Madonna comes to Vancouver for first time ever

Vancouver is the only other Canadian city aside from Toronto that is on the tour agenda of Madonna, the Queen of Pop.

Her Madgesty -- as she is fondly known -- announced early Thursday that she will be embarking on an international tour that will start in Cardiff, Wales on Aug. 23, exactly a week after her 50th birthday.

The Sticky and Sweet Tour -- named after a lyric on her new album, Hard Candy -- will begin its North American leg on Oct. 3 in New Jersey and make its way west.

Madonna will hit BC Place Stadium on Oct. 30 accompanied by what is sure to be a full complement of dancers, costumers and crew members.

The show will mark the first time the pop icon has performed in Vancouver.

BC Place is a massive venue, with a capacity of about three times the size of GM Place. The last time a concert was held there was in November 2006, when the Rolling Stones attracted about 51,000 people to the stadium.

Given Madonna's enduring popularity, her status as a pop icon, and the fact she's never played Vancouver before, the show is practically guaranteed to sell out.

Tickets range in price from a modest $55 to an astounding $350. They go on sale May 24 at 10 a.m.

The last time Madonna hit the road, for her 2006 Confessions Tour, it ended up ranking as the highest grossing tour ever by a female artist and drew in more than 1.3 million fans.

Hard Candy, which was released just last week, debuted at No. 1 in 27 countries around the world and marks Madonna's first foray into the world of hip hop. It features collaborations with super-producers Timbaland, Justin Timberlake and Pharrell Williams.