The Sticky & Sweet Tour was the eighth concert tour by American singer Madonna, launched in support of her eleventh studio album, Hard Candy (2008). It marked her first major undertaking under a new 360 deal with Live Nation. Following a series of promotional appearances, the tour was announced in May 2008 with shows across Europe and North America, and also marked her return to Latin America after fifteen years. Though initially planned, the tour did not visit Australia. The first leg began on August 23, 2008, at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, and concluded on December 21 at Morumbi Stadium in São Paulo. In early 2009, a summer extension was confirmed, focusing primarily on European markets; this second leg ran from July 4 at the O2 Arena in London to September 2 at Yarkon Park in Tel Aviv.
The show was divided into four thematic segments —Pimp, Old School, Gypsy, and Rave— and described as a "rock-driven, dancetastic journey". Critical reception was generally positive, with praise for the tour's production values, choreography, and Madonna's stage presence. Commercially, the tour was a major success: after earning $282 million ($ million in dollars) it became the highest-grossing tour ever by a solo artist at the time. An additional $129 million ($ million in dollars) was generated from the 2009 extension, bringing the final gross to $411 million ($ million in dollars), making it the second highest-grossing tour of all time, behind only the Rolling Stones' A Bigger Bang Tour (2005―07). It remained the highest-grossing tour by a female artist for fifteen years.
The tour generated some backlash. A video interlude titled "Get Stupid" drew criticism for placing images of then-US Republican presidential candidate John McCain alongside those of Adolf Hitler and Robert Mugabe. During a 2009 concert in Bucharest, Madonna addressed discrimination against the Romani community in Eastern Europe, which was met with audible boos from the audience. The shows at Buenos Aires' River Plate Stadium were filmed and later broadcast as Madonna: Sticky & Sweet —first airing on Sky1, and subsequently on EPIX. The broadcast was released on DVD, Blu-ray, and CD in 2010 under the title Sticky & Sweet Tour.
Background
In October 2007, Madonna officially announced her departure from Warner Bros. Records, the label she had been signed to since the beginning of her career. She entered into a landmark $120 million, ten-year 360 deal with Live Nation, covering future music ventures including touring, merchandising, and sponsorships. In March 2008, The Sunday Telegraph reported that Madonna was planning to visit Australia, with promoter Michael Chugg saying a world tour "will happen" and was actively being discussed. Around the same time, the singer herself hinted at plans during an interview with Z100-FM, saying: "I might tour in the fall —it's still a possibility". One month later, the Daily Mirror revealed the tour would likely begin that September at London's Wembley Stadium, with negotiations underway.
Hard Candy, Madonna's final studio album under Warner Bros, was released on April 29, 2008. She promoted it with exclusive concerts at New York City's Roseland Ballroom, Paris Olympia hall, and headlined the BBC Radio 1's Big Weekend. During a May 1 interview on On Air with Ryan Seacrest, she officially confirmed the tour. A week later, Live Nation and Arthur Fogel announced the Sticky & Sweet Tour —the first major undertaking under the new partnership. Kicking off in August, the tour spanned Europe, North America, and South America —marking her return to Mexico and Latin America for the first time since the Girlie Show of 1993. Although Australian dates were planned for January 2009, they were canceled for financial reasons. Instead, Madonna extended the tour through summer 2009 with a second European leg, kicking off July 4 at the O2 Arena in London, and concluding September 2 in Tel Aviv.
Development Conception and stage setup According to author Daryl Easlea in Madonna: Blond Ambition (2012), the singer envisioned the Sticky & Sweet Tour as "bringing the dance floor to the stadium", and delivering a nonstop party, in contrast to the political and message-heavy Confessions Tour of 2006. The show was described as a "rock-driven, dancetastic journey" divided into four thematic acts: Pimp, a blend of 1920s deco and modern gangsta glam; Old School, referencing early 1980s New York dance culture and Keith Haring's art; Gypsy, inspired by Romani folk music and dance; and Rave, an energetic finale with Middle Eastern influences. Jamie King returned as creative director, with Kevin Antunes as musical director. The production involved 250 crew members, 69 guitars, 12 trampolines, and 100 pairs of kneepads, as reported by NME. The troupe was made up of Monte Pittman on guitar, backing vocalists Kiley Dean and Nicki Richards, 12 dancers including Sofia Boutella, and artists like Hamutsun Serve and the Kolpakov brothers Sasha and Vladim.
The stage, more compact than its predecessor's, was T-shaped with a conveyor belt runway leading to a B-stage, and a Swarovski-studded "M" on each side. Seventeen high-definition video screens —three measuring — created a seamless backdrop, controlled via XLNT's InMotion3D software. These screens played a key role in the show's visual storytelling: during "4 Minutes" and "Beat Goes On", the panels shifted to create a dynamic, immersive environment for virtual duets with Justin Timberlake and Pharrell Williams. For "Devil Wouldn't Recognize You" and "Beat Goes On", a pair of concentric cylindrical stealth screens descended from above; though constructed from flat LED panels, they were customized into a rounded form using cable ties and small uprights, according to video engineer Jason Harvey.
The show's visuals were coordinated using Mac Pros, with footage arriving from London, New York, and Los Angeles. Highlights included brightly colored, childlike animations in the style of Keith Haring for "Into the Groove" (1985), and a video of Britney Spears trapped in an elevator during "Human Nature" (1995); Madonna described it as a metaphor for Spears' public struggles. For the 2009 extension, Marilyn Minter's Green Pink Caviar —featuring a giant tongue licking neon icing— accompanied opener "Candy Shop". Props used throughout the concert included a crystal-studded M-shaped throne, a 1935 Auburn Speedster, and a boxing ring.
Fashion The Sticky & Sweet Tour featured a high-fashion wardrobe designed by Arianne Phillips with contributions from Riccardo Tisci for Givenchy, Stella McCartney, Jeremy Scott, and others. For the opening Pimp segment, Madonna donned a dominatrix-inspired Givenchy ensemble, including a black stretch satin frock coat with jet bead embroidery, paired with thigh-high boots by McCartney. Jeremy Scott designed the Old School look —custom Keith Haring sneakers and 1980s-inspired streetwear—paying tribute to both Madonna's early New York days and her friendship with Haring. Tisci also created the Gypsy act's wardrobe, including a black chiffon dress with multicolored ribbons and a dramatic fuchsia-lined silk cape. The final act, Rave, included Japanese-influenced outfits with sequined shoulder pads, while accessories throughout the show came from brands like Miu Miu, Moschino, Roberto Cavalli, and Tom Ford. Stylist Phillips noted Madonna's boldness, stating, "There are no vanity considerations based on her age". For the tour's 2009 extension, Tisci updated the Pimp look with a "super couture, sensual, goth, bondage"-themed outfit featuring black feathers. He called it, "an outfit that will make history", adding that Madonna "wants to be stronger". Male dancers wore new Brooks Brothers attire, including crisp white tuxedo shirts.
Concert synopsis Original
The concert opened with a 3D animation titled "The Sweet Machine", showing candy being processed like pinballs. Then, Madonna made her entrance on the M-shaped throne, dressed in Givenchy and flanked by dancers in bondage-inspired outfits for "Candy Shop." Giant LED screens flashed gumdrops and candy imagery. In "Beat Goes On", she rode the Auburn Speedster as Pharrell Williams and Kanye West appeared onscreen. A remixed guitar-led "Human Nature" followed, accompanied by the visuals of Britney Spears trapped in an elevator. The act concluded with a mashup of "Vogue" and "4 Minutes", and a video interlude set to a remix of "Die Another Day". The screens showed Madonna as a boxer, while dancers staged a choreographed fight in a boxing ring onstage.
"Into the Groove" kicked off the Old School act. The number featured a jump rope routine and double Dutch segment. Madonna, clad in retro gym wear, continued with "Heartbeat", where backup dancers manipulated her movements like puppeteers. A rock version of "Borderline" saw her on electric guitar, and "She's Not Me" added a self-referential touch with dancers impersonating her past looks from videos like "Like a Virgin" and "Material Girl". The act closed with "Music", set against a graffiti-covered subway backdrop, ending as the performers disappeared behind animated train doors.
The Gypsy segment opened with an interlude combining Madonna's own "Rain" and Eurythmics's "Here Comes the Rain Again" (1984), accompanied by an animated video of a pixie seeking shelter during a rainstorm, and an Asian-inspired dance by Hamutsun Serve. "Devil Wouldn’t Recognize You" followed, with Madonna singing atop a piano inside the cylindrical screen projecting storm imagery. She then performed "Spanish Lesson", featuring a flamenco solo by Vadim Kolpakov, and "Miles Away", accompanied by airport visuals. "La Isla Bonita" included elements of the Romani song "Lela Pala Tute" and a guest appearance by the Kolpakov Trio, who later performed "Doli Doli" as Madonna sat with her dancers. The act concluded with "You Must Love Me", with scenes from Evita (1996) playing on the screens.
The "Get Stupid" video interlude opened the Rave act. Set to a remix of "Beat Goes On", it showcased global issues like famine and climate change, and controversially compared political figures —pairing John McCain with Hitler and Barack Obama with Gandhi. Madonna then returned to the stage for "4 Minutes", joined by Justin Timberlake and Timbaland via screen projections. A remix of "Like a Prayer" followed, incorporating elements of "Meck's "Feels Like Home" and visuals featuring texts from major world religions. She played guitar on "Ray of Light", then invited the audience to request an "oldie but goodie", usually singing a snippet before launching into a rock-infused "Hung Up", which included the opening riff from Pantera's "A New Level" after guitarist Monte Pittman suggested the riff as guitar practice. After a short arcade-style video interlude, the show closed with "Give It 2 Me" and a crowd sing-along, ending as the words "Game Over" appeared onscreen.
2009 revisions