Sticky & Sweet Tour
Encyclopedia
The Sticky & Sweet Tour was the eighth worldwide concert tour by American singer Madonna
to promote her eleventh studio album, Hard Candy
. It began in August 2008 and was Madonna's first tour from her new recording and business deal with Live Nation
. The tour was announced in February 2008, with dates for American
and British
venues revealed. Though initially planned, the tour did not visit Australia
due to financial problems and the financial recession
. Costume designer Arianne Phillips
designed the costumes, supported by a number of famous designers and brands. The stage for the main show was planned similarly to that of her previous 2006 Confessions Tour
. After the tour concluded in 2008, Madonna announced plans of playing a second European leg in 2009 to play in territories she either had never been to or had not played for a long time.
The tour was described as a "rock driven dancetastic journey". It was divided into four acts: Pimp, where S&M was the main theme, Old School
where Madonna's classic songs were performed, while displaying work of deceased artist Keith Haring
, Gypsy
, a fusion of Romanian folk music and dance, with the performances ranging from melancholy to joyous, and Rave
, where she performed eastern influences. The show ended with sing-along
of the final song with the audience. Some changes were made to the set list during the second European leg of the tour in 2009, including a dance tribute to deceased singer Michael Jackson
. The tour generated positive reviews from critics.
The Sticky & Sweet Tour broke many records in terms of its ticket sales, commercial gross and audience attendance. After the first leg, it became the highest grossing tour by a solo artist, earning $282 million, breaking the previous record Madonna herself held with her Confessions Tour
. Overall, Madonna performed to over 3.5 million fans in 32 countries, grossing a total of US$408 million, making it also the fourth highest grossing tour of all time, only behind U2
's U2 360° Tour
, AC/DC
's Black Ice World Tour
and The Rolling Stones
's A Bigger Bang Tour
. It still remains the highest grossing tour by a solo artist. At the 2009 Billboard Touring Awards
, the Sticky & Sweet Tour won the Top Tour and Top Draw prizes, which acknowledge the highest-grossing and highest-attended tours of the year, respectively. Madonna's manager Guy Oseary won the Top Manager award.
While on tour, a number of statements by Madonna against 2008 Republican Presidential and Vice Presidential candidates John McCain
and Sarah Palin
, respectively, faced strong opposition from the Republican Party. While performing in Romania in 2009, Madonna's statement about gypsy discrimination in eastern European countries was received negatively. During the second leg, two workers constructing her stage at Stade Vélodrome
in Marseille were killed when the roof of the stage collapsed. The Sticky & Sweet Tour has been broadcast on a number of private channels and a CD/DVD
and Blu-ray version of the performances, was released in March 2010.
, Madonna's manager, and Arthur Fogel, Live Nation
's Global Touring CEO and Global Music Chairman. Billboard
confirmed that the tour was to begin on August 23, 2008 in Cardiff, Wales, with performances throughout the rest of the year. It was titled Sticky & Sweet Tour and planned to visit three continents on 50–60 dates. The tour was produced globally by Live Nation
and promoted Madonna's studio album Hard Candy
(2008). Billboard also confirmed performances in Europe until the end of September, arenas and stadiums in sixteen markets of North America in October and November, followed by stadiums of Mexico and South America in late November and early December. The tour was described as a "rock driven dancetastic journey". The show featured four acts: Pimp
, a homage to 1920s deco and modern-day gangsta pimp, Old School
, portraying early '80s downtown New York City dance roots with works of deceased artist Keith Haring
and the dance culture vibe of that time, including the birth of rap – Gypsy
, consisting of Romanian folk music and dance, and lastly Rave
, consisting of eastern influences.
On January 30, 2009, it was announced that Madonna had decided to resume the tour in the summer of 2009, with around twenty-five more shows in Europe. The second leg of the tour was to start from London at The O2
on July 4, wrapping up two months later in Tel Aviv
, Israel
. The rest of the dates included stadiums and parks in European markets Madonna had either never played or did not play in several years, according to Fogel. He said, "It absolutely has not happened in the four tours I've been involved with, [...] There has been talk [of extending] during each one, but it has never come to be. But with this one, she loves the show, she's had a great time and she's excited about playing new markets. [...] We went to quite a few markets she has never played or hasn't been to in 15-plus years. This [extension] is really a continuation of that in the sense of playing new and different markets."
Originally, Live Nation reported that the tour would make stops in America and Europe. Music promoter and manager Michael Chugg stated that an Australian leg "will happen" and that local promoters were working hard to make it fruitful. Madonna had apologized to her Australian fans during the 2006 Confessions Tour
, saying that she tried to work Australia into her schedule but ultimately could not. Her last tour in Australia was The Girlie Show World Tour in 1993. In October 2008, the Australian TV show Sunrise
reported that Madonna will tour Australia in January 2009. She had agreed for performances in Sydney
and Melbourne
, but they were eventually cancelled. Local promoter Michael Coppel stated,
With the announcement of the 2009 extension, the Herald Sun
reported that Madonna planned to tour Australia in September 2009, with one show in Melbourne to be held at the Telstra Dome
. It was later reported that the rumored date was false. Fogel stated, "[...] there is no validity to the reports."
designed the main costumes for the tour. According to her, Givenchy
designer Riccardo Tisci
contributed two outfits, Tom Ford
made bespoke suit for the band, Miu Miu
created the shoes, Stella McCartney
provided the thigh-high boots and Moschino
made the sunglasses. Other designers involved in creating the clothes included Yves Saint Laurent, Roberto Cavalli
, and Jeremy Scott
. Givenchy's creations were selected for the first and third acts of the tour, while Scott's designs were selected for the second act. Philips commented on the different sections, saying,
NME
reported that the tour would comprise 250 travelling workers, 69 guitars, 12 trampolines and 100 pairs of kneepads. The stage's layout was similar to the Confessions Tour
stage. It had two giant textile panels that defined the proscenium
arch, supporting two giant M-shaped structures, lit from within. The lighting beams and structures were rigged from the ceiling. There were four different clusters of loudspeakers in the back of the stage, providing sound to the rear tiers
. The main stage was accompanied by a catwalk which was shorter than the Confessions Tour one, and a satellite stage at the end of the runway. There was a set of screens on the main stage – which moved and changed shape and layout, from the shape of a cube at the beginning of the show. Also present were two semi-transparent, cylinder-shaped screens, above the satellite stage. Other structures included a number of smaller platforms, ramps, and conveyor belts, which usually were kept beneath the main stage, but were brought out during some of the performances. The catwalks were shaped as a ramp at the very beginning but was transformed into a flat runway
eventually. The tour was the first to use a pair of DiGiCo
SD7 digital mixing console
s at the sound production's core audio. Tim Colvard, who previously presided as the sound consultant of the 2006 Confessions Tour, decided to use the SD7 technology after researching it. Madonna and her background vocalists used Sennheiser SKM 5200 wireless microphones with the highly directional ME 5005 super-cardioid heads, and Sennheiser in-ear monitor
s. Monitor engineer Matt Napier commented that he chose "the Evolution systems for backline
, as their RF
is rock-solid, the transmitter units are small and reliable and they are very competitively priced. [...] And I couldn't imagine giving Madonna another monitor system, she has become so accustomed and comfortable with the IEM G2."
video displaying candy being manufactured and used as a Pinball
. As the video ended, "Candy Shop" began with Madonna appearing on a M-shaped throne in the Givenchy-designed dress, sitting with her legs spread apart and holding a staff in her hands. She was accompanied by her dancers in bondage themed costumes. "Beat Goes On" featured Madonna and her dancers on a 1935 Auburn
Speedster while Pharrell Williams
and Kanye West
appeared on the backdrops. Madonna then played the electric guitar for "Human Nature
"; the performance featured a video of Britney Spears
trapped in an elevator, who sang along with some of the verses in the song. A modernized "Vogue", featuring the hook of "4 Minutes
", was the final song for this section. It led to a video interlude for "Die Another Day
", featuring Madonna as a boxer
on screen, while her dancers performed a faux boxing match. The next section, inspired by the style and culture of early 1980s New York
, began with Madonna skipping
on stage for "Into the Groove
". This performance was a mashup
with "Toop Toop
" by Cassius
and featured the artwork of friend Keith Haring
. She then performed a double Dutch
dance interlude which led to "Heartbeat". During that song, Madonna's dance movements were controlled by her back-up dancers as if they were puppeteers. She performed "Borderline
" in a rock version, on electric guitar. "She's Not Me" followed, where Madonna made fun of her various incarnations and styles, from the music videos of "Open Your Heart
", "Material Girl
", "Vogue" and "Like a Virgin
". The section ended with "Music
" which contained elements of "Put Your Hands Up 4 Detroit
" and excerpts from "Last Night a DJ Saved My Life
". A short video was played featuring a tagged
subway train. The doors of the train then closed to take in Madonna and her dancers. The "Rain
" video interlude was played on the video screens; it featured an animated pixie finding shade under a petal during a rainstorm. This version contained musical elements from "Here Comes the Rain Again
" by Eurythmics
.
In the next section, the song "Devil Wouldn't Recognize You" featured Madonna atop a piano, cloaked in a black shroud. She was surrounded by a circular video screen which showed imagery of waves splashing and rainfall. Madonna then performed "Spanish Lesson", featuring a flamenco
-influenced dance solo by Alexander Kolpakov. She played the guitar once again for "Miles Away
". "La Isla Bonita
" featured the Ukrainian-gypsy group, Kolpakov Trio, incorporating the gypsy wedding song, "Lela Pala Tute". At the end of the song, Madonna marched ahead with a band of violin players to the front of the stage and then sat aside with her dancers for a solo performance from Kolpakov Trio, who performed the traditional song "Doli Doli". She returned to the stage for "You Must Love Me
", the Academy Award winning song from, Evita
. The act ended with "Get Stupid", a video interlude portraying global warming
, famine
and other global issues, while juxtaposing John McCain
with Hitler
and Barack Obama
with Gandhi. In the final act, Madonna appeared on stage for a duet of the song "4 Minutes
" with Justin Timberlake
and Timbaland
, both of them appearing on screens. A remix of "Like a Prayer
" followed, featuring elements from "Feels Like Home
" and video screens depicting messages from the Bible
, Qur'an
, Torah
and Talmud
. The electric guitar was played by Madonna for the performance of "Ray of Light
". She then sought audience participation, asking them to request for "an oldie but goodie". Madonna sang the first verse and chorus of the requested song, before moving onto a rock version of "Hung Up
". After a brief video featuring a modern take on classic arcade games was played, Madonna returned on stage for the finale performance, "Give It 2 Me
", ending the song with a sing-a-long of the chorus. The show ended with the words "Game Over" appearing on the video screens.
After the 2009 extension of the tour was announced, some changes were made to the setlist. "Candy Shop" had a new video backdrop by artist Marilyn Minter
, featuring imagery of a giant tongue licking and spitting out neon-colored icing. Madonna also wore new opening outfit designed by Riccardo Tisci
. "Heartbeat" was replaced by "Holiday
" and incorporated elements of her then latest single "Celebration
", and her first single "Everybody". It also included a medley of three Michael Jackson
songs, as an homage to the recently deceased singer. The performance featured Madonna's dancer Kento, who danced in similar clothing and dancing style as Jackson. Madonna's 1985 single "Dress You Up
" replaced the rock version of "Borderline
". It featured elements of rock songs like "My Sharona
" by The Knack
and "God Save The Queen
" by Sex Pistols
. "Hung Up" was removed and replaced by an up-beat version of "Frozen
", which was set between "Like a Prayer
" and "Ray of Light
". The video backdrop for "Frozen" used video outtakes from the song's music video, directed by Chris Cunningham
. "Ray of Light" was also slightly edited with the lyrics from Michael Jackson
's song "Man in the Mirror
, "If you wanna make the world a better place... Take a look at yourself, and then make a change" appearing on the screens before the beginning of the song.
from The New York Times
compared the concert with aerobics
and said that the concert was more of a workout than being erotic. Isabel Albiston from The Daily Telegraph
compared the tour with the 2006 Confessions Tour and said that "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. [...] Madonna seemed to have a point to prove." Another review by Helen Brown from the same publication said that "Sticky Sweet's highlights include a fresh, crunchy and gipsied-up 'La Isla Bonita' (complete with fiddles, flamenco and a spliced-in Romanian folk tune) and a raved-up 'Like a Prayer'." Sarah Liss from the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
commented that "something about witnessing the 50-year-old crow's feet and wrinkles on Madonna's face, projected a hundred times larger than life, as she works her ass off (to paraphrase part of her stage banter) for a crowd of almost 20,000 feels more awe-inspiring than any of her old-school shock tactics." Jim Farber from New York Daily News wrote that "[Madonna] may have just sailed past the half-century mark, but that didn't stop [her] from dancing hard and fast in skimpy clothes for two hours nonstop at the opening show of her Sticky and Sweet tour. [..] No slack in the star's sexuality or energy was apparent at the icon's show." Joey Guerra
from Houston Chronicle
commented that "most surprising about Madonna’s impeccably choreographed, frequently fantastic show was her willingness to show fans the flip side. She was still larger-than-life — and astonishingly fit for 50 — but Hard Candys toot-toot disco beats have softened her edges."
Greg Kot from Chicago Tribune
commented that "Smiles don’t come easy for Madonna. Instead, there are usually smirks, sneers, pouts, leers and thin-lipped, tough-as-nails displays of contempt for anyone who would dare mess with her. Madonna, she’s one tough dominatrix, and she’s got better developed biceps than just about any of the fans who filled the United Center on Sunday for the first of two concerts." Adrian Thrills from Daily Mail
commented "Nobody does a big stadium show quite like Madonna. She might be pop's greatest female icon, but she does not rest on her laurels and this was a theatrical, two-hour blockbuster, featuring 16 dancers and a 12-piece band." Nekesa Mumbi Moody from USA Today
wrote: "Even the superstar's most cynical critics couldn't walk away from her two-hour extravaganza at the Izod Center on Saturday night without being thoroughly wowed. It was not only the spectacle of the concert, but the performer herself, as she reasserted her musical relevance and dominance in her 25th year in the spotlight. [...] Madonna is not the world's most gifted singer or dancer or even musician, but she may be its greatest performer." Caryn Ganz from Rolling Stone
noted that "Madonna may have toyed with dominance and submission on [2008's] Hard Candy, but there was no question who was carrying the cane at the first New York City date on her Sticky & Sweet Tour last night (the trek’s second stop in the States). Emerging on a throne to the thumpy sound of 'Candy Shop', the 50-year-old singer kicked off a tightly choreographed two-hour set designed to accentuate her physical and musical strength and flexibility." Sal Cinquemani from Slant Magazine
wrote: "Like a sex instructor, Madonna rules over her audience and tells them when they're allowed to get off (at one point mock-masturbating over someone's head). And when the words 'Game Over' flash on the screen at the end of the show, you're just happy to have played along."
s. Since that date U2
and their 360º Tour
has broken the attendance record at Wembley Stadium with a crowd of 88,000 people. This performance followed the Zurich performance, which was in front of 72,000 people, the largest audience ever for a concert in Switzerland
. The September 20, 2008 concert at the Stade de France sold 80,000 tickets in less than ten days, prompting Live Nation to announce a second and final show at the venue. 50,000 tickets for Madonna's Vancouver
concert were sold in 29 minutes. Due to instant sellouts in Toronto
at Air Canada Centre on October 18 and Montreal
at the Bell Centre on October 22, second shows in both markets were added on October 19 in Toronto, at the Air Canada Centre, and October 23, at Montreal's Bell Centre. The two shows in Mexico City
sold out in less than three hours. Madonna's show in Montenegro
was performed to almost 70,000, the biggest-ever event held in the small Adriatic republic. In New York City
, Madonna's four sell-outs at Madison Square Garden
shows added up to a record breaking 23 sold out performances since 2001 at that venue – a record for most appearances for a single artist in this decade. Madonna's performances at Stade de France, Wembley Stadium, Madison Square Garden and Military Airfield ranked at numbers 3, 13, 15 and 20 on Billboards Top 25 Boxscores of 2008, respectively. The tour ranked third in Billboards "Top 25 Tours", with a gross of over U.S. $162 million (by mid-November 2008). Pollstar ranked the tour the leading North American grosser for 2008 at $105.3 million. On December 2008, Live Nation announced that the U.S. leg of the tour sold 550,000 tickets and grossed $91.5 million. Together with the European and Mexican dates, the tour grossed a total of $282 million, making it the highest grossing tour of 2008. It also became the biggest selling tour by a solo artist, breaking the record previously held by her own Confessions Tour
in 2006.
After the announcement of the 2009 extension of the tour, tickets were sold-out immediately. Second shows were confirmed for July 5 in London and July 8 in Manchester, marking Madonna’s final UK dates in 2009. The Oslo
(July 30), Tallinn
(August 4), Helsinki
(August 6) and Gothenburg
(August 9) concerts all sold out on the same day tickets went on sale. In Helsinki, the August 6 performance was the biggest show by one artist ever organized in Finland. In Oslo
, all 40,000 tickets available for the July 30 concert were sold in 34 minutes, prompting Live Nation to announce an extra concert on July 29. In Tallinn, all 70,300 tickets available for Madonna's concert at the Tallinn Song Festival Grounds were purchased in just over 24 hours, a record for Estonia. The record previously belonged to Metallica
, who sold all of the tickets available for their concert at the same venue in three days. In Tel Aviv
, all 50,000 tickets available for the first date were sold out in a few days, causing Live Nation to add a second and final date to wrap up the tour. As expected, after the final show, Sticky & Sweet became the highest grossing tour by a solo artist, earning $408 million from 85 shows in 32 countries, with an attendance of 3.5 million. It is the second highest grossing tour of all time, behind The Rolling Stones
' 2005–2007 A Bigger Bang Tour
which earned $558 million. At the 2009 Billboard Touring Awards
, the Sticky & Sweet Tour won the Top Tour and Top Draw prizes, which acknowledge the highest-grossing and highest-attended tours of the year, respectively. Madonna's manager Guy Oseary
won the Top Manager award. Additionally, in 2009 Billboard magazine announced that Madonna placed second (behind U2
) in the "Top 25 Tours of 2009" with a gross of $222,017,248. The article also mentioned "Into the Groove" as one the many highlights during the show.
and Robert Mugabe
. US Republican presidential candidate John McCain
was featured in the segment as well along Hitler and Mugabe. Images of John Lennon
, Gandhi and Al Gore
are featured towards the end of the video along with US Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama
. The video caused an uproar in the political world, especially in McCain's camp. Tucker Bounds
, McCain's spokesperson, stated:
At the conclusion of the presidential election
, the image of McCain was removed from the video. During her performance at Petco Park, Madonna congratulated Barack Obama
, on his historic win for presidency of the United States. Madonna stated, "This is a historical evening. This is a motherfucking important evening and we are lucky to be sharing it with the World [...] This is the beginning of a whole new world. Are you ready?! Are you fucking ready?!" The video screens displayed images of Obama along with the message, "We Won". Madonna also publicly voiced her opposition for Republican
Vice Presidential candidate
for 2008, Sarah Palin
. While performing on the tour, Madonna shouted "Sarah Palin can't come to my party. Sarah Palin can't come to my show. It's nothing personal. [...] Here's the sound of Sarah Palin's husband's snowmobile when it won't start. (followed by a loud screeching noise)." While performing "I Love New York" during the request section, the line "Get off my street" was replaced by Madonna screaming "You know who can get off of my street? Sarah Palin! I'm gonna kick her ass if she don't get off of my street." Then she mocked Palin's accent and told the crowd that she loves her.
During her show at the Olympic Stadium in Rome, Madonna dedicated her song "Like a Virgin
" to Pope Benedict XVI
. She stated, "I'm gonna dedicate this song to the Pope, because, I know he loves me. I am a child of God! And you know what else?...[begins to sing first verse of Like a Virgin]." Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera
called the dedication a surprising provocation. During the 2009 leg, at the Bucharest concert in Romania
, Madonna began talking about gypsy discrimination in East-European countries. She said that "It has been brought to my attention ... that there is a lot of discrimination against Romanies and Gypsies in general in Eastern Europe. [...] It made me feel very sad." Immediately boos
and jeers resounded from the 60,000 crowd. Madonna added that "[w]e don't believe in discrimination [...] we believe in freedom and equal rights for everyone." Although some applauded this statement, many others continued booing when Madonna mentioned discrimination against gay people. Madonna's publicist Liz Rosenberg issued a statement saying that "Madonna has been touring with a phenomenal troupe of Roma musicians who made her aware of the discrimination toward them in several countries so she felt compelled to make a brief statement, [...] She will not be issuing a further statement." In January 2009, Florin Cioabă, self-proclaimed King of Roma, announced that he wished to present Madonna with a gold plaque to thank the singer for criticising discrimination against the Roma people.
in Marseille
for her July 19 concert, the stage collapsed, injuring eight workers and killing two. The accident caused city officials to cancel the concert. Charles Criscenzo, a 53-year-old French worker, was killed outright in the accident, which took place at around 17:15 GMT. The other worker Charles Prow, a 23-year-old from Headingley
in Leeds
, died overnight at a hospital in Marseille. Firefighters said the accident occurred when the roof of the stage became unbalanced as it was being lifted by four cranes, toppling one of them. Marseille city councillor Maurice de Nocera said that the roof started shaking and then collapsed gradually. This allowed the other workers to get out in time.
Following the tragedy, Madonna issued the following statement: "I am devastated to have just received this tragic news. My prayers go out to those who were injured and their families along with my deepest sympathy to all those affected by this heartbreaking news." At her concert in Italy Madonna made an emotional tribute for the deceased technicians by saying,
Madonna visited some of the other workers injured in the accident and went to pay her respects at the family of the deceased ones as well.
According to the Argentine newspaper La Nación
, the tour DVD was filmed during the performances at River Plate Stadium. Production director Chris Lamb stated that Madonna chose the Argentine audience because of the strong emotional bond they shared. However, at the time of Lamb's comments, no release date for the DVD had been announced, despite a trailer showing highlights of the Argentine performance on Madonna's official website. On June 15, 2009, British newspaper The Sun
reported that Sky1 had acquired the rights to broadcast the Sticky & Sweet Tour. The "Sweet Machine" video was shortened, and the request song in Argentina, "Like a Virgin
", was not aired. Latin America
n channel Cityvibe
broadcast the show exclusively for Argentina, Mexico, Peru and Venezuela on September 19, 2009. Unlike Sky1, the channel aired "Madonna: Sticky & Sweet" without any commercial block; additionally, both "The Sweet Machine" and the requested song were uncut. On October 30, 2009 the show was made available to watch on the Epix television channel, video-on-demand and the website, for those that have a subscription. On January 12, 2010 Madonna's official website confirmed the video release of the tour. Titled Sticky & Sweet Tour
, the live album was released by Live Nation
on March 30, 2010 and distributed by Madonna's former record company, Warner Bros.
It was available on DVD, Blu-ray and CD, accompanied by a picture book by Madonna's manager Guy Oseary
, titled Madonna: Sticky & Sweet.
}
|-
|align="center"|October 12, 2008
|-
|align="center"|October 15, 2008
|align="center" rowspan="2"|Boston
|align="center" rowspan="2"|TD Banknorth Garden
|-
|align="center"|October 16, 2008
|-
|align="center"|October 18, 2008
|align="center" rowspan="2"|Toronto
|align="center" rowspan="4"|Canada
|align="center" rowspan="2"|Air Canada Centre
|-
|align="center"|October 19, 2008
|-
|align="center"|October 22, 2008
|align="center" rowspan="2"|Montreal
|align="center" rowspan="2"|Bell Centre
|-
|align="center"|October 23, 2008
|-
|align="center"|October 26, 2008
|align="center" rowspan="2"|Chicago
|align="center" rowspan="2"|United States
|align="center" rowspan="2"|United Center
|-
|align="center"|October 27, 2008
|-
|align="center"|October 30, 2008
|align="center"|Vancouver
|align="center"|Canada
|align="center"|BC Place Stadium
|-
|align="center"|November 1, 2008
|align="center" rowspan="2"|Oakland
|align="center" rowspan="14"|United States
|align="center" rowspan="2"|Oracle Arena
|-
|align="center"|November 2, 2008
|-
|align="center"|November 4, 2008
|align="center"|San Diego
|align="center"|Petco Park
|-
|align="center"|November 6, 2008
|align="center"|Los Angeles
|align="center"|Dodger Stadium
|-
|align="center"|November 8, 2008
|align="center" rowspan="2"|Las Vegas
|align="center" rowspan="2"|MGM Grand Garden Arena
|-
|align="center"|November 9, 2008
|-
|align="center"|November 11, 2008
|align="center" rowspan="2"|Denver
|align="center" rowspan="2"|Pepsi Center
|-
|align="center"|November 12, 2008
|-
|align="center"|November 16, 2008
|align="center"|Houston
|align="center"|Minute Maid Park
|-
|align="center"|November 18, 2008
|align="center"|Detroit
|align="center"|Ford Field
|-
|align="center"|November 20, 2008
|align="center"|Philadelphia
|align="center"|Wachovia Center
|-
|align="center"|November 22, 2008
|align="center"|Atlantic City
|align="center"|Boardwalk Hall
|-
|align="center"|November 24, 2008
|align="center"|Atlanta
|align="center"|Philips Arena
|-
|align="center"|November 26, 2008
|align="center"|Miami
|align="center"|Dolphin Stadium
|-
|align="center"|November 29, 2008
|align="center" rowspan="2"|Mexico City
|align="center" rowspan="2"|Mexico
|align="center" rowspan="2"|Foro Sol
|-
|align="center"|November 30, 2008
|- bgcolor="#DDDDDD"
| colspan=5 align=center | South America
|- bgcolor="#CCCCCC"
|-
|align="center"|December 4, 2008
|align="center" rowspan="4"|Buenos Aires
|align="center" rowspan="4"|Argentina
|align="center" rowspan="4"|River Plate Stadium
|-
|align="center"|December 5, 2008
|-
|align="center"|December 7, 2008
|-
|align="center"|December 8, 2008
|-
|align="center"|December 10, 2008
|align="center" rowspan="2"|Santiago
|align="center" rowspan="2"|Chile
|align="center" rowspan="2"|Chile National Stadium
|-
|align="center"|December 11, 2008
|-
|align="center"|December 14, 2008
|align="center" rowspan="2"|Rio de Janeiro
|align="center" rowspan="5"|Brazil
|align="center" rowspan="2"|Maracanã Stadium
|-
|align="center"|December 15, 2008
|-
|align="center"|December 18, 2008
|align="center" rowspan="3"|São Paulo
|align="center" rowspan="3"|Morumbi Stadium
|-
|align="center"|December 20, 2008
|-
|align="center"|December 21, 2008
|-
|- bgcolor="#DDDDDD"
| colspan=5 align=center | Europe
|- bgcolor="#CCCCCC"
|-
|align="center"|July 4, 2009
|align="center" rowspan="2"|London
|align="center" rowspan="3"|England
|align="center" rowspan="2"|The O2
|-
|align="center"|July 5, 2009
|-
|align="center"|July 7, 2009
|align="center"|Manchester
|align="center"|Manchester Evening News Arena
|-
|align="center"|July 9, 2009
|align="center"|Paris
|align="center"|France
|align="center"|Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy
|-
|align="center"|July 11, 2009
|align="center"|Werchter
|align="center"|Belgium
|align="center"|Werchter Festival Park
|-
|align="center"|July 14, 2009
|align="center"|Milan
|align="center" rowspan="2"|Italy
|align="center"|San Siro
|-
|align="center"|July 16, 2009
|align="center"|Udine
|align="center"|Stadio Friuli
|-
|align="center"|July 21, 2009
|align="center"|Barcelona
|align="center" rowspan="3"|Spain
|align="center"|Olympic Stadium
|-
|align="center"|July 23, 2009
|align="center"|Madrid
|align="center"|Vicente Calderón Stadium
|-
|align="center"|July 25, 2009
|align="center"|Zaragoza
|align="center"|Recinto de la Feria de Zaragoza
|-
|align="center"|July 28, 2009
|align="center" rowspan="2"|Oslo
|align="center" rowspan="2"|Norway
|align="center" rowspan="2"|Valle Hovin
|-
|align="center"|July 30, 2009
|-
|align="center"|August 2, 2009
|align="center"|St. Petersburg
|align="center"|Russia
|align="center"|Palace Square
|-
|align="center"|August 4, 2009
|align="center"|Tallinn
|align="center"|Estonia
|align="center"|Tallinn Song Festival Grounds
|-
|align="center"|August 6, 2009
|align="center"|Helsinki
|align="center"|Finland
|align="center"|West Harbour
|-
|align="center"|August 8, 2009
|align="center" rowspan="2"|Gothenburg
|align="center" rowspan="2"|Sweden
|align="center" rowspan="2"|Ullevi Stadium
|-
|align="center"|August 9, 2009
|-
|align="center"|August 11, 2009
|align="center"|Copenhagen
|align="center"|Denmark
|align="center"|Parken Stadium
|-
|align="center"|August 13, 2009
|align="center"|Prague
|align="center"|Czech Republic
|align="center"|Chodov Natural Amphitheater
|-
|align="center"|August 15, 2009
|align="center"|Warsaw
|align="center"|Poland
|align="center"|Bemowo Airport
|-
|align="center"|August 18, 2009
|align="center"|Munich
|align="center"|Germany
|align="center"|Olympic Stadium
|-
|align="center"|August 22, 2009
|align="center"|Budapest
|align="center"|Hungary
|align="center"|Kincsem Park
|-
|align="center"|August 24, 2009
|align="center"|Belgrade
|align="center"|Serbia
|align="center"|Ušće Park
|-
|align="center"|August 26, 2009
|align="center"|Bucharest
|align="center"|Romania
|align="center"|Parc Izvor
|-
|align="center"|August 29, 2009
|align="center"|Sofia
|align="center"|Bulgaria
|align="center"|Vasil Levski National Stadium
|-
|- bgcolor="#DDDDDD"
| colspan=5 align=center | Asia
|- bgcolor="#CCCCCC"
|-
|align="center"|September 1, 2009
|align="center" rowspan="2"|Tel Aviv
|align="center" rowspan="2"|Israel
|align="center" rowspan="2"|Hayarkon Park
|-
|align="center"|September 2, 2009
|-
|}
Source:
Madonna (entertainer)
Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...
to promote her eleventh studio album, Hard Candy
Hard Candy (Madonna album)
Hard Candy is the eleventh studio album by American singer-songwriter Madonna, released on April 19, 2008, by Warner Bros. Records. It was her final studio album with the record company, marking the end of a 25 year recording history. Madonna started working on the album in 2007, and collaborated...
. It began in August 2008 and was Madonna's first tour from her new recording and business deal with Live Nation
Live Nation
Live Nation is a live-events company based in Beverly Hills, California, focused on concert promotions. Live Nation formed in 2005 as a spin-off from Clear Channel Communications, which then merged with Ticketmaster in 2010 to become Live Nation Entertainment....
. The tour was announced in February 2008, with dates for American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
venues revealed. Though initially planned, the tour did not visit Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
due to financial problems and the financial recession
Late-2000s financial crisis
The late-2000s financial crisis is considered by many economists to be the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression of the 1930s...
. Costume designer Arianne Phillips
Arianne Phillips
Arianne Phillips is a costume designer. She has also been Madonna's stylist and has designed and styled her last four concert tours. She has worked with Lenny Kravitz, Courtney Love, No Doubt and Justin Timberlake...
designed the costumes, supported by a number of famous designers and brands. The stage for the main show was planned similarly to that of her previous 2006 Confessions Tour
Confessions Tour
Confessions Tour was the seventh concert tour by American singer-songwriter Madonna. It supported her tenth studio album, Confessions on a Dance Floor. Madonna confirmed the possibility of going out on a tour as early as November 2005. Jamie King, Madonna's longtime collaborator, was then hired on...
. After the tour concluded in 2008, Madonna announced plans of playing a second European leg in 2009 to play in territories she either had never been to or had not played for a long time.
The tour was described as a "rock driven dancetastic journey". It was divided into four acts: Pimp, where S&M was the main theme, Old School
Retro
Retro is a culturally outdated or aged style, trend, mode, or fashion, from the overall postmodern past, that has since that time become functionally or superficially the norm once again. The use of "retro" style iconography and imagery interjected into post-modern art, advertising, mass media, etc...
where Madonna's classic songs were performed, while displaying work of deceased artist Keith Haring
Keith Haring
Keith Haring was an artist and social activist whose work responded to the New York City street culture of the 1980s.-Early life:...
, Gypsy
Names of the Romani people
The Romani people are also known by a variety of other names, in English as Roma and Gypsies, in Greek as . In Central and Eastern Europe as Tsigani , in France as gitans besides the dated bohémiens and manouches....
, a fusion of Romanian folk music and dance, with the performances ranging from melancholy to joyous, and Rave
Rave
Rave, rave dance, and rave party are parties that originated mostly from acid house parties, which featured fast-paced electronic music and light shows. At these parties people dance and socialize to dance music played by disc jockeys and occasionally live performers...
, where she performed eastern influences. The show ended with sing-along
Sing-along
Sing-along, community singing, group singing, is an event of singing together at gatherings or parties, less formally than choir singing. One can use a songbook. Common genres are folk songs, patriotic songs, hymns and drinking songs...
of the final song with the audience. Some changes were made to the set list during the second European leg of the tour in 2009, including a dance tribute to deceased singer Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...
. The tour generated positive reviews from critics.
The Sticky & Sweet Tour broke many records in terms of its ticket sales, commercial gross and audience attendance. After the first leg, it became the highest grossing tour by a solo artist, earning $282 million, breaking the previous record Madonna herself held with her Confessions Tour
Confessions Tour
Confessions Tour was the seventh concert tour by American singer-songwriter Madonna. It supported her tenth studio album, Confessions on a Dance Floor. Madonna confirmed the possibility of going out on a tour as early as November 2005. Jamie King, Madonna's longtime collaborator, was then hired on...
. Overall, Madonna performed to over 3.5 million fans in 32 countries, grossing a total of US$408 million, making it also the fourth highest grossing tour of all time, only behind U2
U2
U2 are an Irish rock band from Dublin. Formed in 1976, the group consists of Bono , The Edge , Adam Clayton , and Larry Mullen, Jr. . U2's early sound was rooted in post-punk but eventually grew to incorporate influences from many genres of popular music...
's U2 360° Tour
U2 360° Tour
The U2 360° Tour was a worldwide concert tour by rock band U2. Launched in support of the group's 2009 album No Line on the Horizon, the tour visited stadiums from 2009 through 2011. It was named for a stage configuration that allowed the audience to almost completely surround the stage...
, AC/DC
AC/DC
AC/DC are an Australian rock band, formed in 1973 by brothers Malcolm and Angus Young. Commonly classified as hard rock, they are considered pioneers of heavy metal, though they themselves have always classified their music as simply "rock and roll"...
's Black Ice World Tour
Black Ice World Tour
Black Ice World Tour was a 2008/2009/2010 concert tour by Australian rock band AC/DC in support of the group's 15th studio album, Black Ice, which was released in October 2008. The tour was the band's first since the Stiff Upper Lip World Tour in 2000/2001.The jaunt began in Wilkes-Barre,...
and The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
's A Bigger Bang Tour
A Bigger Bang Tour
A Bigger Bang Tour was a worldwide concert tour by The Rolling Stones which took place between August 2005 and August 2007, in support of their album A Bigger Bang...
. It still remains the highest grossing tour by a solo artist. At the 2009 Billboard Touring Awards
Billboard Touring Awards
Established in 2004, the Billboard Touring Conference and Awards is an annual meeting sponsored by Billboard Magazine which also honors the top international live entertainment industry artists and professionals...
, the Sticky & Sweet Tour won the Top Tour and Top Draw prizes, which acknowledge the highest-grossing and highest-attended tours of the year, respectively. Madonna's manager Guy Oseary won the Top Manager award.
While on tour, a number of statements by Madonna against 2008 Republican Presidential and Vice Presidential candidates John McCain
John McCain
John Sidney McCain III is the senior United States Senator from Arizona. He was the Republican nominee for president in the 2008 United States election....
and Sarah Palin
Sarah Palin
Sarah Louise Palin is an American politician, commentator and author. As the Republican Party nominee for Vice President in the 2008 presidential election, she was the first Alaskan on the national ticket of a major party and first Republican woman nominated for the vice-presidency.She was...
, respectively, faced strong opposition from the Republican Party. While performing in Romania in 2009, Madonna's statement about gypsy discrimination in eastern European countries was received negatively. During the second leg, two workers constructing her stage at Stade Vélodrome
Stade Vélodrome
The Stade Vélodrome is a football stadium in Marseille, France. It is home to the Olympique de Marseille football club of Ligue 1, and was a venue in the 1998 FIFA World Cup and the 2007 Rugby World Cup. It is the largest club-football ground in France, with a capacity of 60,031 spectators,...
in Marseille were killed when the roof of the stage collapsed. The Sticky & Sweet Tour has been broadcast on a number of private channels and a CD/DVD
Sticky & Sweet Tour (album)
Sticky & Sweet Tour is the third live album by American singer-songwriter Madonna. It was released on March 26, 2010 by Warner Bros. Records. The album was released on DVD, Blu-ray and CD formats. The tour was filmed at the River Plate Stadium in Buenos Aires, Argentina during the 2008 leg of...
and Blu-ray version of the performances, was released in March 2010.
Background
The world tour was officially confirmed on May 8, 2008, by Guy OsearyGuy Oseary
Guy Oseary is an Israeli-American expert businessman who began his career in entertainment at 17 at what was to become Maverick Records. He is Madonna's manager.-Maverick:...
, Madonna's manager, and Arthur Fogel, Live Nation
Live Nation
Live Nation is a live-events company based in Beverly Hills, California, focused on concert promotions. Live Nation formed in 2005 as a spin-off from Clear Channel Communications, which then merged with Ticketmaster in 2010 to become Live Nation Entertainment....
's Global Touring CEO and Global Music Chairman. Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
confirmed that the tour was to begin on August 23, 2008 in Cardiff, Wales, with performances throughout the rest of the year. It was titled Sticky & Sweet Tour and planned to visit three continents on 50–60 dates. The tour was produced globally by Live Nation
Live Nation
Live Nation is a live-events company based in Beverly Hills, California, focused on concert promotions. Live Nation formed in 2005 as a spin-off from Clear Channel Communications, which then merged with Ticketmaster in 2010 to become Live Nation Entertainment....
and promoted Madonna's studio album Hard Candy
Hard Candy (Madonna album)
Hard Candy is the eleventh studio album by American singer-songwriter Madonna, released on April 19, 2008, by Warner Bros. Records. It was her final studio album with the record company, marking the end of a 25 year recording history. Madonna started working on the album in 2007, and collaborated...
(2008). Billboard also confirmed performances in Europe until the end of September, arenas and stadiums in sixteen markets of North America in October and November, followed by stadiums of Mexico and South America in late November and early December. The tour was described as a "rock driven dancetastic journey". The show featured four acts: Pimp
Pimp
A pimp is an agent for prostitutes who collects part of their earnings. The pimp may receive this money in return for advertising services, physical protection, or for providing a location where she may engage clients...
, a homage to 1920s deco and modern-day gangsta pimp, Old School
Retro
Retro is a culturally outdated or aged style, trend, mode, or fashion, from the overall postmodern past, that has since that time become functionally or superficially the norm once again. The use of "retro" style iconography and imagery interjected into post-modern art, advertising, mass media, etc...
, portraying early '80s downtown New York City dance roots with works of deceased artist Keith Haring
Keith Haring
Keith Haring was an artist and social activist whose work responded to the New York City street culture of the 1980s.-Early life:...
and the dance culture vibe of that time, including the birth of rap – Gypsy
Names of the Romani people
The Romani people are also known by a variety of other names, in English as Roma and Gypsies, in Greek as . In Central and Eastern Europe as Tsigani , in France as gitans besides the dated bohémiens and manouches....
, consisting of Romanian folk music and dance, and lastly Rave
Rave
Rave, rave dance, and rave party are parties that originated mostly from acid house parties, which featured fast-paced electronic music and light shows. At these parties people dance and socialize to dance music played by disc jockeys and occasionally live performers...
, consisting of eastern influences.
On January 30, 2009, it was announced that Madonna had decided to resume the tour in the summer of 2009, with around twenty-five more shows in Europe. The second leg of the tour was to start from London at The O2
The O2 arena (London)
The O2 Arena is a multi-purpose indoor arena located in the centre of The O2, a large entertainment complex on the Greenwich peninsula in London, England.With a capacity of up to 20,000 depending on the event, it is second largest...
on July 4, wrapping up two months later in Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv , officially Tel Aviv-Yafo , is the second most populous city in Israel, with a population of 404,400 on a land area of . The city is located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline in west-central Israel. It is the largest and most populous city in the metropolitan area of Gush Dan, with...
, Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
. The rest of the dates included stadiums and parks in European markets Madonna had either never played or did not play in several years, according to Fogel. He said, "It absolutely has not happened in the four tours I've been involved with, [...] There has been talk [of extending] during each one, but it has never come to be. But with this one, she loves the show, she's had a great time and she's excited about playing new markets. [...] We went to quite a few markets she has never played or hasn't been to in 15-plus years. This [extension] is really a continuation of that in the sense of playing new and different markets."
Originally, Live Nation reported that the tour would make stops in America and Europe. Music promoter and manager Michael Chugg stated that an Australian leg "will happen" and that local promoters were working hard to make it fruitful. Madonna had apologized to her Australian fans during the 2006 Confessions Tour
Confessions Tour
Confessions Tour was the seventh concert tour by American singer-songwriter Madonna. It supported her tenth studio album, Confessions on a Dance Floor. Madonna confirmed the possibility of going out on a tour as early as November 2005. Jamie King, Madonna's longtime collaborator, was then hired on...
, saying that she tried to work Australia into her schedule but ultimately could not. Her last tour in Australia was The Girlie Show World Tour in 1993. In October 2008, the Australian TV show Sunrise
Sunrise (TV program)
Sunrise is an Australian breakfast television program, broadcast on the Seven Network. On weekdays the programme follows Seven Early News, and runs from 6am through to 9am.-History:...
reported that Madonna will tour Australia in January 2009. She had agreed for performances in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
and Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, but they were eventually cancelled. Local promoter Michael Coppel stated,
"Madonna was coming to Australia, the dates were resolved, then economics got in the way [...] It's unknown territory at the moment. A lot of tours went on sale before the dollar crashed. We are only starting to see the affect of the economy on the tour industry. [...] Everyone is feeling their way, the risk level has gone up substantially."
With the announcement of the 2009 extension, the Herald Sun
Herald Sun
The Herald Sun is a morning tabloid newspaper based in Melbourne, Australia. It is published by The Herald and Weekly Times, a subsidiary of News Limited, itself a subsidiary of News Corporation. It is available for purchase throughout Melbourne, Regional Victoria, Tasmania, the Australian Capital...
reported that Madonna planned to tour Australia in September 2009, with one show in Melbourne to be held at the Telstra Dome
Telstra Dome
Docklands Stadium is a multi-purpose sports and entertainment stadium in the Docklands precinct of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia...
. It was later reported that the rumored date was false. Fogel stated, "[...] there is no validity to the reports."
Development
Costume designer Arianne PhillipsArianne Phillips
Arianne Phillips is a costume designer. She has also been Madonna's stylist and has designed and styled her last four concert tours. She has worked with Lenny Kravitz, Courtney Love, No Doubt and Justin Timberlake...
designed the main costumes for the tour. According to her, Givenchy
Givenchy
Givenchy is a French brand of clothing, accessories, perfumes and cosmetics with Parfums Givenchy.The house of Givenchy was founded in 1952 by designer Hubert de Givenchy and is a member of Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture et du Pret-a-Porter...
designer Riccardo Tisci
Riccardo Tisci
Riccardo Tisci is an Italian fashion designer. He graduated from London's Central Saint Martins Academy in 1999, and in 2005 was named Creative Director for Givenchy womenswear and haute couture...
contributed two outfits, Tom Ford
Tom Ford
Thomas Carlyle "Tom" Ford is an American fashion designer and film director. He gained international fame for his turnaround of the Gucci fashion house and the creation of the Tom Ford label before directing the Oscar-nominated film A Single Man.-Early life :Tom Ford was born August 27, 1961 in...
made bespoke suit for the band, Miu Miu
Miu Miu
Miu Miu is a high fashion brand from the Prada fashion house, opened in 1993 and headed by Miuccia Prada. The name of the collection is taken from Miuccia Prada’s nickname.-Stores:...
created the shoes, Stella McCartney
Stella McCartney
Stella Nina McCartney is an English fashion designer. She is the daughter of former Beatles member Sir Paul McCartney and the late photographer and animal rights activist, Linda McCartney.-Early life:...
provided the thigh-high boots and Moschino
Moschino
Moschino is an Italian fashion design house and manufacturer of women's, men's and children's fashion.-History:The brand was originally created in 1983 by the late Franco Moschino...
made the sunglasses. Other designers involved in creating the clothes included Yves Saint Laurent, Roberto Cavalli
Roberto Cavalli
Roberto Cavalli is an Italian fashion designer from Florence.-Biography:Roberto Cavalli was born in Florence, Tuscany. His grandfather, Giuseppe Rossi, was a member of the Macchiaioli Movement, whose work is exhibited in the Uffizi Gallery. Cavalli decided to enroll at the local Art Institute,...
, and Jeremy Scott
Jeremy Scott
Jeremy Scott is an American fashion designer born in Kansas City, Missouri. He attended the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York, for fashion design...
. Givenchy's creations were selected for the first and third acts of the tour, while Scott's designs were selected for the second act. Philips commented on the different sections, saying,
"[First section] It’s a theme that runs throughout her career. [...] She’s not afraid of being hard. [Second section] He [Keith Harring] and Madonna were friends. If he were alive, it would be his 50th birthday as well. So I thought, 'What if we revisited that?' Riccardo’s a new young talent. If you look at Madonna’s history with fashion, that makes him an obvious choice. [Madonna] always wants to push the envelope. There are no vanity considerations based on her age."
NME
NME
The New Musical Express is a popular music publication in the United Kingdom, published weekly since March 1952. It started as a music newspaper, and gradually moved toward a magazine format during the 1980s, changing from newsprint in 1998. It was the first British paper to include a singles...
reported that the tour would comprise 250 travelling workers, 69 guitars, 12 trampolines and 100 pairs of kneepads. The stage's layout was similar to the Confessions Tour
Confessions Tour
Confessions Tour was the seventh concert tour by American singer-songwriter Madonna. It supported her tenth studio album, Confessions on a Dance Floor. Madonna confirmed the possibility of going out on a tour as early as November 2005. Jamie King, Madonna's longtime collaborator, was then hired on...
stage. It had two giant textile panels that defined the proscenium
Proscenium
A proscenium theatre is a theatre space whose primary feature is a large frame or arch , which is located at or near the front of the stage...
arch, supporting two giant M-shaped structures, lit from within. The lighting beams and structures were rigged from the ceiling. There were four different clusters of loudspeakers in the back of the stage, providing sound to the rear tiers
Multitier architecture
In software engineering, multi-tier architecture is a client–server architecture in which the presentation, the application processing, and the data management are logically separate processes. For example, an application that uses middleware to service data requests between a user and a database...
. The main stage was accompanied by a catwalk which was shorter than the Confessions Tour one, and a satellite stage at the end of the runway. There was a set of screens on the main stage – which moved and changed shape and layout, from the shape of a cube at the beginning of the show. Also present were two semi-transparent, cylinder-shaped screens, above the satellite stage. Other structures included a number of smaller platforms, ramps, and conveyor belts, which usually were kept beneath the main stage, but were brought out during some of the performances. The catwalks were shaped as a ramp at the very beginning but was transformed into a flat runway
Runway (fashion)
Runway or catwalk describes a narrow, usually flat platform that runs into an auditorium, used by models to demonstrate clothing and accessories during a fashion show In fashion jargon, "what's on the catwalk" or similar phrasing can refer to whatever is new and popular in fashion.- Exclusive...
eventually. The tour was the first to use a pair of DiGiCo
DiGiCo
DiGiCo is a British company, founded in 2002, that manufactures digital mixing consoles targeted for live audio mixing applications.DiGiCo's most current console lineup comprises the SD-Series of consoles, powered by Stealth Digital Processing. Pioneered with their flagship SD7, Stealth Digital...
SD7 digital mixing console
Mixing console
In professional audio, a mixing console, or audio mixer, also called a sound board, mixing desk, or mixer is an electronic device for combining , routing, and changing the level, timbre and/or dynamics of audio signals. A mixer can mix analog or digital signals, depending on the type of mixer...
s at the sound production's core audio. Tim Colvard, who previously presided as the sound consultant of the 2006 Confessions Tour, decided to use the SD7 technology after researching it. Madonna and her background vocalists used Sennheiser SKM 5200 wireless microphones with the highly directional ME 5005 super-cardioid heads, and Sennheiser in-ear monitor
In-ear monitor
In-ear monitors are devices used by musicians, audio engineers and audiophiles to listen to music or to hear a custom crafted mix of vocals and stage instrumentation for live performance or recording studio mixing...
s. Monitor engineer Matt Napier commented that he chose "the Evolution systems for backline
Backline (stage)
The term backline used to refer just to audio amplification equipment that stands behind the band on stage, including amplifiers for guitars, bass guitars and keyboards. In the US, backline has expanded in recent years to include the instruments that the musicians play, from guitars and bass...
, as their RF
Radio frequency
Radio frequency is a rate of oscillation in the range of about 3 kHz to 300 GHz, which corresponds to the frequency of radio waves, and the alternating currents which carry radio signals...
is rock-solid, the transmitter units are small and reliable and they are very competitively priced. [...] And I couldn't imagine giving Madonna another monitor system, she has become so accustomed and comfortable with the IEM G2."
Concert synopsis
The show was divided into four sections: Pimp, Retro, Gypsy and Rave. It began with "The Sweet Machine", a 3D animation3D computer graphics
3D computer graphics are graphics that use a three-dimensional representation of geometric data that is stored in the computer for the purposes of performing calculations and rendering 2D images...
video displaying candy being manufactured and used as a Pinball
Pinball
Pinball is a type of arcade game, usually coin-operated, where a player attempts to score points by manipulating one or more metal balls on a playfield inside a glass-covered case called a pinball machine. The primary objective of the game is to score as many points as possible...
. As the video ended, "Candy Shop" began with Madonna appearing on a M-shaped throne in the Givenchy-designed dress, sitting with her legs spread apart and holding a staff in her hands. She was accompanied by her dancers in bondage themed costumes. "Beat Goes On" featured Madonna and her dancers on a 1935 Auburn
Auburn Automobile
Auburn was a brand name of American automobiles produced from 1900 through 1936.-Corporate history:The Auburn Automobile Company grew out of the Eckhart Carriage Company, founded in Auburn, Indiana, in 1875 by Charles Eckhart...
Speedster while Pharrell Williams
Pharrell Williams
Pharrell Williams , commonly known simply as Pharrell, is an American rapper, singer, record producer, composer, and fashion designer. Williams and Chad Hugo make up the record production duo The Neptunes, producing hip hop and R&B music...
and Kanye West
Kanye West
Kanye Omari West is an American rapper, singer, and record producer. West first rose to fame as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records, where he eventually achieved recognition for his work on Jay-Z's album The Blueprint, as well as hit singles for musical artists including Alicia Keys, Ludacris, and...
appeared on the backdrops. Madonna then played the electric guitar for "Human Nature
Human Nature (Madonna song)
"Human Nature" is the fourth and final single by American singer-songwriter Madonna from her sixth studio album Bedtime Stories, released on June 6, 1995 by Maverick Records.-Song information:...
"; the performance featured a video of Britney Spears
Britney Spears
Britney Jean Spears is an American recording artist and entertainer. Born in McComb, Mississippi, and raised in Kentwood, Louisiana, Spears began performing as a child, landing acting roles in stage productions and television shows. She signed with Jive Records in 1997 and released her debut album...
trapped in an elevator, who sang along with some of the verses in the song. A modernized "Vogue", featuring the hook of "4 Minutes
4 Minutes (Madonna song)
"4 Minutes" is a song by American singer-songwriter Madonna from her eleventh studio album Hard Candy. It was released as the lead single from the album on March 17, 2008, by Warner Bros. Records. The song's development was motivated by a sense of urgency to save the planet from destruction, and...
", was the final song for this section. It led to a video interlude for "Die Another Day
Die Another Day (song)
"Die Another Day" is the theme to the James Bond film of the same name recorded by Madonna. The single was released in late 2002, marking Madonna's 20th career anniversary, and peaked at number eight in the United States and number three in the United Kingdom, selling 167,863 copies - making it the...
", featuring Madonna as a boxer
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
on screen, while her dancers performed a faux boxing match. The next section, inspired by the style and culture of early 1980s New York
Culture of New York City
The culture of New York City is reflected by the city's size and variety. Many American cultural movements first emerged in the city. The Harlem Renaissance established the African-American renaissance in the United States, while American modern dance developed in New York in the early 20th century...
, began with Madonna skipping
Jump rope
Jump rope or skipping rope is the primary tool used in the game of skipping played by children and many young adults, where one or more participants jump over a rope swung so that it passes under their feet and over their heads...
on stage for "Into the Groove
Into the Groove
"Into the Groove" is a song by American singer-songwriter Madonna from the 1985 film Desperately Seeking Susan. It was featured on the 1985 re-issue of her second studio album, Like a Virgin, and released on July 23, 1985 by Sire Records as the album's fourth single outside North America...
". This performance was a mashup
Mashup (music)
A mashup or bootleg is a song or composition created by blending two or more pre-recorded songs, usually by overlaying the vocal track of one song seamlessly over the instrumental track of another...
with "Toop Toop
Toop Toop
"Toop Toop" is a song by French electronic music duo Cassius. It was released in 2006 as the lead single from the Cassius' album 15 Again. The song combines Clash-style guitar riffs, dance beats and megaphone distorted vocals....
" by Cassius
Cassius (band)
Cassius is a French house music duo, consisting of producers Philippe Cerboneschi and Hubert Blanc-Francart, better known as Philippe Zdar and Boom Bass.-History:...
and featured the artwork of friend Keith Haring
Keith Haring
Keith Haring was an artist and social activist whose work responded to the New York City street culture of the 1980s.-Early life:...
. She then performed a double Dutch
Double Dutch (jump rope)
Double dutch is a game in which two long jump ropes turning in opposite directions are jumped by one or more players jumping simultaneously.While double dutch began in the inner cities of America, it is growing in popularity throughout the US and the world...
dance interlude which led to "Heartbeat". During that song, Madonna's dance movements were controlled by her back-up dancers as if they were puppeteers. She performed "Borderline
Borderline (song)
"Borderline" is a song by American pop singer Madonna from her self-titled debut album. It was released on February 15, 1984 as the fifth single from the album, by Sire Records. Written and composed by producer Reggie Lucas, the song received remix treatment from Madonna's then boyfriend John...
" in a rock version, on electric guitar. "She's Not Me" followed, where Madonna made fun of her various incarnations and styles, from the music videos of "Open Your Heart
Open Your Heart (Madonna song)
"Open Your Heart" is a song by American singer-songwriter Madonna. It was released as the fourth single from her third studio album True Blue on November 12, 1986, by Sire Records. It has since appeared remixed on the compilation albums The Immaculate Collection and Celebration...
", "Material Girl
Material Girl
"Material Girl" is a song performed by American singer-songwriter Madonna. It was released on January 30, 1985, by Sire Records, as the second single from her second album Like a Virgin. It also appears slightly remixed on the 1990 greatest hits compilation, The Immaculate Collection, and in its...
", "Vogue" and "Like a Virgin
Like a Virgin (song)
"Like a Virgin" is a song by American singer Madonna from her second album of the same name. It was released on November 6, 1984 by Sire Records, as the first single from the album. The song appears on the greatest hits compilation albums The Immaculate Collection and Celebration...
". The section ended with "Music
Music (Madonna song)
"Music" is the first single by American singer-songwriter Madonna from her 8th studio album Music and was released on August 21, 2000, by Maverick Records. It was also released on DVD single, a debut in this format by Madonna. It earned two Grammy Award nominations in 2001, for Record of the Year...
" which contained elements of "Put Your Hands Up 4 Detroit
Put Your Hands Up 4 Detroit
"Put Your Hands Up 4 Detroit" is a house/Electro single written and produced by Fedde le Grand, and based upon a direct vocal sample from Matthew Dear & Disco D's "Hands Up for Detroit."...
" and excerpts from "Last Night a DJ Saved My Life
Last Night a DJ Saved My Life (song)
"Last Night a D.J. Saved My Life" is a song written by Michael Cleveland for R&B–New Wave–dance group Indeep. It features vocals from Reggie and Rose Marie Ramsey, and its protagonists recall how they were bored to death until a DJ played a hot song and saved their lives by giving new energy to the...
". A short video was played featuring a tagged
Graffiti
Graffiti is the name for images or lettering scratched, scrawled, painted or marked in any manner on property....
subway train. The doors of the train then closed to take in Madonna and her dancers. The "Rain
Rain (Madonna song)
"Rain" is a single by American singer-songwriter Madonna and was released on July 17, 1993 by Maverick Records. It was the fifth single release from her fifth studio album Erotica...
" video interlude was played on the video screens; it featured an animated pixie finding shade under a petal during a rainstorm. This version contained musical elements from "Here Comes the Rain Again
Here Comes the Rain Again
"Here Comes the Rain Again" is a song by British pop duo Eurythmics. It was written by group members Annie Lennox and David A. Stewart and produced by Stewart. The song was released as the third single in the UK from the album Touch and in the United States as the first single. It became...
" by Eurythmics
Eurythmics
Eurythmics were a British pop rock duo, formed in 1980, currently disbanded, but known to reunite from time to time. Consisting of members Annie Lennox and David A...
.
In the next section, the song "Devil Wouldn't Recognize You" featured Madonna atop a piano, cloaked in a black shroud. She was surrounded by a circular video screen which showed imagery of waves splashing and rainfall. Madonna then performed "Spanish Lesson", featuring a flamenco
Flamenco
Flamenco is a genre of music and dance which has its foundation in Andalusian music and dance and in whose evolution Andalusian Gypsies played an important part....
-influenced dance solo by Alexander Kolpakov. She played the guitar once again for "Miles Away
Miles Away (Madonna song)
"Miles Away" is a song by American singer-songwriter Madonna from her eleventh studio album, Hard Candy. It was first released as a promotional single in Japan, during June 2008, as the theme for the Fuji Television Japanese drama, Change. The song was released by Warner Bros...
". "La Isla Bonita
La Isla Bonita
"La Isla Bonita" is a song by American singer-songwriter Madonna. It was released as the fifth and final single from her third studio album, True Blue, on February 25, 1987, by Sire Records. Originally written as a lament, the song was first offered to Michael Jackson before Madonna accepted it...
" featured the Ukrainian-gypsy group, Kolpakov Trio, incorporating the gypsy wedding song, "Lela Pala Tute". At the end of the song, Madonna marched ahead with a band of violin players to the front of the stage and then sat aside with her dancers for a solo performance from Kolpakov Trio, who performed the traditional song "Doli Doli". She returned to the stage for "You Must Love Me
You Must Love Me
"You Must Love Me" is a pop ballad recorded by American singer-songwriter Madonna from the soundtrack album Evita of the motion picture of the same name. It was released in October 1996 by Warner Bros. as the first single from the album. Written by Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber, the song won an...
", the Academy Award winning song from, Evita
Evita (film)
Evita is the 1996 film adaptation of Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical of the same name based on the life of Eva Perón. It was directed by Alan Parker and written by Parker and Oliver Stone. It starred Madonna, Antonio Banderas, and Jonathan Pryce...
. The act ended with "Get Stupid", a video interlude portraying global warming
Global warming
Global warming refers to the rising average temperature of Earth's atmosphere and oceans and its projected continuation. In the last 100 years, Earth's average surface temperature increased by about with about two thirds of the increase occurring over just the last three decades...
, famine
Famine
A famine is a widespread scarcity of food, caused by several factors including crop failure, overpopulation, or government policies. This phenomenon is usually accompanied or followed by regional malnutrition, starvation, epidemic, and increased mortality. Every continent in the world has...
and other global issues, while juxtaposing John McCain
John McCain
John Sidney McCain III is the senior United States Senator from Arizona. He was the Republican nominee for president in the 2008 United States election....
with Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
and Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
with Gandhi. In the final act, Madonna appeared on stage for a duet of the song "4 Minutes
4 Minutes (Madonna song)
"4 Minutes" is a song by American singer-songwriter Madonna from her eleventh studio album Hard Candy. It was released as the lead single from the album on March 17, 2008, by Warner Bros. Records. The song's development was motivated by a sense of urgency to save the planet from destruction, and...
" with Justin Timberlake
Justin Timberlake
Justin Randall Timberlake is an American pop musician and actor. He achieved early fame when he appeared as a contestant on Star Search, and went on to star in the Disney Channel television series The New Mickey Mouse Club, where he met future bandmate JC Chasez...
and Timbaland
Timbaland
Timothy Zachery Mosley , better known by his stage name Timbaland, is an American record producer, songwriter and rapper....
, both of them appearing on screens. A remix of "Like a Prayer
Like a Prayer (song)
"Like a Prayer" is a song by American singer-songwriter Madonna on her fourth studio album of the same name . It was released on March 21, 1989, by Sire Records as the album's lead single...
" followed, featuring elements from "Feels Like Home
Meck (musician)
Meck is the DJ and recording alias of Craig Dimech, the former head of free2air recordings and now Frenetic Music. Having started his A&R career at Ministry Of Sound imprint Incentive Music, Craig has been responsible or had a hand in many Top 10 and Top 20 UK hits...
" and video screens depicting messages from the Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
, Qur'an
Qur'an
The Quran , also transliterated Qur'an, Koran, Alcoran, Qur’ān, Coran, Kuran, and al-Qur’ān, is the central religious text of Islam, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God . It is regarded widely as the finest piece of literature in the Arabic language...
, Torah
Torah
Torah- A scroll containing the first five books of the BibleThe Torah , is name given by Jews to the first five books of the bible—Genesis , Exodus , Leviticus , Numbers and Deuteronomy Torah- A scroll containing the first five books of the BibleThe Torah , is name given by Jews to the first five...
and Talmud
Talmud
The Talmud is a central text of mainstream Judaism. It takes the form of a record of rabbinic discussions pertaining to Jewish law, ethics, philosophy, customs and history....
. The electric guitar was played by Madonna for the performance of "Ray of Light
Ray of Light (song)
A high-speed electronic dance song, "Ray of Light" has received stylistic comparisons to rave, psychedelic and acid music. The track contains strong techno elements, as well as disco, trance and Eurodance influences, and it sees Madonna deepen her dance roots and go for a more electronic sound...
". She then sought audience participation, asking them to request for "an oldie but goodie". Madonna sang the first verse and chorus of the requested song, before moving onto a rock version of "Hung Up
Hung Up
"Hung Up" is a song by American singer-songwriter Madonna. It was written and produced in collaboration with Stuart Price, and released as the first single from her tenth studio album, Confessions on a Dance Floor. Initially used in a number of television advertisements and serials, the song was...
". After a brief video featuring a modern take on classic arcade games was played, Madonna returned on stage for the finale performance, "Give It 2 Me
Give It 2 Me
"Give It 2 Me" is a song by American singer-songwriter Madonna, featured on her eleventh studio album Hard Candy. It was released on June 4, 2008 by Warner Bros. Records as the second single from the album...
", ending the song with a sing-a-long of the chorus. The show ended with the words "Game Over" appearing on the video screens.
After the 2009 extension of the tour was announced, some changes were made to the setlist. "Candy Shop" had a new video backdrop by artist Marilyn Minter
Marilyn Minter
Marilyn Minter is an American artist currently living and working in New York City. Marilyn Minter has been the subject of numerous solo exhibitions including the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art in 2005, the Center for Contemporary Art, Cincinnati, Les Rencontres d'Arles festival in 2007,...
, featuring imagery of a giant tongue licking and spitting out neon-colored icing. Madonna also wore new opening outfit designed by Riccardo Tisci
Riccardo Tisci
Riccardo Tisci is an Italian fashion designer. He graduated from London's Central Saint Martins Academy in 1999, and in 2005 was named Creative Director for Givenchy womenswear and haute couture...
. "Heartbeat" was replaced by "Holiday
Holiday (Madonna song)
"Holiday" is a song by American singer Madonna from her self-titled debut album. Released on September 7, 1983 by Sire Records, it later appeared remixed on the 1987 remix compilation You Can Dance and the 1990 greatest hits compilation The Immaculate Collection, and in its original form on the...
" and incorporated elements of her then latest single "Celebration
Celebration (Madonna song)
"Celebration" is a song by American singer-songwriter Madonna from her third compilation album, Celebration. It was written by Madonna, Paul Oakenfold, Ciaran Gribbin and Ian Green, and produced by Madonna and Paul Oakenfold. The song was released digitally on July 31, 2009 by Warner Bros. Records....
", and her first single "Everybody". It also included a medley of three Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...
songs, as an homage to the recently deceased singer. The performance featured Madonna's dancer Kento, who danced in similar clothing and dancing style as Jackson. Madonna's 1985 single "Dress You Up
Dress You Up
"Dress You Up" is a song by American singer Madonna. It was released as the final single from her second studio album, Like a Virgin, on July 24, 1985, by Sire Records. The song was the last track to be added to the album as it was submitted late by songwriters Andrea LaRusso and Peggy Stanziale...
" replaced the rock version of "Borderline
Borderline (song)
"Borderline" is a song by American pop singer Madonna from her self-titled debut album. It was released on February 15, 1984 as the fifth single from the album, by Sire Records. Written and composed by producer Reggie Lucas, the song received remix treatment from Madonna's then boyfriend John...
". It featured elements of rock songs like "My Sharona
My Sharona
"My Sharona" is the debut single by The Knack, released in 1979 from their album Get the Knack. It reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart where it remained for six weeks and was #1 on Billboards Top Pop Singles of 1979 year-end chart. It was certified gold by the Recording Industry...
" by The Knack
The Knack
The Knack was an American New Wave rock quartet based in Los Angeles that rose to fame with their first single, "My Sharona", an international number one hit in 1979.-Founding :...
and "God Save The Queen
God Save the Queen (Sex Pistols song)
"God Save the Queen" is a song by the English punk rock band The Sex Pistols. It was released as the band's second single and was featured on their only album, Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols. The song was released during Queen Elizabeth II's Silver Jubilee in 1977...
" by Sex Pistols
Sex Pistols
The Sex Pistols were an English punk rock band that formed in London in 1975. They were responsible for initiating the punk movement in the United Kingdom and inspiring many later punk and alternative rock musicians...
. "Hung Up" was removed and replaced by an up-beat version of "Frozen
Frozen (song)
"Frozen" is a song by American singer-songwriter Madonna from her eight studio album Ray of Light. It was released as the lead single from the album on 23 February 1998 by Maverick Records...
", which was set between "Like a Prayer
Like a Prayer (song)
"Like a Prayer" is a song by American singer-songwriter Madonna on her fourth studio album of the same name . It was released on March 21, 1989, by Sire Records as the album's lead single...
" and "Ray of Light
Ray of Light (song)
A high-speed electronic dance song, "Ray of Light" has received stylistic comparisons to rave, psychedelic and acid music. The track contains strong techno elements, as well as disco, trance and Eurodance influences, and it sees Madonna deepen her dance roots and go for a more electronic sound...
". The video backdrop for "Frozen" used video outtakes from the song's music video, directed by Chris Cunningham
Chris Cunningham
Chris Cunningham is an English music video film director and video artist. He was born in Reading, Berkshire in 1970 and grew up in Lakenheath, Suffolk....
. "Ray of Light" was also slightly edited with the lyrics from Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...
's song "Man in the Mirror
Man in the Mirror
"Man in the Mirror" is a song recorded by Michael Jackson and written and composed by Glen Ballard and Siedah Garrett. It peaked at number one in the United States when released as a single in January 1988 off his seventh solo album, Bad. It is one of Jackson's most critically acclaimed songs and...
, "If you wanna make the world a better place... Take a look at yourself, and then make a change" appearing on the screens before the beginning of the song.
Critical response
Jon ParelesJon Pareles
Jon Pareles is an American journalist who is the chief popular music critic in the arts section of the New York Times. He played jazz flute and piano, and graduated from Yale University with a degree in music. In the 1970s he was an associate editor of Crawdaddy!, and in the 1980s an associate...
from The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
compared the concert with aerobics
Aerobics
Aerobics is a form of physical exercise that combines rhythmic aerobic exercise with stretching and strength training routines with the goal of improving all elements of fitness...
and said that the concert was more of a workout than being erotic. Isabel Albiston from The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph is a daily morning broadsheet newspaper distributed throughout the United Kingdom and internationally. The newspaper was founded by Arthur B...
compared the tour with the 2006 Confessions Tour and said that "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. [...] Madonna seemed to have a point to prove." Another review by Helen Brown from the same publication said that "Sticky Sweet's highlights include a fresh, crunchy and gipsied-up 'La Isla Bonita' (complete with fiddles, flamenco and a spliced-in Romanian folk tune) and a raved-up 'Like a Prayer'." Sarah Liss from the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly known as CBC and officially as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian crown corporation that serves as the national public radio and television broadcaster...
commented that "something about witnessing the 50-year-old crow's feet and wrinkles on Madonna's face, projected a hundred times larger than life, as she works her ass off (to paraphrase part of her stage banter) for a crowd of almost 20,000 feels more awe-inspiring than any of her old-school shock tactics." Jim Farber from New York Daily News wrote that "[Madonna] may have just sailed past the half-century mark, but that didn't stop [her] from dancing hard and fast in skimpy clothes for two hours nonstop at the opening show of her Sticky and Sweet tour. [..] No slack in the star's sexuality or energy was apparent at the icon's show." Joey Guerra
Joey Guerra
Joey Guerra is the pop music critic for the Houston Chronicle, one of the ten largest papers in the U.S. Born June 16, 1974 in Houston, Texas. He is a prolific writer, covering the major genres and the Houston/Texas music scene...
from Houston Chronicle
Houston Chronicle
The Houston Chronicle is the largest daily newspaper in Texas, USA, headquartered in the Houston Chronicle Building in Downtown Houston. , it is the ninth-largest newspaper by circulation in the United States...
commented that "most surprising about Madonna’s impeccably choreographed, frequently fantastic show was her willingness to show fans the flip side. She was still larger-than-life — and astonishingly fit for 50 — but Hard Candys toot-toot disco beats have softened her edges."
Greg Kot from Chicago Tribune
Chicago Tribune
The Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, and the flagship publication of the Tribune Company. Formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" , it remains the most read daily newspaper of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Great Lakes region and is...
commented that "Smiles don’t come easy for Madonna. Instead, there are usually smirks, sneers, pouts, leers and thin-lipped, tough-as-nails displays of contempt for anyone who would dare mess with her. Madonna, she’s one tough dominatrix, and she’s got better developed biceps than just about any of the fans who filled the United Center on Sunday for the first of two concerts." Adrian Thrills from Daily Mail
Daily Mail
The Daily Mail is a British daily middle-market tabloid newspaper owned by the Daily Mail and General Trust. First published in 1896 by Lord Northcliffe, it is the United Kingdom's second biggest-selling daily newspaper after The Sun. Its sister paper The Mail on Sunday was launched in 1982...
commented "Nobody does a big stadium show quite like Madonna. She might be pop's greatest female icon, but she does not rest on her laurels and this was a theatrical, two-hour blockbuster, featuring 16 dancers and a 12-piece band." Nekesa Mumbi Moody from USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
wrote: "Even the superstar's most cynical critics couldn't walk away from her two-hour extravaganza at the Izod Center on Saturday night without being thoroughly wowed. It was not only the spectacle of the concert, but the performer herself, as she reasserted her musical relevance and dominance in her 25th year in the spotlight. [...] Madonna is not the world's most gifted singer or dancer or even musician, but she may be its greatest performer." Caryn Ganz from Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
noted that "Madonna may have toyed with dominance and submission on [2008's] Hard Candy, but there was no question who was carrying the cane at the first New York City date on her Sticky & Sweet Tour last night (the trek’s second stop in the States). Emerging on a throne to the thumpy sound of 'Candy Shop', the 50-year-old singer kicked off a tightly choreographed two-hour set designed to accentuate her physical and musical strength and flexibility." Sal Cinquemani from Slant Magazine
Slant Magazine
Slant Magazine is an online publication that features reviews of movies, music, TV, DVDs, theater, and video games, as well as interviews with actors, directors, and musicians. The site covers various film festivals like the New York Film Festival.- History :...
wrote: "Like a sex instructor, Madonna rules over her audience and tells them when they're allowed to get off (at one point mock-masturbating over someone's head). And when the words 'Game Over' flash on the screen at the end of the show, you're just happy to have played along."
Commercial reception
The Sticky & Sweet Tour broke many records in terms of its ticket sales, commercial gross and audience attendance. On September 11, 2008, Madonna performed to a sell-out crowd of over 74,000 fans and grossed over $12 million USD, surpassing all previous grosses at both the old and the new Wembley StadiumWembley Stadium
The original Wembley Stadium, officially known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007...
s. Since that date U2
U2
U2 are an Irish rock band from Dublin. Formed in 1976, the group consists of Bono , The Edge , Adam Clayton , and Larry Mullen, Jr. . U2's early sound was rooted in post-punk but eventually grew to incorporate influences from many genres of popular music...
and their 360º Tour
U2 360° Tour
The U2 360° Tour was a worldwide concert tour by rock band U2. Launched in support of the group's 2009 album No Line on the Horizon, the tour visited stadiums from 2009 through 2011. It was named for a stage configuration that allowed the audience to almost completely surround the stage...
has broken the attendance record at Wembley Stadium with a crowd of 88,000 people. This performance followed the Zurich performance, which was in front of 72,000 people, the largest audience ever for a concert in Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
. The September 20, 2008 concert at the Stade de France sold 80,000 tickets in less than ten days, prompting Live Nation to announce a second and final show at the venue. 50,000 tickets for Madonna's Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
concert were sold in 29 minutes. Due to instant sellouts in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
at Air Canada Centre on October 18 and Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
at the Bell Centre on October 22, second shows in both markets were added on October 19 in Toronto, at the Air Canada Centre, and October 23, at Montreal's Bell Centre. The two shows in Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
sold out in less than three hours. Madonna's show in Montenegro
Montenegro
Montenegro Montenegrin: Crna Gora Црна Гора , meaning "Black Mountain") is a country located in Southeastern Europe. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea to the south-west and is bordered by Croatia to the west, Bosnia and Herzegovina to the northwest, Serbia to the northeast and Albania to the...
was performed to almost 70,000, the biggest-ever event held in the small Adriatic republic. In New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, Madonna's four sell-outs at Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
shows added up to a record breaking 23 sold out performances since 2001 at that venue – a record for most appearances for a single artist in this decade. Madonna's performances at Stade de France, Wembley Stadium, Madison Square Garden and Military Airfield ranked at numbers 3, 13, 15 and 20 on Billboards Top 25 Boxscores of 2008, respectively. The tour ranked third in Billboards "Top 25 Tours", with a gross of over U.S. $162 million (by mid-November 2008). Pollstar ranked the tour the leading North American grosser for 2008 at $105.3 million. On December 2008, Live Nation announced that the U.S. leg of the tour sold 550,000 tickets and grossed $91.5 million. Together with the European and Mexican dates, the tour grossed a total of $282 million, making it the highest grossing tour of 2008. It also became the biggest selling tour by a solo artist, breaking the record previously held by her own Confessions Tour
Confessions Tour
Confessions Tour was the seventh concert tour by American singer-songwriter Madonna. It supported her tenth studio album, Confessions on a Dance Floor. Madonna confirmed the possibility of going out on a tour as early as November 2005. Jamie King, Madonna's longtime collaborator, was then hired on...
in 2006.
After the announcement of the 2009 extension of the tour, tickets were sold-out immediately. Second shows were confirmed for July 5 in London and July 8 in Manchester, marking Madonna’s final UK dates in 2009. The Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
(July 30), Tallinn
Tallinn
Tallinn is the capital and largest city of Estonia. It occupies an area of with a population of 414,940. It is situated on the northern coast of the country, on the banks of the Gulf of Finland, south of Helsinki, east of Stockholm and west of Saint Petersburg. Tallinn's Old Town is in the list...
(August 4), Helsinki
Helsinki
Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
(August 6) and Gothenburg
Gothenburg
Gothenburg is the second-largest city in Sweden and the fifth-largest in the Nordic countries. Situated on the west coast of Sweden, the city proper has a population of 519,399, with 549,839 in the urban area and total of 937,015 inhabitants in the metropolitan area...
(August 9) concerts all sold out on the same day tickets went on sale. In Helsinki, the August 6 performance was the biggest show by one artist ever organized in Finland. In Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
, all 40,000 tickets available for the July 30 concert were sold in 34 minutes, prompting Live Nation to announce an extra concert on July 29. In Tallinn, all 70,300 tickets available for Madonna's concert at the Tallinn Song Festival Grounds were purchased in just over 24 hours, a record for Estonia. The record previously belonged to Metallica
Metallica
Metallica is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1981 when James Hetfield responded to an advertisement that drummer Lars Ulrich had posted in a local newspaper. The current line-up features long-time lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo ...
, who sold all of the tickets available for their concert at the same venue in three days. In Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv , officially Tel Aviv-Yafo , is the second most populous city in Israel, with a population of 404,400 on a land area of . The city is located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline in west-central Israel. It is the largest and most populous city in the metropolitan area of Gush Dan, with...
, all 50,000 tickets available for the first date were sold out in a few days, causing Live Nation to add a second and final date to wrap up the tour. As expected, after the final show, Sticky & Sweet became the highest grossing tour by a solo artist, earning $408 million from 85 shows in 32 countries, with an attendance of 3.5 million. It is the second highest grossing tour of all time, behind The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
' 2005–2007 A Bigger Bang Tour
A Bigger Bang Tour
A Bigger Bang Tour was a worldwide concert tour by The Rolling Stones which took place between August 2005 and August 2007, in support of their album A Bigger Bang...
which earned $558 million. At the 2009 Billboard Touring Awards
Billboard Touring Awards
Established in 2004, the Billboard Touring Conference and Awards is an annual meeting sponsored by Billboard Magazine which also honors the top international live entertainment industry artists and professionals...
, the Sticky & Sweet Tour won the Top Tour and Top Draw prizes, which acknowledge the highest-grossing and highest-attended tours of the year, respectively. Madonna's manager Guy Oseary
Guy Oseary
Guy Oseary is an Israeli-American expert businessman who began his career in entertainment at 17 at what was to become Maverick Records. He is Madonna's manager.-Maverick:...
won the Top Manager award. Additionally, in 2009 Billboard magazine announced that Madonna placed second (behind U2
U2
U2 are an Irish rock band from Dublin. Formed in 1976, the group consists of Bono , The Edge , Adam Clayton , and Larry Mullen, Jr. . U2's early sound was rooted in post-punk but eventually grew to incorporate influences from many genres of popular music...
) in the "Top 25 Tours of 2009" with a gross of $222,017,248. The article also mentioned "Into the Groove" as one the many highlights during the show.
Madonna's statements
During the tour, a number of statements made by Madonna faced strong opposition from socio-political leaders. The "Get Stupid" video interlude featured images of disasters throughout the ages along with images of Adolf HitlerAdolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
and Robert Mugabe
Robert Mugabe
Robert Gabriel Mugabe is the President of Zimbabwe. As one of the leaders of the liberation movement against white-minority rule, he was elected into power in 1980...
. US Republican presidential candidate John McCain
John McCain
John Sidney McCain III is the senior United States Senator from Arizona. He was the Republican nominee for president in the 2008 United States election....
was featured in the segment as well along Hitler and Mugabe. Images of John Lennon
John Lennon
John Winston Lennon, MBE was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music...
, Gandhi and Al Gore
Al Gore
Albert Arnold "Al" Gore, Jr. served as the 45th Vice President of the United States , under President Bill Clinton. He was the Democratic Party's nominee for President in the 2000 U.S. presidential election....
are featured towards the end of the video along with US Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
. The video caused an uproar in the political world, especially in McCain's camp. Tucker Bounds
Tucker Bounds
Tucker Bounds is a public relations professional, who has been active in Republican politics. He served as a spokesperson for the McCain-Palin 2008 presidential campaign...
, McCain's spokesperson, stated:
"The comparisons are outrageous, unacceptable and crudely divisive all at the same time [...] It clearly shows that when it comes to supporting Barack Obama, his fellow worldwide celebrities refuse to consider any smear or attack off limits."
At the conclusion of the presidential election
United States presidential election, 2008
The United States presidential election of 2008 was the 56th quadrennial presidential election. It was held on November 4, 2008. Democrat Barack Obama, then the junior United States Senator from Illinois, defeated Republican John McCain, the senior U.S. Senator from Arizona. Obama received 365...
, the image of McCain was removed from the video. During her performance at Petco Park, Madonna congratulated Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
, on his historic win for presidency of the United States. Madonna stated, "This is a historical evening. This is a motherfucking important evening and we are lucky to be sharing it with the World [...] This is the beginning of a whole new world. Are you ready?! Are you fucking ready?!" The video screens displayed images of Obama along with the message, "We Won". Madonna also publicly voiced her opposition for Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
Vice Presidential candidate
Vice President of the United States
The Vice President of the United States is the holder of a public office created by the United States Constitution. The Vice President, together with the President of the United States, is indirectly elected by the people, through the Electoral College, to a four-year term...
for 2008, Sarah Palin
Sarah Palin
Sarah Louise Palin is an American politician, commentator and author. As the Republican Party nominee for Vice President in the 2008 presidential election, she was the first Alaskan on the national ticket of a major party and first Republican woman nominated for the vice-presidency.She was...
. While performing on the tour, Madonna shouted "Sarah Palin can't come to my party. Sarah Palin can't come to my show. It's nothing personal. [...] Here's the sound of Sarah Palin's husband's snowmobile when it won't start. (followed by a loud screeching noise)." While performing "I Love New York" during the request section, the line "Get off my street" was replaced by Madonna screaming "You know who can get off of my street? Sarah Palin! I'm gonna kick her ass if she don't get off of my street." Then she mocked Palin's accent and told the crowd that she loves her.
During her show at the Olympic Stadium in Rome, Madonna dedicated her song "Like a Virgin
Like a Virgin (song)
"Like a Virgin" is a song by American singer Madonna from her second album of the same name. It was released on November 6, 1984 by Sire Records, as the first single from the album. The song appears on the greatest hits compilation albums The Immaculate Collection and Celebration...
" to Pope Benedict XVI
Pope Benedict XVI
Benedict XVI is the 265th and current Pope, by virtue of his office of Bishop of Rome, the Sovereign of the Vatican City State and the leader of the Catholic Church as well as the other 22 sui iuris Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with the Holy See...
. She stated, "I'm gonna dedicate this song to the Pope, because, I know he loves me. I am a child of God! And you know what else?...[begins to sing first verse of Like a Virgin]." Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera
Corriere della Sera
The Corriere della Sera is an Italian daily newspaper, published in Milan.It is among the oldest and most reputable Italian newspapers. Its main rivals are Rome's La Repubblica and Turin's La Stampa.- History :...
called the dedication a surprising provocation. During the 2009 leg, at the Bucharest concert in Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
, Madonna began talking about gypsy discrimination in East-European countries. She said that "It has been brought to my attention ... that there is a lot of discrimination against Romanies and Gypsies in general in Eastern Europe. [...] It made me feel very sad." Immediately boos
Booing
Booing is an act of showing displeasure for someone or something, generally an entertainer, by loudly yelling boo! or making other noises of disparagement, such as hissing. People may make hand signs at the entertainer, such as the thumbs down sign...
and jeers resounded from the 60,000 crowd. Madonna added that "[w]e don't believe in discrimination [...] we believe in freedom and equal rights for everyone." Although some applauded this statement, many others continued booing when Madonna mentioned discrimination against gay people. Madonna's publicist Liz Rosenberg issued a statement saying that "Madonna has been touring with a phenomenal troupe of Roma musicians who made her aware of the discrimination toward them in several countries so she felt compelled to make a brief statement, [...] She will not be issuing a further statement." In January 2009, Florin Cioabă, self-proclaimed King of Roma, announced that he wished to present Madonna with a gold plaque to thank the singer for criticising discrimination against the Roma people.
Marseille accident
On July 16, 2009, as workers were assembling Madonna's stage at the Stade VélodromeStade Vélodrome
The Stade Vélodrome is a football stadium in Marseille, France. It is home to the Olympique de Marseille football club of Ligue 1, and was a venue in the 1998 FIFA World Cup and the 2007 Rugby World Cup. It is the largest club-football ground in France, with a capacity of 60,031 spectators,...
in Marseille
Marseille
Marseille , known in antiquity as Massalia , is the second largest city in France, after Paris, with a population of 852,395 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Marseille extends beyond the city limits with a population of over 1,420,000 on an area of...
for her July 19 concert, the stage collapsed, injuring eight workers and killing two. The accident caused city officials to cancel the concert. Charles Criscenzo, a 53-year-old French worker, was killed outright in the accident, which took place at around 17:15 GMT. The other worker Charles Prow, a 23-year-old from Headingley
Headingley
Headingley is a suburb of Leeds in West Yorkshire, England. It is approximately two miles out of the city centre, to the north west along the A660 road...
in Leeds
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
, died overnight at a hospital in Marseille. Firefighters said the accident occurred when the roof of the stage became unbalanced as it was being lifted by four cranes, toppling one of them. Marseille city councillor Maurice de Nocera said that the roof started shaking and then collapsed gradually. This allowed the other workers to get out in time.
Following the tragedy, Madonna issued the following statement: "I am devastated to have just received this tragic news. My prayers go out to those who were injured and their families along with my deepest sympathy to all those affected by this heartbreaking news." At her concert in Italy Madonna made an emotional tribute for the deceased technicians by saying,
"I just wanted to take a moment to acknowledge and pay tribute to two people who lost their lives today, [...] It's a great tragedy to me, I feel so devastated to be in any way associated with anyone's suffering. [...] Let's all just take a moment to say a prayer for Charles Criscenzo and Charlie Prow. Our hearts go out to their family and loved ones."
Madonna visited some of the other workers injured in the accident and went to pay her respects at the family of the deceased ones as well.
Broadcast and recordings
La Nación
La Nación is an Argentine daily newspaper. The country's leading conservative paper, the centrist Clarín is its main competitor. It is the only newspaper in Argentina still published in broadsheet format.-Overview:...
, the tour DVD was filmed during the performances at River Plate Stadium. Production director Chris Lamb stated that Madonna chose the Argentine audience because of the strong emotional bond they shared. However, at the time of Lamb's comments, no release date for the DVD had been announced, despite a trailer showing highlights of the Argentine performance on Madonna's official website. On June 15, 2009, British newspaper The Sun
The Sun (newspaper)
The Sun is a daily national tabloid newspaper published in the United Kingdom and owned by News Corporation. Sister editions are published in Glasgow and Dublin...
reported that Sky1 had acquired the rights to broadcast the Sticky & Sweet Tour. The "Sweet Machine" video was shortened, and the request song in Argentina, "Like a Virgin
Like a Virgin (song)
"Like a Virgin" is a song by American singer Madonna from her second album of the same name. It was released on November 6, 1984 by Sire Records, as the first single from the album. The song appears on the greatest hits compilation albums The Immaculate Collection and Celebration...
", was not aired. Latin America
Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
n channel Cityvibe
Cityvibe (movie channel)
Cityvibe is a Latin American premium movie channel operated by LAPTV, an American company. Founded November 1, 2007, Cityvibe shows a selection of independent films, anime, series, documentaries and concerts....
broadcast the show exclusively for Argentina, Mexico, Peru and Venezuela on September 19, 2009. Unlike Sky1, the channel aired "Madonna: Sticky & Sweet" without any commercial block; additionally, both "The Sweet Machine" and the requested song were uncut. On October 30, 2009 the show was made available to watch on the Epix television channel, video-on-demand and the website, for those that have a subscription. On January 12, 2010 Madonna's official website confirmed the video release of the tour. Titled Sticky & Sweet Tour
Sticky & Sweet Tour (album)
Sticky & Sweet Tour is the third live album by American singer-songwriter Madonna. It was released on March 26, 2010 by Warner Bros. Records. The album was released on DVD, Blu-ray and CD formats. The tour was filmed at the River Plate Stadium in Buenos Aires, Argentina during the 2008 leg of...
, the live album was released by Live Nation
Live Nation
Live Nation is a live-events company based in Beverly Hills, California, focused on concert promotions. Live Nation formed in 2005 as a spin-off from Clear Channel Communications, which then merged with Ticketmaster in 2010 to become Live Nation Entertainment....
on March 30, 2010 and distributed by Madonna's former record company, Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Records
Warner Bros. Records Inc. is an American record label. It was the foundation label of the present-day Warner Music Group, and now operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of that corporation. It maintains a close relationship with its former parent, Warner Bros. Pictures, although the two companies...
It was available on DVD, Blu-ray and CD, accompanied by a picture book by Madonna's manager Guy Oseary
Guy Oseary
Guy Oseary is an Israeli-American expert businessman who began his career in entertainment at 17 at what was to become Maverick Records. He is Madonna's manager.-Maverick:...
, titled Madonna: Sticky & Sweet.
Opening acts
- RobynRobynRobin Miriam Carlsson , better known by her stage name Robyn, is a Swedish recording artist, singer, and songwriter. Robyn became known in the late nineties for her worldwide dance-pop hit "Do You Know " from her debut album Robyn Is Here . She co-wrote the song "Du gör mig hel igen" for...
(Europe, select venues) - Benny BenassiBenny BenassiMarco Benassi , better known as Benny Benassi, is a Grammy Award winning Italian disc jockey and record producer of electro house music. He is best known for his 2002 summer club hit "Satisfaction"...
(Rome) - Paul OakenfoldPaul OakenfoldPaul Mark Oakenfold is a British record producer and a trance DJ.-Early Career: 1979–84:Paul Oakenfold's career was set to be a chef, after having hopes of becoming part of a band. He describes his early life as a "bedroom deejay" in a podcasted interview with Vancouver's 24 Hours, stating he grew...
(Europe, Israel, North America & South America, select venues) - Bob SinclarBob SinclarBob Sinclar, originally spelled "Sinclair" - , is a French record producer, House music DJ, remixer and owner of the label Yellow Productions.- Career history :...
(Paris)
Setlist
Source:Tour dates
| Date | City | Country | Venue | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Europe | ||||
| August 23, 2008 | Cardiff Cardiff Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for... |
Wales Wales Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²... |
Millennium Stadium Millennium Stadium The Millennium Stadium is the national stadium of Wales, located in the capital, Cardiff. It is the home of the Wales national rugby union team and also frequently stages games of the Wales national football team, but is also host to many other large scale events, such as the Super Special Stage... |
|
| August 26, 2008 | Nice Nice Nice is the fifth most populous city in France, after Paris, Marseille, Lyon and Toulouse, with a population of 348,721 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Nice extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of more than 955,000 on an area of... |
France France The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France... |
Stade Charles Ehrmann Stade Charles-Ehrmann Stade Charles-Ehrmann is a football stadium, located in Nice, France. For sporting events, it seats 8,000 spectators.... |
|
| August 28, 2008 | Berlin Berlin Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union... |
Germany Germany Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate... |
Olympic Stadium | |
| August 30, 2008 | Zürich Zürich Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is located in central Switzerland at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich... |
Switzerland Switzerland Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition.... |
Military Airfield | |
| September 2, 2008 | Amsterdam Amsterdam Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population... |
Netherlands Netherlands The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders... |
Amsterdam Arena Amsterdam ArenA Amsterdam Arena is a stadium in Amsterdam, Netherlands. It is the largest stadium in the nation and it was built from 1993 to 1996 at a cost of €140 million, and was officially opened on 14 August 1996. It has been used for association football, American football, concerts, and other events... |
|
| September 4, 2008 | Düsseldorf Düsseldorf Düsseldorf is the capital city of the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia and centre of the Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan region.Düsseldorf is an important international business and financial centre and renowned for its fashion and trade fairs. Located centrally within the European Megalopolis, the... |
Germany | LTU Arena LTU Arena Esprit Arena is a multi-functional football stadium in Düsseldorf, Germany. The stadium holds 54,600 and has a closable roof. The special heating system allows comfortable events at the height of winter.- History :... |
|
| September 6, 2008 | Rome Rome Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half... |
Italy Italy Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and... |
Olympic Stadium Stadio Olimpico The Stadio Olimpico is the main and largest sports facility of Rome, Italy. It is located within the Foro Italico sports complex on the north of the city. An asset of the Italian National Olympic Committee, the structure is intended primarily for football... |
|
| September 9, 2008 | Frankfurt Frankfurt Frankfurt am Main , commonly known simply as Frankfurt, is the largest city in the German state of Hesse and the fifth-largest city in Germany, with a 2010 population of 688,249. The urban area had an estimated population of 2,300,000 in 2010... |
Germany | Commerzbank-Arena Commerzbank-Arena The Commerzbank-Arena is a sports stadium in Frankfurt, Hesse, Germany. Commonly known by its original name, Waldstadion , the stadium opened in 1925. The stadium has been upgraded several times since then; the most recent remodelling was its redevelopment as a football-only stadium in preparation... |
|
| September 11, 2008 | London London London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its... |
England England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental... |
Wembley Stadium Wembley Stadium The original Wembley Stadium, officially known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007... |
|
| September 14, 2008 | Lisbon Lisbon Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban... |
Portugal Portugal Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the... |
Parque da Bela Vista Parque da Bela Vista The Bela Vista Park is one of the largest open areas located within the city limits of Lisbon, Portugal."Bela Vista" is the name of its adjacent neighborhood.... |
|
| September 16, 2008 | Seville Seville Seville is the artistic, historic, cultural, and financial capital of southern Spain. It is the capital of the autonomous community of Andalusia and of the province of Seville. It is situated on the plain of the River Guadalquivir, with an average elevation of above sea level... |
Spain Spain Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula... |
Olympic Stadium | |
| September 18, 2008 | Valencia | Circuito Ricardo Tormo Cheste Circuit de Valencia Circuit Ricardo Tormo, also known as Circuit de Valencia and officially named Circuit de la Comunitat Valenciana Ricardo Tormo, is a motorsport race track located in Cheste and built in 1999. It has a capacity of 120,000 spectators and seating for 60,000... |
||
| September 20, 2008 | Paris Paris Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region... |
France France The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France... |
Stade de France Stade de France The Stade de France is the national stadium of France, situated just north of Paris in the commune of Saint-Denis. It has an all-seater capacity of 80,000, making it the fifth largest stadium in Europe, and is used by both the France national football team and French rugby union team for... |
|
| September 21, 2008 | ||||
| September 23, 2008 | Vienna Vienna Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre... |
Austria Austria Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the... |
Danube Island Donauinsel The Donauinsel is a long, narrow island, in central Vienna, Austria, between the Danube river and the parallel excavated channel Neue Donau . The island is 21.1 km in length, but is only 70–210 metres broad... |
|
| September 25, 2008 | Budva Budva Budva is a coastal town in Montenegro. It has around 15,000 inhabitants, and it is the centre of municipality... |
Montenegro Montenegro Montenegro Montenegrin: Crna Gora Црна Гора , meaning "Black Mountain") is a country located in Southeastern Europe. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea to the south-west and is bordered by Croatia to the west, Bosnia and Herzegovina to the northwest, Serbia to the northeast and Albania to the... |
Jaz Beach Jaz Beach Jaz is a beach in the Budva Municipality in Montenegro. It is located 2.5 km west of Budva city. It consists of two parts, one 850 m long and the other, formerly a nudist beach, 450 m long... |
|
| September 27, 2008 | Athens Athens Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state... |
Greece Greece Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe.... |
Olympic Stadium Olympic Stadium (Athens) The Olympic Stadium "Spiros Louis" , is part of the Athens Olympic Sports Complex. It is named after the first modern Olympic marathon race winner in 1896, Spiros Louis.-History:... |
|
| North America | ||||
| October 4, 2008 | East Rutherford | United States United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... |
Izod Center | |
| October 6, 2008 | New York City New York City New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and... |
Madison Square Garden Madison Square Garden Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the... |
||
| October 7, 2008 | ||||
|-
|align="center"|October 12, 2008
|-
|align="center"|October 15, 2008
|align="center" rowspan="2"|Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
|align="center" rowspan="2"|TD Banknorth Garden
TD Banknorth Garden
TD Garden is a multi-purpose arena in Boston, Massachusetts. It is named after its sponsor, TD Bank, N.A. and is often simply referred to by local Bostonians as, The Garden, The Fleet Center, or the traditional Boston Garden...
|-
|align="center"|October 16, 2008
|-
|align="center"|October 18, 2008
|align="center" rowspan="2"|Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
|align="center" rowspan="4"|Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
|align="center" rowspan="2"|Air Canada Centre
Air Canada Centre
The Air Canada Centre is a multi-purpose indoor sporting arena located on Bay Street in Downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada.The arena is popularly known as the ACC or the Hangar ....
|-
|align="center"|October 19, 2008
|-
|align="center"|October 22, 2008
|align="center" rowspan="2"|Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
|align="center" rowspan="2"|Bell Centre
Bell Centre
The Bell Centre , formerly known as the Molson Centre , is a sports and entertainment complex in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It opened on March 16, 1996 after nearly three years under construction...
|-
|align="center"|October 23, 2008
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|align="center"|October 26, 2008
|align="center" rowspan="2"|Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
|align="center" rowspan="2"|United States
|align="center" rowspan="2"|United Center
United Center
The United Center is an indoor sports arena located in Chicago. It is named after its corporate sponsor, United Airlines. The United Center is home to both the Chicago Bulls of the National Basketball Association and the Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League...
|-
|align="center"|October 27, 2008
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|align="center"|October 30, 2008
|align="center"|Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
|align="center"|Canada
|align="center"|BC Place Stadium
BC Place Stadium
BC Place is a multi-purpose stadium located at the north side of False Creek, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It serves as the home field for the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League and the Vancouver Whitecaps FC of Major League Soccer . Originally opened on June 19, 1983 as the...
|-
|align="center"|November 1, 2008
|align="center" rowspan="2"|Oakland
|align="center" rowspan="14"|United States
|align="center" rowspan="2"|Oracle Arena
|-
|align="center"|November 2, 2008
|-
|align="center"|November 4, 2008
|align="center"|San Diego
|align="center"|Petco Park
PETCO Park
Petco Park is an open-air ballpark in downtown San Diego, California, USA. It opened in 2004, replacing Qualcomm Stadium as the home park of Major League Baseball's San Diego Padres. Before then, the Padres shared Qualcomm Stadium with the NFL's San Diego Chargers...
|-
|align="center"|November 6, 2008
|align="center"|Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
|align="center"|Dodger Stadium
Dodger Stadium
Dodger Stadium, also sometimes called Chavez Ravine, is a stadium in Los Angeles. Located adjacent to Downtown Los Angeles, Dodger Stadium has been the home ballpark of Major League Baseball's Los Angeles Dodgers team since 1962...
|-
|align="center"|November 8, 2008
|align="center" rowspan="2"|Las Vegas
Las Vegas metropolitan area
The Las Vegas Valley is the heart of the Las Vegas-Paradise, NV MSA also known as the Las Vegas–Paradise–Henderson MSA which includes all of Clark County, Nevada, and is a metropolitan area in the southern part of the U.S. state of Nevada. The Valley is defined by the Las Vegas Valley landform, a ...
|align="center" rowspan="2"|MGM Grand Garden Arena
|-
|align="center"|November 9, 2008
|-
|align="center"|November 11, 2008
|align="center" rowspan="2"|Denver
|align="center" rowspan="2"|Pepsi Center
Pepsi Center
Pepsi Center is a multi-purpose arena in Denver, Colorado, United States. The building is home to the Denver Nuggets of the National Basketball Association, the Colorado Avalanche of the National Hockey League, and the Colorado Mammoth of the National Lacrosse League...
|-
|align="center"|November 12, 2008
|-
|align="center"|November 16, 2008
|align="center"|Houston
|align="center"|Minute Maid Park
Minute Maid Park
Minute Maid Park is a ballpark in Downtown Houston, Texas, United States that opened in 2000 to house the Major League Baseball Houston Astros....
|-
|align="center"|November 18, 2008
|align="center"|Detroit
|align="center"|Ford Field
Ford Field
Ford Field is an indoor American football stadium located in Detroit, Michigan, USA, that is the current home field of the NFL's Detroit Lions. It is owned by the Detroit/Wayne County Stadium Authority. It regularly seats 65,000, though it is expandable up to 70,000 for football and 80,000 for...
|-
|align="center"|November 20, 2008
|align="center"|Philadelphia
|align="center"|Wachovia Center
Wachovia Center
The Wells Fargo Center is an indoor arena located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
|-
|align="center"|November 22, 2008
|align="center"|Atlantic City
|align="center"|Boardwalk Hall
Boardwalk Hall
Boardwalk Hall, formally known as the Historic Atlantic City Convention Hall, is an arena in Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States...
|-
|align="center"|November 24, 2008
|align="center"|Atlanta
|align="center"|Philips Arena
Philips Arena
Philips Arena is an indoor arena in Atlanta, Georgia.Completed in 1999 to replace The Omni, at a cost of $213.5 million, it is home to the Atlanta Hawks, of the National Basketball Association, and the Atlanta Dream, of the Women's National Basketball Association...
|-
|align="center"|November 26, 2008
|align="center"|Miami
|align="center"|Dolphin Stadium
Dolphin Stadium
Sun Life Stadium is an American football stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, a suburb of Miami. It is the home stadium of the Miami Dolphins National Football League team, and the University of Miami Hurricanes football team. It also hosts the Orange Bowl, an annual college football bowl game. It...
|-
|align="center"|November 29, 2008
|align="center" rowspan="2"|Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
|align="center" rowspan="2"|Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
|align="center" rowspan="2"|Foro Sol
|-
|align="center"|November 30, 2008
|- bgcolor="#DDDDDD"
| colspan=5 align=center | South America
|- bgcolor="#CCCCCC"
|-
|align="center"|December 4, 2008
|align="center" rowspan="4"|Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
|align="center" rowspan="4"|Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
|align="center" rowspan="4"|River Plate Stadium
|-
|align="center"|December 5, 2008
|-
|align="center"|December 7, 2008
|-
|align="center"|December 8, 2008
|-
|align="center"|December 10, 2008
|align="center" rowspan="2"|Santiago
Santiago, Chile
Santiago , also known as Santiago de Chile, is the capital and largest city of Chile, and the center of its largest conurbation . It is located in the country's central valley, at an elevation of above mean sea level...
|align="center" rowspan="2"|Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
|align="center" rowspan="2"|Chile National Stadium
Estadio Nacional de Chile
The Estadio Nacional Julio Martínez Prádanos is the national stadium of Chile, and is located in the Ñuñoa district of Santiago). It is the largest stadium in Chile with an official capacity of 47,000, and is part of a 62 ha sporting complex which also features tennis courts, an aquatics center, a...
|-
|align="center"|December 11, 2008
|-
|align="center"|December 14, 2008
|align="center" rowspan="2"|Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
|align="center" rowspan="5"|Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
|align="center" rowspan="2"|Maracanã Stadium
Estádio do Maracanã
The Estádio do Maracanã , officially Estádio Jornalista Mário Filho, is an open-air stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Owned by the Rio de Janeiro State Government, it is named after the Maracanã neighbourhood in Rio de Janeiro. It was opened in 1950 to host the FIFA World Cup, and in the final...
|-
|align="center"|December 15, 2008
|-
|align="center"|December 18, 2008
|align="center" rowspan="3"|São Paulo
São Paulo
São Paulo is the largest city in Brazil, the largest city in the southern hemisphere and South America, and the world's seventh largest city by population. The metropolis is anchor to the São Paulo metropolitan area, ranked as the second-most populous metropolitan area in the Americas and among...
|align="center" rowspan="3"|Morumbi Stadium
Estádio do Morumbi
Estádio Cícero Pompeu de Toledo is a stadium in São Paulo, Brazil, home of São Paulo Futebol Clube and its formal name honors Cícero Pompeu de Toledo, who was São Paulo FC's chairman during most of the stadium construction, and died before its inauguration....
|-
|align="center"|December 20, 2008
|-
|align="center"|December 21, 2008
|-
|- bgcolor="#DDDDDD"
| colspan=5 align=center | Europe
|- bgcolor="#CCCCCC"
|-
|align="center"|July 4, 2009
|align="center" rowspan="2"|London
|align="center" rowspan="3"|England
|align="center" rowspan="2"|The O2
The O2 arena (London)
The O2 Arena is a multi-purpose indoor arena located in the centre of The O2, a large entertainment complex on the Greenwich peninsula in London, England.With a capacity of up to 20,000 depending on the event, it is second largest...
|-
|align="center"|July 5, 2009
|-
|align="center"|July 7, 2009
|align="center"|Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
|align="center"|Manchester Evening News Arena
Manchester Evening News Arena
The Manchester Evening News Arena is an indoor arena situated in Manchester, England. It is adjacent to Manchester Victoria station near Corporation Street...
|-
|align="center"|July 9, 2009
|align="center"|Paris
|align="center"|France
|align="center"|Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy
Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy
Opened in 1984, Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy, often abbreviated as POPB or Bercy, is an indoor sports arena on boulevard de Bercy located in the 12th arrondissement of Paris...
|-
|align="center"|July 11, 2009
|align="center"|Werchter
Werchter
Werchter is a small village in Belgium, belonging to the municipality of Rotselaar. It is site of the festival Rock Werchter. The origin of the place name is unknown but it's thought to be a watername.It is the birthplace of painter Cornelius Van Leemputten....
|align="center"|Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
|align="center"|Werchter Festival Park
|-
|align="center"|July 14, 2009
|align="center"|Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
|align="center" rowspan="2"|Italy
|align="center"|San Siro
San Siro
The Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, originally and commonly referred to as the San Siro because of its location, officially given its current name on 3 March 1980, is a football stadium located in the San Siro district in Milan, Italy. It is the home of both A.C. Milan and F.C. Internazionale Milano...
|-
|align="center"|July 16, 2009
|align="center"|Udine
Udine
Udine is a city and comune in northeastern Italy, in the middle of Friuli-Venezia Giulia region, between the Adriatic sea and the Alps , less than 40 km from the Slovenian border. Its population was 99,439 in 2009, and that of its urban area was 175,000.- History :Udine is the historical...
|align="center"|Stadio Friuli
Stadio Friuli
Stadio Friuli is a multi-purpose stadium in Udine, Italy. The stadium was built in 1976 and holds 41,652 people. It is currently used mostly for football matches and the home of Udinese Calcio.-Structure:...
|-
|align="center"|July 21, 2009
|align="center"|Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
|align="center" rowspan="3"|Spain
|align="center"|Olympic Stadium
Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys
Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys is a stadium in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. Originally built in 1927 for the 1929 International Exposition in the city , it was renovated in 1989 to be the main stadium for the 1992 Summer Olympics...
|-
|align="center"|July 23, 2009
|align="center"|Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
|align="center"|Vicente Calderón Stadium
Vicente Calderón Stadium
The Vicente Calderón Stadium is the home stadium of La Liga football club Atlético Madrid and is located in the Arganzuela district of Spanish capital Madrid. The stadium was originally called the Manzanares Stadium, but this was later changed to the Vicente Calderón Stadium, after the famous...
|-
|align="center"|July 25, 2009
|align="center"|Zaragoza
Zaragoza
Zaragoza , also called Saragossa in English, is the capital city of the Zaragoza Province and of the autonomous community of Aragon, Spain...
|align="center"|Recinto de la Feria de Zaragoza
|-
|align="center"|July 28, 2009
|align="center" rowspan="2"|Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
|align="center" rowspan="2"|Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
|align="center" rowspan="2"|Valle Hovin
Valle Hovin
Valle Hovin is both a bandy and speed skating rink in cold weather, and an outdoor stadium for concerts in warm weather, in Oslo, Norway.The Bandy World Championships has been held here....
|-
|align="center"|July 30, 2009
|-
|align="center"|August 2, 2009
|align="center"|St. Petersburg
|align="center"|Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
|align="center"|Palace Square
Palace Square
Palace Square , connecting Nevsky Prospekt with Palace Bridge leading to Vasilievsky Island, is the central city square of St Petersburg and of the former Russian Empire...
|-
|align="center"|August 4, 2009
|align="center"|Tallinn
Tallinn
Tallinn is the capital and largest city of Estonia. It occupies an area of with a population of 414,940. It is situated on the northern coast of the country, on the banks of the Gulf of Finland, south of Helsinki, east of Stockholm and west of Saint Petersburg. Tallinn's Old Town is in the list...
|align="center"|Estonia
Estonia
Estonia , officially the Republic of Estonia , is a state in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea, to the south by Latvia , and to the east by Lake Peipsi and the Russian Federation . Across the Baltic Sea lies...
|align="center"|Tallinn Song Festival Grounds
Tallinn Song Festival Grounds
-History of Song Festivals:In 1869 Johann Voldemar Jannsen established the Estonian Song Festival while the nation was still a province of the Russian Empire. This festival was considered responsible for fostering an Estonian national awakening...
|-
|align="center"|August 6, 2009
|align="center"|Helsinki
Helsinki
Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
|align="center"|Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
|align="center"|West Harbour
Jätkäsaari
Jätkäsaari is a quarter in Helsinki, the capital city of Finland. It is part to the Kampinmalmi district and Länsisatama neighbourhood. It is was the location of the main container harbour in Helsinki until late 2008, when the harbour moved to the new facilities in Vuosaari...
|-
|align="center"|August 8, 2009
|align="center" rowspan="2"|Gothenburg
Gothenburg
Gothenburg is the second-largest city in Sweden and the fifth-largest in the Nordic countries. Situated on the west coast of Sweden, the city proper has a population of 519,399, with 549,839 in the urban area and total of 937,015 inhabitants in the metropolitan area...
|align="center" rowspan="2"|Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
|align="center" rowspan="2"|Ullevi Stadium
|-
|align="center"|August 9, 2009
|-
|align="center"|August 11, 2009
|align="center"|Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
|align="center"|Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
|align="center"|Parken Stadium
Parken Stadium
Parken Stadium is a football stadium in the Indre Østerbro district of Copenhagen, Denmark, built from 1990–1992. It currently has a capacity of 38,065 for football games, and is the home ground of F.C. Københaven and the Danish national football team...
|-
|align="center"|August 13, 2009
|align="center"|Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
|align="center"|Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
|align="center"|Chodov Natural Amphitheater
|-
|align="center"|August 15, 2009
|align="center"|Warsaw
Warsaw
Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
|align="center"|Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
|align="center"|Bemowo Airport
|-
|align="center"|August 18, 2009
|align="center"|Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
|align="center"|Germany
|align="center"|Olympic Stadium
Olympic Stadium (Munich)
Olympiastadion is a stadium located in Munich, Germany. Situated at the heart of the Olympiapark München in northern Munich, the stadium was built as the main venue for the 1972 Summer Olympics....
|-
|align="center"|August 22, 2009
|align="center"|Budapest
Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
|align="center"|Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
|align="center"|Kincsem Park
Kincsem Park
Kincsem Park is a major horse racing venue in Budapest, Hungary. The 84-hectare park, named after the race horse Kincsem, can accommodate thoroughbred racing and harness racing, and it can also be configured as a concert venue...
|-
|align="center"|August 24, 2009
|align="center"|Belgrade
Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
|align="center"|Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
|align="center"|Ušće Park
|-
|align="center"|August 26, 2009
|align="center"|Bucharest
Bucharest
Bucharest is the capital municipality, cultural, industrial, and financial centre of Romania. It is the largest city in Romania, located in the southeast of the country, at , and lies on the banks of the Dâmbovița River....
|align="center"|Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
|align="center"|Parc Izvor
|-
|align="center"|August 29, 2009
|align="center"|Sofia
Sofia
Sofia is the capital and largest city of Bulgaria and the 12th largest city in the European Union with a population of 1.27 million people. It is located in western Bulgaria, at the foot of Mount Vitosha and approximately at the centre of the Balkan Peninsula.Prehistoric settlements were excavated...
|align="center"|Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
|align="center"|Vasil Levski National Stadium
Vasil Levski National Stadium
Vasil Levski National Stadium , named after Bulgarian national hero Vasil Levski, is one of Bulgaria's largest sports venues and the country's second largest stadium...
|-
|- bgcolor="#DDDDDD"
| colspan=5 align=center | Asia
|- bgcolor="#CCCCCC"
|-
|align="center"|September 1, 2009
|align="center" rowspan="2"|Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv , officially Tel Aviv-Yafo , is the second most populous city in Israel, with a population of 404,400 on a land area of . The city is located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline in west-central Israel. It is the largest and most populous city in the metropolitan area of Gush Dan, with...
|align="center" rowspan="2"|Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
|align="center" rowspan="2"|Hayarkon Park
|-
|align="center"|September 2, 2009
|-
|}
Additional notes
- A At the October 11, 2008 performance at Madison Square GardenMadison Square GardenMadison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
, Madonna dedicated "You Must Love Me" to her daughter, Lourdes as it was her twelfth birthday. She commented, "My beautiful Lola is 12 today but when I first sang this song she was growing inside me." At the same show, Pharrell WilliamsPharrell WilliamsPharrell Williams , commonly known simply as Pharrell, is an American rapper, singer, record producer, composer, and fashion designer. Williams and Chad Hugo make up the record production duo The Neptunes, producing hip hop and R&B music...
joined Madonna onstage for both "Beat Goes On" and "Give It 2 Me". - B At the November 6, 2008 Los Angeles show, Madonna was joined onstage by Britney SpearsBritney SpearsBritney Jean Spears is an American recording artist and entertainer. Born in McComb, Mississippi, and raised in Kentwood, Louisiana, Spears began performing as a child, landing acting roles in stage productions and television shows. She signed with Jive Records in 1997 and released her debut album...
during the performance of "Human Nature". Later that night, Justin TimberlakeJustin TimberlakeJustin Randall Timberlake is an American pop musician and actor. He achieved early fame when he appeared as a contestant on Star Search, and went on to star in the Disney Channel television series The New Mickey Mouse Club, where he met future bandmate JC Chasez...
joined Madonna onstage to perform "4 Minutes". Prior to the show, an equipment malfunction caused damage to the top of the stage and some of the lighting. Madonna released a statement, saying "Even though my stage roof was damaged and some lights and effects aren't working, I want to do the show anyway because I don't want to disappoint my fans."
- C At the November 26, 2008 performance in Miami at the Dolphin StadiumDolphin StadiumSun Life Stadium is an American football stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, a suburb of Miami. It is the home stadium of the Miami Dolphins National Football League team, and the University of Miami Hurricanes football team. It also hosts the Orange Bowl, an annual college football bowl game. It...
, Madonna was joined onstage by TimbalandTimbalandTimothy Zachery Mosley , better known by his stage name Timbaland, is an American record producer, songwriter and rapper....
during the performance of "4 Minutes" and by Pharrell WilliamsPharrell WilliamsPharrell Williams , commonly known simply as Pharrell, is an American rapper, singer, record producer, composer, and fashion designer. Williams and Chad Hugo make up the record production duo The Neptunes, producing hip hop and R&B music...
for "Give It 2 Me". - D Before singing "You Must Love Me" on the August 11, 2009 DenmarkDenmarkDenmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
show, Madonna and over 48,000 of her fans sang "Happy BirthdayHappy Birthday to You"Happy Birthday to You", also known more simply as "Happy Birthday", is a song that is traditionally sung to celebrate the anniversary of a person's birth...
" to her son Rocco, who turned 9 that day and who was also attending the show. - E Madonna's daughter Lourdes joined her on stage on both the September 1 and September 2, 2009 Tel AvivTel AvivTel Aviv , officially Tel Aviv-Yafo , is the second most populous city in Israel, with a population of 404,400 on a land area of . The city is located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline in west-central Israel. It is the largest and most populous city in the metropolitan area of Gush Dan, with...
dates during the performance of "Give it 2 Me". Her son Rocco joined her on the DJDisc jockeyA disc jockey, also known as DJ, is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience. Originally, "disc" referred to phonograph records, not the later Compact Discs. Today, the term includes all forms of music playback, no matter the medium.There are several types of disc jockeys...
station during the song "Music".
Box office score data
| Venue | City | Tickets Sold / Available | Gross Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Millennium Stadium | Cardiff | 33,460 / 33,460 (100%) | $5,279,107 |
| Stade Charles Ehrmann | Nice | 41,483 / 41,483 (100%) | $4,381,242 |
| Olympic Stadium | Berlin | 47,368 / 47,368 (100%) | $6,048,086 |
| Military Airfield | Zurich | 70,314 / 70,314 (100%) | $11,093,631 |
| Amsterdam Arena | Amsterdam | 50,588 / 50,588 (100%) | $6,717,734 |
| LTU Arena | Düsseldorf | 35,014 / 35,014 (100%) | $4,650,327 |
| Olympic Stadium | Rome | 57,690 / 57,690 (100%) | $5,713,196 |
| Commerzbank Arena | Frankfurt | 39,543 / 39,543 (100%) | $6,020,706 |
| Wembley Stadium | London | 73,349 / 73,349 (100%) | $11,796,540 |
| Parque da Bela Vista | Lisbon | 75,000 / 75,000 (100%) | $6,295,068 |
| Olympic Stadium | Sevilla | 47,712 / 59,258 (82%) | $4,874,380 |
| Circuito Ricardo Tormo Cheste | Valencia | 50,143 / 50,143 (100%) | $4,941,980 |
| Stade de France | Paris | 138,163 / 138,163 (100%) | $17,583,211 |
| Danube Island | Vienna | 57,002 / 57,002 (100%) | $8,140,858 |
| Jaz Beach | Budva | 47,524 / 47,524 (100%) | $3,463,063 |
| Olympic Stadium | Athens | 75,637 / 75,637 (100%) | $9,030,440 |
| Izod Center | East Rutherford | 16,896 / 16,896 (100%) | $2,812,250 |
| Madison Square Garden | New York City | 61,586 / 61,586 (100%) | $11,527,375 |
| TD Banknorth Garden | Boston | 26,611 / 26,611 (100%) | $3,658,850 |
| Air Canada Centre | Toronto | 34,324 / 34,324 (100%) | $6,356,171 |
| Bell Centre | Montreal | 34,301 / 34,301 (100%) | $5,391,881 |
| United Center | Chicago | 30,968 / 30,968 (100%) | $5,777,490 |
| BC Place Stadium | Vancouver | 52,712 / 52,712 (100%) | $5,389,762 |
| Oracle Arena | Oakland | 28,198 / 28,198 (100%) | $4,964,765 |
| Petco Park | San Diego | 35,743 / 35,743 (100%) | $5,097,515 |
| Dodger Stadium | Los Angeles | 43,919 / 43,919 (100%) | $5,858,730 |
| MGM Grand Garden Arena | Las Vegas | 29,157 / 29,157 (100%) | $8,397,640 |
| Pepsi Center | Denver | 23,501 / 23,501 (100%) | $4,434,020 |
| Minute Maid Park | Houston | 41,498 / 41,498 (100%) | $5,170,100 |
| Ford Field | Detroit | 30,119 / 30,119 (100%) | $2,395,900 |
| Wachovia Center | Philadelphia | 13,790 / 13,790 (100%) | $2,318,530 |
| Boardwalk Hall | Atlantic City | 13,293 / 13,293 (100%) | $3,321,000 |
| Philips Arena | Atlanta | 14,843 / 14,843 (100%) | $2,632,952 |
| Dolphin Stadium | Miami | 47,998 / 47,998 (100%) | $6,137,030 |
| Foro Sol Stadium | Mexico City | 104,270 / 104,270 (100%) | $10,428,743 |
| River Plate Stadium | Buenos Aires | 263,693 / 263,693 (100%) | $18,274,292 |
| Chile National Stadium | Santiago | 146,242 / 146,242 (100%) | $11,385,499 |
| Maracanã Stadium | Rio de Janeiro | 107,000 / 107,000 (100%) | $7,322,269 |
| Morumbi Stadium | São Paulo | 196,656 / 196,656 (100%) | $15,462,185 |
| The O2 | London | 27,464 / 27,464 (100%) | $5,873,149 |
| Manchester Evening News Arena | Manchester | 13,457 / 13,457 (100%) | $2,827,517 |
| Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy | Paris | 15,806 / 15,806 (100%) | $2,306,551 |
| Werchter Festival Park | Werchter | 68,434 / 68,434 (100%) | $7,190,295 |
| San Siro | Milan | 55,338 / 55,338 (100%) | $6,507,798 |
| Stadio Friuli | Udine | 28,362 / 28,362 (100%) | $3,236,277 |
| Olympic Stadium | Barcelona | 44,811 / 44,811 (100%) | $5,010,557 |
| Vicente Calderón Stadium | Madrid | 31,941 / 31,941 (100%) | $4,109,791 |
| Recinto de la Feria de Zaragoza | Zaragoza | 30,940 / 30,940 (100%) | $2,015,381 |
| Valle Hovin | Oslo | 79,409 / 79,409 (100%) | $10,481,500 |
| Palace Square | St. Petersburg | 27,103 / 27,103 (100%) | $4,431,805 |
| Tallinn Song Festival Grounds | Tallinn | 72,067 / 72,067 (100%) | $5,924,839 |
| West Harbour | Helsinki | 85,354 / 85,354 (100%) | $12,148,455 |
| Ullevi Stadium | Göteborg | 119,709 / 119,709 (100%) | $14,595,910 |
| Parken Stadium | Copenhagen | 48,064 / 48,064 (100%) | $6,709,250 |
| Chodov Natural Amphitheatre | Prague | 42,682 / 42,682 (100%) | $3,835,776 |
| Bemowo Airport | Warsaw | 79,343 / 79,343 (100%) | $6,526,867 |
| Olympic Stadium | Munich | 35,127 / 35,127 (100%) | $3,655,403 |
| Kincsem Park | Budapest | 41,045 / 41,045 (100%) | $3,920,651 |
| Ušće Park | Belgrade | 39,713 / 39,713 (100%) | $1,738,139 |
| Parc Izvor | Bucharest | 69,088 / 69,088 (100%) | $4,659,836 |
| Vasil Levski National Stadium | Sofia | 53,660 / 53,660 (100%) | $4,896,938 |
| Hayarkon Park | Tel Aviv | 99,674 / 99,674 (100%) | $14,656,063 |
| TOTAL | 3,545,899 / 3,557,445 (~100%) | $407,713,266 |
Main
- Show Director – Jamie KingJamie KingJamie King is a creative director and choreographer whose work directing concert tours for pop stars has grossed over two billion dollars...
- Assistant Show Director – Tiffany Olson
- Tour Production Director – Chris Lamb
- Production Assistant – Dana Szpunar
- Party Tour Manager – Frankie Enfield, Vicki Huxel and Jason Milner
- Assistant Party Tour Manager – Ramey Shippen
- Lighting Director – Mac Moiser
- Video Director – Christian Lamb, Frank the Plumber, Eugene Riecansky, Steven Klein, James Lima, Nathan Rissman and Tom Munro
- Supervising Choreographer – Stefanie Ross
- Choreographer – Richmond Talauega, Anthony Talauega, Dondracio Johnson, Alison Faulk, Aljamaal Jones and Jason Young
- Assistant Choreographer – Jamal Sims, RJ Durell and Aakomon Jones
- Sound Design – Sean Spuehler
- Sound Crew Chief – Mark Brnich
- Keyboard Technician – Robert Longo and Steve Borisenko
- Guitar Technician – Steve Borisenko and Tommy Simpson
- Programmer – Ali Staton, Troy Eckermann and Cory Fitzgerald
- Drum Technician – Chris Achzet
- Lighting Design – LeRoy A. Bennett
- Video Design – Veneno, Inc.
- Laser Crew Chief – Martin Potoczny
- Laser – David Fonner
- Production Design – LeRoy A. Bennett
- Costume Design – Arianne Phillips, Riccardo Tisci (for GivenchyGivenchyGivenchy is a French brand of clothing, accessories, perfumes and cosmetics with Parfums Givenchy.The house of Givenchy was founded in 1952 by designer Hubert de Givenchy and is a member of Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture et du Pret-a-Porter...
), Tom FordTom FordThomas Carlyle "Tom" Ford is an American fashion designer and film director. He gained international fame for his turnaround of the Gucci fashion house and the creation of the Tom Ford label before directing the Oscar-nominated film A Single Man.-Early life :Tom Ford was born August 27, 1961 in...
, Dolce & GabbanaDolce & GabbanaDolce & Gabbana is an Italian luxury industry fashion house. The company was started by the Italian designers Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana in Milan, Italy. By 2005 their turnover was €597 million....
, Miu MiuMiu MiuMiu Miu is a high fashion brand from the Prada fashion house, opened in 1993 and headed by Miuccia Prada. The name of the collection is taken from Miuccia Prada’s nickname.-Stores:...
, Stella McCartneyStella McCartneyStella Nina McCartney is an English fashion designer. She is the daughter of former Beatles member Sir Paul McCartney and the late photographer and animal rights activist, Linda McCartney.-Early life:...
, MoschinoMoschinoMoschino is an Italian fashion design house and manufacturer of women's, men's and children's fashion.-History:The brand was originally created in 1983 by the late Franco Moschino...
, Stefano Pilati (for Yves Saint Laurent), Kiki de Montparnasse, Michael Schmidt, Roberto CavalliRoberto CavalliRoberto Cavalli is an Italian fashion designer from Florence.-Biography:Roberto Cavalli was born in Florence, Tuscany. His grandfather, Giuseppe Rossi, was a member of the Macchiaioli Movement, whose work is exhibited in the Uffizi Gallery. Cavalli decided to enroll at the local Art Institute,...
and Jeremy Scott - Manager – Guy OsearyGuy OsearyGuy Oseary is an Israeli-American expert businessman who began his career in entertainment at 17 at what was to become Maverick Records. He is Madonna's manager.-Maverick:...
- Publicity – Liz Rosenberg
- Legal – Grubman, Indursky & Shire
- Finances – TMI Productions
- Logistics – Sevvy Enfield
- Promoter – Live Nation Global Touring
- Dancers – Vadim Kolpakov, Leroy Barnes, Sofia Voutella, Jason Boyd, Emilie Capel, William Charlemoine, Paul KirklandPaul KirklandPaul Kirkland is an American dancer.-Biography:Born Robert Paul Kirkland on June 17, 1982 in Jacksonville, Florida and graduated from Douglas Anderson School of the Arts.He is most commonly known for dancing with Christina Aguilera....
, Jennifer Kita, Kento Mori, Yaman Okur, Charles Park IV, Valeree Pohl, Anthony Rue Jr., Nilaya Savnis, Jason Young, Riki OnoderaHamutsun serveThe Hamutsun Serve is a Japanese dance unit made up of 2 members, Rikiccho and Dah-yoshi.Formed in 1999 by students of University of Fukushima, they gained reputation as performers of 'Animation Dance' through TV appearances in Japan. They have appeared in "4 Minutes" video, as Madonna had...
and Yuki YoshidaHamutsun serveThe Hamutsun Serve is a Japanese dance unit made up of 2 members, Rikiccho and Dah-yoshi.Formed in 1999 by students of University of Fukushima, they gained reputation as performers of 'Animation Dance' through TV appearances in Japan. They have appeared in "4 Minutes" video, as Madonna had...
.
Band
- Kevin Antunes – musical director, keyboards, programming
- Kiley Dean – backing vocals
- Brian Frasier-Moore – drums
- Arkady Gips – violin, backing vocals
- Alexander Kolpakov – guitar, backing vocals
- Vadim Kolpakov – guitar, backing vocals
- Ric'key Pageot – keyboards, piano, accordion
- Monte PittmanMonte PittmanMonte Pittman is an American musician, songwriter and studio musician, based out of Los Angeles, known largely as Madonna's long-time guitarist but has quite a diverse professional resume, including stints that range from glam-pop star Adam Lambert to metal legends Prong.-Career:Pittman started...
– guitar, percussion, backing vocals - Nicki RichardsNicki RichardsNicki Richards is an American singer, songwriter, producer, actor based in Manhattan, New York City. She is also known as a backing singer for a number of renowned artists and on a big number of studio recordings. Her father was a high ranking African-American naval officer and her mother, Donna...
– backing vocals
Source:
External links
- Sticky & Sweet Tour 2008 – Madonna.com
- Sticky & Sweet Tour 2009 – Madonna.com