Madonna’s surprise Pride Month performance in Times Square on Thursday wasn’t just a launch event for new music. It also served as the biggest showcase yet for The Square, a new venue that is introducing a different approach to live events in New York City.

Developed within the heart of Times Square, The Square is built behind a large-scale LED display that functions as part of the surrounding digital landscape. From the street, it appears to be another billboard. When activated, sections of the screen open to reveal a performance space hidden inside the building.

The venue combines a physical stage with more than 18,000 square feet of LED screens, allowing performances to extend beyond the room itself and into Times Square. The concept creates a unique dynamic where invited guests can experience a show from inside the venue while thousands of pedestrians encounter it in real time outside.

That setup was on full display Thursday evening when the screens opened to reveal Madonna and longtime collaborator Stuart Price. The pair performed a short set featuring tracks from the upcoming Confessions II alongside selections from 2005’s Confessions on a Dance Floor.

While the performance lasted roughly 15 minutes, it highlighted what makes The Square different from traditional concert venues. Rather than requiring audiences to enter a dedicated event space, the venue operates directly within one of the busiest public areas in the world.