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Madonna, the uncontested Queen of Pop, kicks off her new Sticky & Sweet World Tour in Cardiff, Great Britain tonight at the Millennium Stadium and the world waits with bated breath to hear (or, if you’re lucky enough to be attending this first show, see) what Maddy has got up her sleeve for this latest tour. But, ahead of tonight’s first show we have a couple of preview pics of Madonna on stage from her full dress rehearsal performance which took place last night. Here are pics of Madge in her “old school” tour costume last night:

There are quite a few more pictures out there from the final dress rehearsal performance last night but in an effort to keep as many secrets about the tour unspoiled until the tour actually starts, I’ll not be posting them. That said, I do plan to post a few pics of the opening night show in Cardiff (which takes place tonight) tomorrow in a post about the show.

Madonna.com has announced the opening of the official tour store where souvenirs from the Sticky & Sweet World Tour can be purchased online, including t-shirts, posters and the tourbook:

After the jump, check out a few pictures from the tourbook, some stats about the show that have been released by Madonna‘s people and a short video of Madonna talking to her fans from backstage at last night’s dress rehearsal …

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

Madonna, currently putting the finishing touches to her fabulous new Sticky & Sweet Show in Cardiff, is readying herself and the 250 traveling personnel for the opening night this Saturday at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium. Hot on the diamante shaped heels of her phenomenally successful ‘Hard Candy’ disc, ‘Sticky & Sweet’ promises two pulsating hours of non stop hits in a show that features 16 dancers, a 12 piece band, more than 8 costume changes for the lady herself and £l million of Swarovski crystals. The audience is taken on a rock driven dance tastic journey that’s broken into four sections:

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

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

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

Rave
Far eastern influences emerge all sparkly and sporty.

3500 Number of individual wardrobe elements for tour
653 Hours of rehearsal time for Madonna and band
250 Number of travelling personnel
200 Triangle sponges used to apply makeup
180 Q-Tips used for entire tour (3 per night)
120 Powder puffs
100 Pairs of out of stock fishnet, pantyhose in old style weave, purchased for Madonna via ebay and local dance shops
100 Pairs of kneepads
69 Guitars
36 Different Designers contributed to the onstage wardrobe
30 Wardrobe Trunks travel to each venue
28 Maximum number of performers onstage
20 Nationalities represented in touring stuff (including Japanese, Israeli, Russian, Romanian, Australian and Algerian)
18 Racks of Clothing for Band, dancers and gypsies
16 Caterers
12 Seamstresses working non stop in Cardiff to finish costumes for opening night
12 Travelling trampolines used in training by Madonna and dancers
10 Large flight cases of medical supplies
10 Number of guitars Madonna will travel with
9 Number of people working in wardrobe department
8 Major Madonna Costume changes
5 Number of people it takes to change Madonna into next costume
5 Keyboards on stage for Kevin Antunes, Musical Director
4 Large freezers to carry ice packs for Madonna and dancers
4 YSL Lipsticks will cover entire tour
3 Romanian gypsy musicians playing acoustic instruments
3 Racks of Clothing contain Madonna’s stage wardrobe
3 Shu Uemura eyelash curlers
2 Rigs for DJ set up
2 Stages
1.5 Minutes – Shortest time required to change Madonna’s costumes between numbers
1 Chiropractor
1 Personal trainer
1 Masseuse
1 Set of Swarovski crystal ear phones for DJ

An industrious and perhaps overzealous fan has already posted photos from the entire tourbook (which you can see HERE if you so desire). And here is Maddy‘s message to fans on the eve of the kickoff of her world tour:

I am VERY excited for this tour all of the sudden. I mean, I was always looking forward to seeing this new tour but all of this last minute excitement is very infectious :) This morning I got my ass up at 7AM PT (which was very difficult since I only went to bed at 4AM PT) to purchase a ticket for Madonna‘s Detroit concert stop in November (I managed to get a very sweet left-center floor ticket, thank you very much) so I’m deffo planning on being at that show. I may have to see about getting to either one of the LA or the NYC shows as well … now, I’m dying to see this show. I really don’t want to spoil myself too much before I get to see the show but … I am dying to hear about the rumored Britney Spears portion of the show. I am counting on those overzealous Madonna fans to give us the full scoop as soon as it happens in Cardiff tonight.

[Source, Source, Source, thanks Kevin]