Posted August 29, 200618 yr Madonna's concert will be held at a stadium in southwest Moscow on September 12, the organizers said Monday, correcting earlier reports that the much-awaited event would take place September 11. Initially Madonna's concert was to take place at the Vorobyovy Gory hill overlooking the capital in front of Moscow State University also in the southwest of the capital. But authorities said the venue had to be changed for security reasons. The decision to hold the concert in Luzhniki was made by NCA, an official partner to LIFE NATION, the promoter of the American pop diva's "Confessions on a Dance Floor" tour, and the Moscow authorities, NCA President Mikhail Shurygin said. Moscow's police chief, Vladimir Pronin, had said earlier Monday that Tushino airfield in the northwest of the capital was the only possible venue for concerts with as many as over 200,000 ticket holders. Pronin said 250,000 people were expected at the concert but Vorobyovy Gory and Luzhniki could only accommodate around 40,000 and 70,000 spectators respectively. About 100,000 tickets have been sold already, he said. Considering Luzhniki's limited capacity, Madonna may have to perform there twice, he said.
August 29, 200618 yr how silly! i think i posted something similar in the confessions thread! i wonder what there gonna do?
September 12, 200618 yr Latest from Moscow. MOSCOW, September 12 (Itar-Tass) -- About 20,000 viewers have come to the Luzhniki sports center to watch Madonna’s Confessions show. All is quiet, and the police are in control, city police deputy spokesman Yevgeny Gildeyev told Itar-Tass. “The viewers keep coming, and the dancing floor is full at 90%, while only one-thirds of seats are taken,†he said. The police have detained ten supporters of Orthodox organizations, who protested against Madonna’s Moscow show at Luzhniki, Gildeyev said. “Representatives of the Union of Orthodox Gonfaloniers tried to hold an unauthorized picket, but their attempts were immediately stopped by the police. Administrative protocols are being drafted,†he said. A total of 3,500 policemen are providing for law and order at Luzhniki, and 600 OMON servicemen are on the standby. Firemen, rescuers and ambulance vehicles will stay near the stadium until late at night. Ten people have asked for medical aid, but none of them needed hospitalization. The Luzhniki area is cordoned by the police and OMON, and officers are patrolling the area between the Sportivnaya metro station and the sports center. Forty-five mounted policemen and two police helicopters are also part of the operation. The show is a strain for local traffic. Seventy traffic police officers are on duty near Luzhniki.
September 12, 200618 yr http://madonnalicious.com/images/extra/2006/moscow_120906_news.jpg Thankfully all has gone well and Madonna has now officially finished the European leg of the unique Confessions tour! :) Above are the first set of pictures, awesome!! :)
September 13, 200618 yr Some 50,000 spectators, 7,000 police officers, and a handful of Orthodox Christian protesters congregated at Moscow’s largest stadium for Madonna’s controversial debut concert in Russia, AFP reports. A week after a hundred believers gathered to let Moscow know that the American singer was “under the influence of the devilâ€, threatening an “inquisition†if she came to Moscow, police said they held 10 Orthodox protesters near the concert. The public, however, appeared to ignore the Russian Orthodox Church’s call for a boycott of the concert, with tickets selling out in record time. Police said the concert went off without incident, despite the fact that Madonna defied church warnings against “exploiting Christian symbols†by singing from a cross at one point during the show, Itar-Tass reported. Source: Mosnews.
