In a city that thrives on spectacle, it takes something truly extraordinary to stop Los Angeles in its tracks. That’s exactly what Madonna accomplished at the Crypto.com Arena this past Saturday night. As part of her “The Last Dance” Farewell Tour, the Queen of Pop delivered a show that was more than a concert — it was a living, breathing piece of performance art, dripping with decadence, emotion, and surrealism.
More than four decades into her career, Madonna remains a magnetic force, her message now deeper and more personal than ever. And in her first full Los Angeles performance since her health scare in 2023, she transformed the arena into a Fellini-inspired fever dream — a surreal, sensual circus of memories, mirrors, and music.
But beyond the dazzling stagecraft and costume changes, what truly pierced through the night was a moment of raw, tearful gratitude. Standing beneath a single spotlight, Madonna paused to thank the doctor who saved her life — a man she credited with giving her a second chance, not just to live, but to perform again.
A Theatrical Masterpiece with a Cinematic Soul
From the moment the curtains rose, the show had the atmosphere of a dream — or a dream within a dream. A massive carousel spun above the stage, clad in gold, with dancers in carnival masks slowly descending like spirits from another realm. Strings from “Live to Tell” echoed across the darkened space before Madonna emerged in a white veil, clutching a burning heart.
This wasn’t a typical pop concert. It was part cabaret, part confession, part circus, and entirely Madonna.
Drawing clear inspiration from Federico Fellini’s films — particularly 8½, La Strada, and Juliet of the Spirits — the concert unfolded like a psychological journey through Madonna’s life and legacy. Vignettes of childhood, motherhood, fame, and faith were stitched together with clever transitions, surreal visuals, and introspective voiceovers.
Setlist: A Journey Through Decades
Madonna’s setlist pulled deeply from her vast discography, spanning from her early ‘80s streetwise bangers to her latest reflective anthems. Highlights included:
- “Express Yourself” – Performed against a backdrop of women marching with protest signs and dressed as suffragettes-meets-showgirls. An empowering moment that reminded the audience of Madonna’s role in pop feminism.
- “Like a Prayer” – A gospel choir rose from under the stage as stained-glass projections bathed the arena in divine light. This was the spiritual high point of the evening — transcendent and moving.
- “Vogue” – Reimagined as a black-and-white runway set in 1950s Rome, the iconic choreography received thunderous cheers.
- “Ray of Light” – Remixed with an orchestral-electro fusion, the song pulsed with urgency and light, visually accompanied by supernova imagery and sci-fi references.
- “Open Your Heart” – A stripped-down acoustic version with Madonna on guitar, dedicated “to every soul still trying to find their way back to love.”
Newer songs from her 2025 album “Rebel Heart: Reawakened” also received their moment, particularly “Saint & Sinner” and the tour’s title track, “Last Dance,” a soulful and melancholic ballad about endings, healing, and hope.
A Moment of Gratitude: “I Wasn’t Supposed to Be Here”
About halfway through the show, as the lights dimmed and the music softened, Madonna stepped forward, visibly emotional.
“Two years ago, I wasn’t supposed to be here. I almost didn’t make it. And if it wasn’t for someone very special, I wouldn’t be standing on this stage.”
The arena fell into a reverent hush.
“Dr. Sherman — you know who you are — you didn’t just save my body. You gave me back my voice, my heart, my breath, my chance to finish what I started.”
She raised her glass of water in a toast and mouthed “thank you” toward a VIP box, which cameras briefly illuminated to reveal Dr. Adrian Sherman, the Beverly Hills specialist rumored to have led her care during her hospitalization in 2023 for a serious bacterial infection.
It was a powerful, humanizing moment that grounded the evening’s larger-than-life themes in vulnerability and truth. The cheers that followed weren’t just for a star — they were for a survivor.
Costumes, Choreography, and Cinematic Splendor
Madonna collaborated once again with longtime designer Arianne Phillips to create an aesthetic that blended Fellini’s theatricality with religious iconography, high fashion, and vintage Italian cinema. There were nun-inspired bodysuits, Venetian masks, sequined priest robes, and 1940s pin-up lingerie layered over bulletproof vests.
Her dancers — more like living sculptures — moved between burlesque and ballet, voguing and vaudeville. Choreography by Megan Lawson was both futuristic and classical, adding to the show’s timeless texture.
Video backdrops featured swirling carnival scenes, confessionals, burning churches, neon angels, and even archival footage of young Madonna in New York City. The result was a show that felt at once intimate and epic, historical and visionary.
A Pop Star, A Performance Artist, A Poet
Critics and fans have long debated Madonna’s place in the cultural pantheon. Is she a singer? A provocateur? A performance artist? At the Crypto.com Arena, she was all of these — and more.
In an era where many legacy acts rely solely on nostalgia, Madonna remains relentlessly forward-facing. She doesn’t just sing her old songs — she recontextualizes them, turns them inside out, and asks the audience to see them — and her — in a new light.
“I’m not perfect,” she said toward the end of the show. “I’ve never wanted to be. I just wanted to be true. And truth, my friends, is messy. Beautiful. Loud.”
Final Thoughts: A Farewell in Full Bloom
If this is indeed the final tour of Madonna’s storied career, she’s not leaving quietly. She’s leaving in full bloom — as bold, strange, and sublime as ever. The L.A. stop on “The Last Dance” was not just a celebration of her catalog; it was a meditation on time, identity, mortality, and art itself.
She gave us magic. She gave us madness. She gave us Madonna.
And in doing so, she reminded us — as she always has — to open our hearts, express ourselves, and never, ever stop dancing.
Rating: ★★★★★ (5/5)
A triumphant, soul-baring, visually stunning night from the greatest showwoman of our time.
Setlist Snapshot from L.A.:
- Live to Tell (Intro)
- Express Yourself
- Into the Groove
- Saint & Sinner
- Justify My Love
- Open Your Heart (Acoustic)
- Ray of Light
- Vogue
- Like a Prayer
- Last Dance
- La Isla Bonita (Encore)
- Don’t Tell Me (Encore 2)
- Celebration / Holiday (Finale Mashup)
Next Stops on “The Last Dance” Tour:
- San Francisco – Aug 17
- Mexico City – Aug 22
- Tokyo – Sept 2
- Paris – Sept 15
- London – Sept 22 (3-night residency)
Were you at Madonna’s L.A. show? Share your favorite moment below!
