Sticky & Sweet Tour

Infobox concert tour
concert_tour_name = Sticky & Sweet Tour


image_caption = Madonna performing during her 2008 World Tour
artist = Madonna
album = "Hard Candy"
start_date = August 23, 2008
end_date = December 21, 2008
number_of_legs = 3
number_of_shows = 17 in Europe
30 in North America
11 in South America
58 Total
last_tour = Confessions Tour
(2006)
this_tour = Sticky & Sweet Tour
(2008)
next_tour =

The Sticky & Sweet Tour is the eighth concert tour by American singer-songwriter Madonna to support her eleventh studio album "Hard Candy". The show tours Europe and the Americas. It will be Madonna's first major venture from her new recording and business deal with Live Nation, following the Hard Candy Promo Tour.

Background

The world tour was officially confirmed by Guy Oseary, Madonna's manager and Arthur Fogel, Live Nation's CEO Global Touring and Chairman Global Music on May 8, 2008. To promote the tour, a website was released on the day of the first show. [ [http://www.madonna.com/stickyandsweet/] ] The tour is described as a "rock driven dancetastic journey". The show features four acts: [cite press release |title=Sticky & Sweet Tour - Press Release |publisher=Warner Bros. Records |date=2008-08-20 |url=http://www.madonna.com/news/news.php?uid=285 |format= |language= |accessdate= |quote= ]
*Pimp: a fusion of modern urban life and 1920's deco.
**Britney Spears appears via videotaped cameo in the tour during the track "Human Nature".
*Old School: Madonna revisits her early days in NYC and also pays homage to friend Keith Haring.
*Gypsy: a blend of nomad gypsy culture and folk music .
*Rave: a futuristic dance floor with eastern influence.

Controversy

PoliticalDuring the "Get Stupid" video interlude, the audience viewed images of disaster throughout the ages along with images of Hitler and Mugabe. US Republican presidential candidate John McCain was featured in the segment as well along Hitler and Mugabe. Images of 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 to McCain's camp. Tucker Bounds, McCain's spokesperson stated: [cite web|url=http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2008/08/25/mccain-madonna-concert.html?ref=rss|title=McCain camp calls Madonna concert segment 'outrageous, unacceptable'|date=2008-08-25|accessdate=2008-08-27|work=CBC News Canada]

"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."

ReligiousDuring her show at the Olympic Stadium in Rome, Madonna dedicated her smash hit Like a Virgin to Pope Benedict XVI. She stated: [cite web|url=http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/wireStory?id=5752103|title=Madonna Dedicates "Like a Virgin" to Pope in Rome|date=2008-09-08|accessdate=2008-09-10|last=Babington|first=Deepa|coauthors=Ralph Boulton|work=ABC News|publisher=Reuters News Service] [cite video |people=Madonna |date2=2008-09-07 |month2=2008 |year2=September |title=Madonna dedicates "Like a Virgin" to the Pope - Sticky & Sweet Tour Rome - 06.09.2008 |url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTwcAQ5KU3g |format= |medium= |publisher= |location= |accessdate=2008-09-13 |time=0:34 |quote= ]

"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] ."

Neither Pope Benedict XVI nor the Vatican have made any remarks towards the dedication or any comments made.

Wembley StadiumMadonna fans complained that they experienced poor sound quality in some areas of Wembley Stadium. Fans proclaimed:

"The sound for those of us in the seated areas was very, very poor [...] During a number of the songs being performed, people around me were discussing the price of bread - really"

Representatives from Live Nation and Wembley Stadium has denied any audio problems. [cite web|url=http://www.eveshamjournal.co.uk/uk_national_entertainment/3670547.Sound_quality_at_Madonna_gig__poor_/|title=Sound quality at Madonna gig 'poor'|date=2008-09-12|accessdate=2008-09-26|work=Evesham Journal|publisher=Newsquest Media Group] Madonna also was criticized for being 40 minutes late to the performance, leading to a late ending of the concert. This caused chaos as many concert-goers were left stranded as tube trains had finished. Representatives from Live Nation commented that "Stage times are only guidelines." [cite web|url=http://www.dailystar.co.uk/gossip/view/50739/|title=Madonna dismisses London show controversy|date=2008-09-12|accessdate=2008-09-26|work=Daily Star|publisher=Northern and Shell Media Publications] . On 27th September 2008, it was announced that Madonna was charged £134,000 for over running for 40 mins as she was late on stage.

Opening acts

*Robyn (select European dates) [cite web|url=http://madonna.com/news/news.php?uid=257|title=Robyn To Support Madonna's 'Sticky & Sweet' Tour|accessdate=2008-06-19|work=Madonna's Official Website]
*Benny Benassi (Rome) [cite web|url=http://madonna.com/news/news.php?uid=266|title=Benny Benassi to support Madonna's Sticky & Sweet Tour|accessdate=2008-07-11|work=Madonna's Official Website]
*Paul Oakenfold (London, [cite web|url=http://www.mixmag.net/content/oakenfold-open-madonna-wembley |title=Oakenfold to open for Madonna at Wembley |accessdate=2008-06-27 |last=Stevenson |first=Nick |coauthors= |date=2008-06-24 |work=MixMag|publisher=] Santiago, [cite web|url=http://www.cooperativa.cl/prontus_nots/site/artic/20080822/pags/20080822091556.html|work=Radio Cooperativa|title=Madonna confirmó concierto en Chile el 10 de diciembre|accessdate=2008-08-24|date=2008-06-22|language=Spanish] Buenos Aires, [cite web|url=http://www.ticketek.com.ar/Conciertos/Interprete-Internacional/MADONNA__MADONNA|work=Ticketek Argentina|title=Madonna, Estadio River Plate|accessdate=2008-08-26|date=2008-06-26|language=Spanish] )
*Bob Sinclar (Paris) [cite web|url=http://madonna.com/news/news.php?uid=269|title=Madonna & Bob Sinclar get Sticky & Sweet|accessdate=2008-07-16|work=Madonna's Official Website]

etlist

#"Candy Shop"
#"Beat Goes On"
#"Human Nature"
#"Vogue" (contains elements of "4 Minutes" and "Give It To Me")
#"Die Another Day" (Remix) (Video Interlude)
#"Into the Groove" (contains elements of "Toop Toop", "Jump" and "Double Dutch Bus")
#"Heartbeat"
#"Borderline"
#"She's Not Me"
#"Music" (contains elements of "Put Your Hands Up 4 Detroit", with excerpts from "Last Night a DJ Saved My Life")
#"Rain" (Remix) (Video Interlude) (contains elements of "Here Comes the Rain Again")
#"Devil Wouldn't Recognize You"
#"Spanish Lesson"
#"Miles Away"
#"La Isla Bonita" (contains elements of "Lela Pala Tute")
#"Doli Doli" (Dance Interlude)
#"You Must Love Me"
#"Get Stupid" (Video Interlude) (contains excerpts from "Beat Goes On", "Give It 2 Me", "4 Minutes" and "Voices")
#"4 Minutes"
#"Like a Prayer" (contains elements of "Don't You Want Me" and "Feels Like Home")
#"Ray of Light"
#"Hung Up"
#"Give It 2 Me"

Source: [cite web|url=http://www.ineedmyfix.com/2008/08/23/madonna-in-concert-in-cardiff-united-kingdom/madonna-38/|title=Madonna Sticky & Sweet Tour Set List|date=2008-08-23|accessdate=2008-08-24|work=I Need My Fix] [cite web|url=http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3019/2790016606_5f8e4781e5.jpg?v=0|title=Set list from Sticky & Sweet Tourbook|date=2008-08-24|accessdate=2008-08-24|work=Flickr]

Additional Notes

* Before Madonna performs "Hung Up", she asks the audience if they have any requests. On almost all concerts since opening night, she has performed the first verse and chorus of her 1989 hit, "Express Yourself". However, occasionally she has strayed from this pattern.
*In Berlin, Madonna performed two lines from "Holiday".
*In Dusseldorf, Rome and Frankfurt, Madonna performed the first verse and chorus of "Like a Virgin".
*"Dress You Up" was performed in Valencia and Vienna.
*"Open Your Heart" in East Rutherford.
*On October 6 "Lucky Star" was performed in New York.
*On October 7 the song requested was "I Love New York".

Tour dates

Box Office Score Data

Source: [Citation| last =| first =| author-link =| publication-date = 2008-10-04| date =| year =| title = Billboard Boxscore| periodical = Billboard Magazine| series =| publication-place = New York City| place =| publisher = Nielsen Business Media, Inc.| volume =| issue =| pages =| url =http://www.billboard.biz| issn =| doi =| oclc =| accessdate = 2008-10-02]

Record sellouts

On September 11, 2008, Madonna performed to a sell-out crowd of over 74,000 fans and a gross of over $12 million USD and surpassed all previous grosses at both the old and the new Wembley Stadiums. cite web|url=http://markets.on.nytimes.com/research/stocks/news/press_release.asp?docKey=600-200809121411PR_NEWS_USPR_____LAF520-0F5BVTEO39SQ6QJVNTFRSB66AO&provider=PR%20Newswire&docDate=September%2012%2C%202008&press_symbol=US%3BLYV|title=Madonna Sticky & Sweet European Tour Continues to Shatter Records|date=2008-09-12|accessdate=2008-09-26|work=The New York Times] This record breaking performance adds another first, following the Zurich performance in front of 72,000 fans was the largest audience ever for a concert in Switzerland. . The Lisbon date with 75,000 fans made the biggest concert ever in Iberian Peninsula [cite web|url=http://www.correiodamanha.pt/noticia.aspx?contentid=541E8A40-2B8D-4C78-9759-6863308E79A7&channelid=00000009-0000-0000-0000-000000000009|title=Madonna pôs o público aos saltos|date=2008-09-15|accessdate=2008-09-26|work=Correio da Manhã|publisher=Cofina Media - Grupo Cofina|language=Portugeuse] and one of the biggest crowd of Sticky & Sweet Tour. The two shows in Mexico City on November 29th and 30th sold out in record time also. Also, Madonna's show in Montenegro was performed to more than 47,000, the biggest-ever event held in the small Adriatic republic. [cite web|url=http://uk.news.yahoo.com/rtrs/20080925/twl-life-us-montenegro-madonna-concert-9020220.html|title=Tiny Montenegro town gears up for Madonna's big gig|date=2008-09-25|accessdate=2008-09-26|work=Yahoo News: UK & Ireland|publisher=Reuters Limited]

Critical response

Madonna's tour has generated rave reviews:
*The Independent gave the show 4 stars and quotes: "If those who took in this spectacular opening to Madonna's world tour have seen anything as slick, innovative and energetic in recent months, then please point it out. The choreography, visuals and live talent were world class and mind-blowingly well executed, intelligent and witty." cite web|url=http://markets.on.nytimes.com/research/stocks/news/press_release.asp?docKey=600-200809021358PR_NEWS_USPR_____LATU535-5501T064E8LN77M1TJQIAL90QI&provider=PR%20Newswire&docDate=September%203%2C%202008&press_symbol=undefined|title=Madonna's Sticky & Sweet Tour: The Beat Goes On!|date=2008-09-03|accessdate=2008-09-26|work=The New Your Times]
*The Times: "In the premiere league of song-and-dance spectaculars, the queen of pop remains unrivalled and undefeated."
*The Sun: "Without question Madonna is still the Queen of Pop. Long live the Queen."
*The Daily Mail: "Nobody does a big stadium show quite like Madonna - this is a theatrical, two hour blockbuster."

Personnel

Creative Director: Jamie King
Musical Direction: Kevin Antunes
Costume Design: Givenchy, Arianne Phillips, Tom Ford, Miu Miu, Stella McCartney, Moschino, Yves Saint Laurent, Roberto Cavalli, and Jeremy Scott [cite web |url=http://www.wwd.com/lifestyle-news/madonnas-costumes-for-her-sticky-and-sweet-tour-1703286|title=Madonna's Costumes for Her Sticky and Sweet Tour|date=2008-08-05|accessdate=2008-08-14|last=Bernstein|first=Jacob|work=Women's Wear Daily]
Promoter: Live Nationcite press release |title=Madonna's "Sticky & Sweet" Tour - Official Press Release |publisher=Live Nation |date=2008-05-08 |url=http://madonna.com/news/news.php?uid=236 |format= |language= |accessdate=2008-07-09 |quote= ]

References

External links

* [http://www.madonna.com Madonna's Official Web Page]
* [http://madonna.com/stickyandsweet/ Sticky & Sweet Tour]
* [http://www.livenation.eu/madonna Live Nation's Sticky & Sweet Tour]