Madonna Kicks Off Tour With Controversy, Britney Music 25 August, 2008 - 8:54 AM

Madonna's highly-anticipated 'Sticky and Sweet' world tour is GO! with her first show kicking off last Saturday night.

The Queen of Pop - who recently turned 50 on August 16 - played the Millenium Stadium in the Welsh city of Cardiff to 40,000 screaming fans.

• See our sizzling Madonna photo gallery here

Of course, being a Madonna show, it wasn't short of controversy - although this time around it was political, not sexual. In a video intermission, images were shown of Nazi leader Adolf Hitler, Zimbabwe president Robert Mugabe and US Republican candidate John McCain.

These were followed later by images of John Lennon, Ghandi, environmentalist Al Gore and the US Democratic candidate Barack Obama. No points for picking who Mads is voting for in the November election!

Her 22-song set was divided into four themes and costume changes - Pimp (fusion of modern urban and 1920s deco), Old School (early NYC), Gyspy (Romanian folk theme) and Rave (futuristic dance with eastern influences).

Naturally the show was high on spectacle. She opened the show with 'Candy Shop' sitting on a diamante 'M' throne, wearing a leotard costume designed by French fashionistas Givenchy and knee high boots. For song #2 'Beat Goes On', she drove a white car onstage wearing a white top hat.

The hotly-anticipated Britney Spears video collaboration was finally unveiled during Mads' 1994 hit 'Human Nature', with footage showing Brits going nuts in a locked elevator before she says 'It's Britney, bitch' and escapes.

Watch the fan footage of Britney's video cameo:

The Sticky and Sweet tour rolls on now through Europe and then North and South America. No word yet on an Aussie visit.

Here's the vital stats for the tour that have been released online:
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

Related Madonna News:

• :: Britney and Madonna's racy video revealed
• :: Madonna undresses again in new video
• Is Madonna "vulgar"? Sam Sparro thinks so!

(2) »

• Deb says

  Trust Madonna to get everyone riled up! She's a legend...

  Posted Monday 25 August, 2008 10:30 AM
• Le says

  Yes she's fit for her age, but please, dress for your age Madonna.

  Posted Monday 25 August, 2008 12:18 PM

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