Madonna Gives A Free Concert, And Over 1 Million People Came!

1.6 million people embarked on Brazil’s Copacabana beach for a free Madonna concert.  Those more than a million and a half material girl fans braved the heart to see the end of her “Celebration” world tour! 

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.

Perhaps learning from the Taylor Swift concert that tragically saw a woman die due to the extreme heat- Authorities weren’t taking any chances…

Firefighters sprayed water before the concert, when temperatures exceeded 86 degrees Fahrenheit (30 degrees Celsius), to cool fans gathered near the pop queen’s stage, and drinking water was distributed for free. Temperatures were around 81 F (27 C) during the late-night show.

More than 3,000 police officers were deployed around the concert area, where the Rolling Stones and Rod Stewart have also drawn million-strong crowds. The authorities used a crowd-management strategy similar to their handling of the city’s famous New Year’s Eve celebrations.

Rio’s state and city governments said they spent 20 million reais ($3.9 million) on the concert, while private sponsors financed the rest. The authorities estimate the concert could bring about 300 million reais to Rio’s economy.