MADONNA ATTRACTS 1M TO FREE CONCERT
Fans brave heat to watch pop star’s show at Brazil’s Copacabana beach
MORE than a million people thronged Brazil’s Copacabana beach for a free Madonna concert on Saturday, braving the heat to see the end of her “Celebration” world tour.
The oceanfront boulevard were filled for several blocks by a crowd of the city’s estimated at 1.6 million.
Many had been there for hours or even days to get a good spot, while richer fans anchored in dozens of boats near the beach and onlookers crowded beachfront apartments.
Firefighters sprayed water before the concert, when temperatures exceeded 30°C, to cool fans gathered near the stage, and drinking water was distributed for free. Temperatures were around 27°C during the late night show.
Madonna, 65, performed songs such as Like a Prayer, Vogue and Express Yourself for more than two hours from 10.45pm as she wound up the greatest hits tour that started late last year.
“Rio, here we are, in the most beautiful place in the world, with the ocean, the mountains, Jesus,” Madonna told the crowd, referring to the city’s huge mountaintop Christ the Redeemer statue.
Brazilian pop artistes Anitta
and Pabllo Vittar, as well as younger musicians from samba schools, participated in the show.
More than 3,000 policemen were deployed around the concert area, where the Rolling Stones and Rod Stewart have also
drawn million-strong crowds.
Brazilian authorities have stepped up their vigilance over heat-related health problems after a young Brazilian fan died at a concert by Taylor Swift last year due to heat exhaustion.
Rio’s state and city governments
said they spent 20 million reais on the concert, while the rest was financed by private sponsors.
The authorities estimate the concert could bring about 300 million reais to Rio’s economy.