't manage to get tickets for the mammoth show.
London Docklands Central is the closest, just over half a mile from the doors of the arena and again can be flexibly booked just in case you don't end up going.
08:56Narin Flanders
It's always easier buying tickets if you have a rough idea of what you're going for in terms of price bracket before you reach the front of the virtual queue.
We have a good idea on pricing thanks to Wednesday and Thursday's pre-sales and, while some fans reacted furiously on social media to the most expensive tickets topping more than £1,000 each, there are cheaper options there if you're able to get in quickly.
Seated options start from £47.55 with fees, going up to £432.25.
VIP packages meanwhile start at £729.75 and go up to £1,307.75 for what is, inevitably, named The Immaculate VIP Package.
The show will be a mixture of standing and seated tickets.
If you look at the seating plan below, the cheaper tickets, as you’d expect, will be round the edge in the green areas. Pink and blue standing areas are more expensive while the yellow, Golden Circle area is home to the most expensive tickets - including VIP packages.
The pre-sale link is here. We'll be keeping an eye at 9am in case the virtual waiting room surprises us all and launches earlier than anticipated.
08:47Narin Flanders
When Madonna announced this tour there were definitely some eyebrows raised among fans that there was just one UK date which, paired with a lengthy gap between her Saturday night at The O2 and her move into mainland Europe raised speculation of additional UK dates.
Like the maverick she is she took everyone by surprise and announced one, on Sunday, October 15, late last night but there is still further speculation that another couple of dates may be incoming once the first two go on sale.
Right now the tickets going on sale at 10am on Ticketmaster and LiveNation are just for Saturday and Sunday but fans with nerves of steel - or who already have plans that weekend - may yet get another chance for seats if they're happy to pay for tickets.
08:22KEY EVENT
Anticipation is high this morning as general sale tickets for Madonna's UK leg of her greatest hits tour, The Celebration, are finally launched.
If you tried to get tickets during Wednesday and Thursday's pre-sales but were disappointed here's the key timings - and our top tips - on what you need to know to maximise your chances.
Tickets go on sale at 10am on Ticketmaster and LiveNation but, as with other major ticket launches, we're expecting the virtual waiting room queue to be available from at least half an hour before. To be safe we'll be checking from 9am so if it opens earlier than expected you'll hear it here as soon as we know.
As someone wise once said - although possibly not about a situation like this - failing to prepare means preparing to fail. So, first off, if you've bought through Ticketmaster before check you can log in, that (if you have one) your credit or debit card attached to the account is current and you're not going to be trying to pay with an out-of-date card, and that your home address is right and, crucially, the same as the billing address for the payment method you're going to use.
Not a member of Ticketmaster yet? Sign up now and fill in all of these these things so you're not desperately trying to do it while watching a clock tick down telling you how many minutes you have before your much-wanted tickets are released back into the general pool for someone else to buy.
Once you're ready to join the waiting room, consider using multiple devices - ideally one on Wifi and one or 4G or 5G so if you lose signal on one you have a back up.
Also, keep watching this blog as we'll give you information on seating options, ticket prices, any additional dates and much more.
