MADONNA - MADONNA KICKS OFF WORLD TOUR IN CARDIFF

MADONNA KICKS OFF WORLD TOUR IN CARDIFF

Cardiff's Millennium Stadium played host to the first night of Madonna's 51-date world tour yesterday evening.

After the show eventually got started – Madge kept the crowd waiting by being an hour late – it quickly became clear the Queen of Pop's reign is far from over.

A few reworked versions of old hits like Vogue, Like A Prayer and Into The Groove were interspersed with her latest Hard Candy album.

More than £1 million of jewellery was on show alongside 16 dancers and eight costume changes.

The concert, divided into its Pimp, Old School, Gypsy and Rave sections, lasted two hours and wrapped up with Give It 2 Me.

Madonna put in an energetic performance and kept the 40,000 crowd – well below capacity for the Millennium Stadium – entertained throughout.

Perhaps the presence of her husband, the film director Guy Ritchie, and her children Lourdes, Rocco and David, helped her keep a spring in her step. Or perhaps it's just that she's one of the biggest stars in pop.