The trip Celebration Would this be the last opportunity to see Madonna on stage in Quebec? Mike Gauthier believes so. “Instead of having Madonna travel to see her fans, I feel like they are the ones who have to travel to see her,” the host said.
“I wouldn't be surprised if Celebration was his last real tour. I get the impression that, like many other artists, she prefers to spend a week in New York doing several concerts, and then do the same in Los Angeles, Toronto, Miami, Chicago, London… and the people who “Want to do that, make Go to Madonna, they will be willing to travel,” continues Mike Gauthier.
The presenter will have seen Madonna on stage three times; 1987 in the Forum, 1993 in the Olympic Stadium and 2005 in the Bell Center. And he admits that he has always been impressed by the singer's performances.
“A Madonna show is always great. You can pay $300 for a ticket and be sure you're getting your money's worth. She has always been avant-garde, her scenography is perfectly planned… she never disappoints,” he says.
Host Mike Gauthier. Archive photo
Since 40 years
Mike Gauthier had a front row seat to witness the birth of the Madonna trend in Quebec. As an on-air host for FM93 in the 1980s, he remembers a strong reaction to the premiere of Everybody, the American singer's first single.
The titles followed one another – “Holiday”, “Lucky Star”, “Borderline”, “Like a Virgin”, “Material Girl”, etc. – each time causing increasing enthusiasm among the listeners.
“When we played Material Girl on air, the phones weren't ringing; People wanted to hear it over and over again. What happened was huge. “We felt like every time she released a new song the eye of the storm was getting bigger,” remembers Mike Gauthier.
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A symbol
And why did Madonna spark such enthusiasm? The quality of the titles certainly has a lot to do with it. And the controversies haven't diminished his iconic status. But beyond that, the positive influence the singer had on women also had a lot to do with it.
“She came at the right time to advance the cause of women. Madonna gave them a lot of self-confidence, both for their place in society and for their sexual emancipation. “She was a strong woman who took other women with her,” said the presenter.
- The Celebration Tour stops at the Bell Center on Thursday and Saturday.