Madonna's tour kicks off in Cardiff

Madonna kicked off the opening night of her Sticky and Sweet world tour at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff. The 'Queen of pop' came on stage in a glittering black Givenchy outfit before revisiting classic looks and hits during a two-hour set. The only thing some fans could be rightly disappointed with was a lack of controversy, after her last tour saw her suspended on a crucifix. The diverse production was not without drama however, with Britney Spears making a much-anticipated appearance on a video screen. A film of CCTV-style footage showed her trapped in a lift, wearing dark glasses and a hooded top. Britney whispered: "Express yourself, don't repress yourself," as Madonna sung Human Nature - one of many in which she also played guitar. A raunchy version of Vogue set pulses racing at the stadium, with dancers in bondage clothes and black masks contorting at the front of the stage, before fans revelled in a heavy metal version of Borderline. Madonna took the 1980s streets of down town New York as her inspiration for Into The Groove, given a high-energy dance treatment that saw the star take part in a skipping contest before pole dancing. Another older song, La Isla Bonita, was the background music for a flamenco routine accompanied by Romanian musicians, before Madonna paid homage to her chameleon style and long career in She's Not Me. Dancers dressed as four of her previous incarnations, including the Material Girl and Blonde Ambition tour Madonnas, were mocked by the singer before sinking into the stage. She left the stage after two hours without playing an encore, and spoke infrequently to fans during the show - only occasionally stopping to ask them to "make some noise". Madonna's husband, film director Guy Ritchie, and children Lourdes, Rocco and David, were among those in the 40,000-strong audience.

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ITN | August 27, 2008

Tags:. .treatment. .lift. .musician. .hood. .paid