Twenty-two years ago, on April 13, 1990, Madonna kicked off her Blond Ambition World Tour, playing the first of three nights at Chiba Marine Stadium in Tokyo, Japan. She must not be terribly superstitious, as, like today, it was also Friday the 13th.

Luck was certainly on her side — or more likely, loads of careful planning — as Madonna embarked upon delivering a concert spectacle on a scale that hadn’t previously been seen in the pop world. Songs were divided into thematic segments supported by elaborate set pieces and striking costumes by Jean Paul Gaultier, including the iconic cone bra. Responding to critics who lambasted Blond Ambition for its displays of sexuality and perceived religious blasphemy, Madonna said:

“My show is not a conventional rock show, but a theatrical presentation of my music. And like theatre, it asks questions, provokes thoughts, and takes you on an emotional journey, portraying good and bad, light and dark, joy and sorrow, redemption and salvation. I do not endorse a way of life, but describe one and the audience is left to make its own decisions and judgments.”

Though not my first concert (that honor goes to Robert Palmer), Blond Ambition was my virginal live Madonna experience, having won tickets from a local radio station. Actually, I won two pairs of tickets from two different Chicago stations (plus a copy of the I’m Breathless CD), but sold the extra set to a friend of mine. We both attended with our older sisters, and the next morning were beyond thankful that our tickets weren’t for the final Chicago date, learning Madonna cancelled due to throat problems.

Permanently seared onto my cerebral cortex were images of simulated masturbation, a trio of hunky mermen, and the Clockwork Orange-inspired finale. And this, Blond Ambition’s opening number, a stage re-creation of the “Express Yourself” video. By the time this was filmed, on the final night of the tour in Nice, France, Madonna had traded in the platinum ponytail she’d started out with for a head of gold ringlets (I remember reading that the blonde dye had damaged her hair):

While Blond Ambition has never appeared on DVD, Truth or Dare, Madonna’s acclaimed warts-and-all documentary chronicling the tour, does feature several performances and was released on Blu-ray treatment earlier this month. (Also, Truth or Dare is now a fragrance at Macy’s.)

Yesterday, Jean Paul Gaultier confirmed he’s collaborating with Madonna once again, doing costumes for her upcoming MDNA Tour (he also worked on the 2006 Confessions Tour). In a sign that what was shocking 22 years ago is less so now, Gaultier’s cone-bra design now wraps a bottle of Diet Coke. Madonna’s original corset is on display at San Francisco’s de Young Museum through August, part of an exhibition of the French designer’s work.

Purchase Madonna – Truth or Dare (Blu-ray) via Amazon.