Live From Cardiff

Madonna Raises $60,000 For Sandy Relief

Madonna reportedly raised $60,000 (£37,500) in donations for victims of superstorm Sandy by baring her butt on stage at a show in New York City.
The pop superstar visited one of the areas worst affected by the disaster during her trip to New York this month), and she was inspired to help raise money for relief efforts when she took to the stage at Madison Square Garden on Monday.
She dropped her trousers to show her butt and ordered fans to throw money on stage, and she also pulled a similar stunt during her Tuesday night concert at the same venue.
Madonna's risque fundraising tactic appears to have paid off as she collected $60,000 (£37,500) in donations, according to the New York Post's Page Six column.
The total came from two nights of onstage donations, as well as contributions from her production team and other associates.

From contactmusic.com


Madonna kicks off world tour in Cardiff

'Queen of pop' Madonna kicked off her 'Sticky & Sweet' world tour in the Welsh city of Cardiff on Saturday, entering the stage on a throne before performing 'Candy Shop' to around 40,000 screaming fans.
The U.S. singer, who turned 50 a week ago, defied her age with high-energy dance routines. She wore a black leotard-style outfit designed by French fashion house Givenchy and black, knee-length boots.
For her second number, 'Beat Goes On', she drove along the stage catwalk in a white car from which she emerged wearing a white top hat.
U.S. rappers Pharrell Williams and Kanye West, who featured on her latest chart-topping album 'Hard Candy', appeared in video clips, as did Britney Spears.
Madonna will be hoping to shatter her own record for the highest-grossing tour ever by a female artist and prove that the musical master of reinvention still has what it takes to pull in crowds young and old.
'She's got the physique, the music. To us, at 52, she's an inspiration to go on,' said Diane, a fan from Cardiff.
At the other end of the age scale, nine-year-old Milly added: 'I think she's really good and I'd like to be like her.'
According to tour promoters Live Nation, who recently sig,

In Cardiff she was due to play a set of around 20 songs which span her pop career of nearly three decades, including 'Like A Prayer', 'Into The Groove' and 'Hung Up'.
'Sticky & Sweet' comprises some 50 dates and is due to wrap up in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on December 18.

From Reuters via Yahoo! News


Sticky & Sweet Tour Merchandise Revealed

The official online retailer for Madonna merchandise has revealed the full range of Sticky & Sweet Tour merchandise - and what a lot of candy there is for fans to choose from.

The tour book featuring brand new pictures, plenty of tshirts, a new version of the tracksuit top that was so popular last tour, badges, mugs, glasses, sweatbands and a whole lot more.

To view all the items online visit Fanfire.com - directly below is the cover of the tour book, and then a selection of the merchandise.