Yeah, which idiot was it that said Madonna might live to regret charging such high prices for tickets to her recent gigs (mmm, that wasn't us was it?). Well, those who thought Madge may have overpriced herself when tickets for the Confessions tour first went on sale were wrong, because the singer will become the biggest-grossing female pop star in live music history when the tour reaches its completion tonight.
The 60 date world tour, which ends in Tokyo today, will have been seen by 1.2 million people and has grossed $193.7 million, significantly more than the $125 million of revenues generated by 2004's Re-Invention tour. The only female star to have previously generated such high revenues through a tour is Cher, whose most recent live show, billed as her 'farewell tour', grossed $192.5 million. However, while Madonna's Confessions tour may have only just broken Cher's record in terms of gross revenue, Cher's tour was over four times longer. She performed 273 shows over a three year period, while Madonna generated more money in just a few months on the road.
Of course all the Christians who opposed the controversial crucifix routine that was included in the Confessions show might argue she'll be spending all that money in hell, though presumably her Kabbalah friends will be able to have a word with God about holding back on the wrath and all that. She's still into all that Kabbalah nonsense, right?