C A R D I F FAUGUST 23, 2008

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LIKE A PRAYER

RAY OF LIGHT

A week after turning 50, when most of her peers would still be shaking off a hangover, the untiring pop star performed the first of 51 shows across Europe and America.

The tour promotes Madonna’s current album Hard Candy, which topped the charts when it was released in April.

She opened with two fast-paced tracks from it, making her entrance to Candy Shop on board a moving throne, legs spread open. Her voice sounded shaky as she strutted across the stage in a Givenchy-designed one-piece, fishnets and knee high boots.

Establishing the gangsta-pimp theme of the first quarter of the show, a cane-wielding Madonna was joined on stage by dancers in raunchy bondage–style costumes.

The “Old School” phase of the show was much more fun and Madonna seemed on surer ground. It kicked off with an energetic performance of Get Into The Groove with schoolyard skipping rope dance routine that hinted at how the muscular star maintains her remarkable physique.

Other re-workings of her old hits included a guitar-heavy rock version of Borderline and striking New York subway train visuals on the track Music.

There were times when Madonna seemed strained and she lacked the effortless confidence of previous years. In the opening half of the show, she struggled to involve the crowd, who responded half-heartedly to her newer tracks. Her voice was stronger when she wasn’t attempting to keep up with her dance troupe.

But the energy picked up during La Isla Bonita, when she skipped around the stage at the head of a procession of violin players. The pace continued with a high-energy, crowd-pleasing rendition of Hung-Up.

“Sticky & Sweet” is Madonna’s first world tour since she hit the road in 2006 with “Confessions” — the highest grossing tour by a female artist.

Two years later, Madonna’s biceps are no smaller and, with the news that 100 pairs of fishnet pantyhose have been procured from eBay for the artist, her costumes no less raunchy.

Ricardo Tisci of Givenchy, Stella McCartney and Roberto Cavalli are among the 36 designers who have contributed to the tour wardrobe.

With tickets for last night’s Cardiff gig costing between £65 and £160, it will be no surprise if this extravagant production by the world’s most successful female recording artist of all time goes on to break more records.

We are less than a handful of days away from the launch of the most anticipated concert of the year, Madonna's "Sticky & Sweet" global trek.

And, in anticipation of the first show on Saturday, the Queen of Pop's publicist has just released this most amazing list of stats and info on the new world tour.

It states:

"3500 Number of individual wardrobe elements for tour

653 Hours of rehearsal time for Madonna and band

250 Number of travelling personnel

200 Triangle sponges used to apply makeup

180 Q-Tips used for entire tour (3 per night)

120 Powder puffs

100 Pairs of out of stock fishnet, pantyhose in old style weave,
purchased for Madonna via ebay and local dance shops

100 Pairs of kneepads

69 Guitars

36 Different Designers contributed to the onstage wardrobe

30 Wardrobe Trunks travel to each venue

28 Maximum number of performers onstage

20 Nationalities represented in touring stuff (including Japanese, Israeli, Russian, Romanian, Australian and Algerian)

18 Racks of Clothing for Band, dancers and gypsies

16 Caterers

12 Seamstresses working non stop in Cardiff to finish
costumes for opening night

12 Travelling trampolines used in training by Madonna and dancers

10 Large flight cases of medical supplies

10 Number of guitars Madonna will travel with

9 Number of people working in wardrobe department

8 Major Madonna Costume changes

5 Number of people it takes to change Madonna into next
costume

5 Keyboards on stage for Kevin Antunes, Musical Director

4 Large freezers to carry ice packs for Madonna and dancers

4 YSL Lipsticks will cover entire tour

3 Romanian gypsy musicians playing acoustic instruments

3 Racks of Clothing contain Madonna's stage wardrobe

3 Shu Uemura eyelash curlers

2 Rigs for DJ set up

2 Stages

1.5 Minutes - Shortest time required to change Madonna's costumes between numbers

1 Chiropractor

1 Personal trainer

1 Masseuse

1 Set of Swarovski crystal ear phones for DJ

Madonna's Sticky & Sweet Tour Kicks Off This Saturday In Cardiff

Madonna, currently putting the finishing touches to her fabulous new Sticky & Sweet Show in Cardiff, is readying herself and the 250travelling personnel for the opening night this Saturday at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium.

Hot on the diamante shaped heels of her phenomenally successful' Hard Candy' disc, 'Sticky & Sweet' promises two pulsating hours of non stop hits in a show that features 16 dancers, a 12 piece band, more than 8 costume changes for the lady herself and £l million of Swarovski crystals.

The audience is taken on a rock driven dance tastic journey that's broken into four sections:

Pimp
A mashed up homage to 1920's deco and modern day gangsta pimp. Madonna makes a grand entrance dressed by Givenchy.

Old School
Madonna tips her hat to her early 80's downtown New York City dance roots with flashes of Keith Haring and the dance culture vibe of the time including the birth of rap.

Gypsy
A VIP trip to La Isla Bonita infused by the spirit of Romanian folk music and dance. A tour de force.

Rave
Far eastern influences emerge all sparkly and sporty.

'Sticky & Sweet' kicks off this Saturday August 23rd at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium. The tour hits London's Wembley Stadium September 11th.

The Sticky & Sweet Tour is produced by Live Nation Global Touring."

• INTRO / CANDY SHOP
• BEAT GOES ON
• HUMAN NATURE
• VOGUE
• DIE ANOTHER DAY

Intro/Candy Shop
Beat Goes On
Human Nature
Vogue

Video Interlude - Die Another Day
Into The Groove
Heartbeat
Borderline
She's Not Me
Music

Video Interlude - Rain/Here Comes The Rain Again
Devil Wouldn't Recognize You
Spanish Lesson
Miles Away
La Isla Bonita/Lela Pala Tute
Doli Doli (Live interlude - Romanian folk song)
You Must Love Me

Video Interlude - Get Stupid (About saving the planet)
4 Minutes
Like A Prayer
Ray Of Light
Hung Up
Give It To Me (Finale)