Why Madonna says she’ll never headline a Las Vegas residency

Madonna is not a fan of Las Vegas, residency-wise or sleep-wise.

The entertainment legend is not headlining a residency at Sphere, or anywhere else in Las Vegas. She dropped this news during a panel discussion Friday night at the Beacon Theater in New York City. The Tribeca Film Festival event focused on her “Confessions II” visual album, due out July 3.

Moderator Anderson Cooper (filling in for “Tonight Show” host Jimmy Fallon, a late drop from the event) asked Madonna what she planned after the album goes public. This led to a Q&A about a tour, and the “Vogue” hitmaker possibly headlining a residency at Sphere or anywhere in Las Vegas.

According to multiple reports, the entertainment icon responded, “The Sphere is cool, but I don’t want to wake up every morning and see Vegas, I just don’t.”

As reported by the New York Post, a member of the crowd shouted, “Never Vegas! Not Vegas!” Madonna then laughed, “I never said Vegas! I don’t know what that is.”

Regardless, we expect all parties to survive this revelation.

Gwen Stefani and No Doubt are currently selling an average of 16,290 tickets per night at Sphere (over their first nine shows), according to music industry pub Pollstar. The band is grossing a robust $3.6 million per performance, and the nostalgia-splashed “Tragic Kingdom” shows are drawing overwhelmingly positive reviews.

Jim Dolan, the executive chairman and chief executive officer Sphere Entertainment, also operates MSG Entertainment. That company operates the Beacon Theater, where Madonna made these remarks.

Dolan’s company is on a hot streak of live events. Apart from Sphere’s pioneering productions, its Radio City Music Hall hosted Sunday’s Tony Awards show, with Pink dazzling as host. The rocker born Alecia Moore is reportedly in line for a residency at Sphere. And MSG’s venerable Madison Square Garden is the stage for tonight’s Game 3 of the NBA Finals.

Meantime, Madonna, 67, has an uneven history of tour performances in Las Vegas dating more than two decades. Her three-show run at the Colosseum in November 2019, on her “Madame X” tour, sparked fan backlash when she was two hours late for the scheduled 10:30 p.m. start.

She famously told her Nov. 7 crowd, “There’s something that you all need to understand, and that is, that a queen is never late.”

That night, Lady Gaga played Park Theater at Park MGM, posting a sign at the entrance reading, “Jazz Show #32, The Park Theater, 5,400 Guests SOLD OUT 8:00 p.m. ON STAGE.” Gaga is the subject of ongoing speculation as a potential Sphere headliner, a concept she has never ruled out.

John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykatson X, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.