Madonna surprised the crowd last night with a midnight appearance at the iconic Stonewall Inn in New York City.
Madge was recently named a ‘Stonewall Ambassador’ by Pride Live to help bring awareness to this year’s 50th anniversary of the Stonewall uprising on June 28, 2019. In honor of the anniversary, World Pride is being held in New York City this year.
Appearing onstage in an appropriate melange of leather, chains and glitter, the Queen of Pop noted, “This is the smallest stage I’ve ever been on.”
She then went on to address the diverse crowd about the memory and revolution of Stonewall (via Boy Culture):
“I see you! I stand here, proudly, at the place where Pride began, the legendary Stonewall Inn, and the birth of a new year.
“We come together tonight to celebrate 50 years of revolution. Fifty years of freedom-fighting. Fifty years of blood, sweat and tears — can I get an amen?! Fifty years of sacrifice. Fifty years of standing up to discrimination, hatred and — worst of all — indifference.
“And it all started here, at Stonewall. Let us never forget the Stonewall Riots and those who bravely stood up and said, Enough. Enough brutality, enough violence inflicted on this community, enough stigmatism, enough oppression, enough pain and suffering.
“We must never forget where we came from.”
Madonna then launched into an acoustic version of her mega-hit “Like A Prayer.”
Madge followed that with a duet of the Elvis classic, “Can’t Help Falling in Love,” with her son, David, on guitar.
