Madonna kicks off UK tour

Madonna launched the UK leg of her Confessions world tour last night (July 30) in front of 60,000 fans at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium.

The singer's first European date after a North American tour saw her play a two hours set largely dominated by material from recent album ’Confessions On A Dance Floor’, but also included classics like 'Like A Virgin' and 'Erotica'.

With Madonna arriving onstage from inside a giant diamond encrusted glitter ball and the stadium's retractable roof closed, the former FA Cup final venue resembled a massive nightclub.

Amongst dramatic video screens, numerous costume changes, plus an army of gymnastic dancers. The show saw the star theatrically ride a carousel horse above the stage during 'Like A Virgin' before she hung from a crucifix – complete with a crown of thorns - for the duration of 'Live To Tell'.

Later on, the singer even strapped on an electric guitar for feedback infused renditions of 'I Love New York' and 'Ray Of Light', before departing after 'Hung Up' leaving a stage full of gold balloons.

Madonna played:

’Future Lovers’/‘I Feel Love’
‘Get Together’
‘Like A Virgin’
‘Jump’
‘Live To Tell’
‘Forbidden Love’
‘Issac’
‘Sorry’
‘Like It Or Not’
‘I Love New York’
‘Ray Of Light’
‘Let It Will Be’
‘Drowned World’/‘Substitute For Love’
‘Paradise (Not For Me)’
‘Music Inferno’
‘Erotica’
‘La Isla Bonita’
‘Lucky Star’
‘Hung Up’

The tour continues on August 1, as [a]Madonna kicks off the first of eight dates at London's Wembley Arena before heading to Europe and Japan.