ST. PETERSBURG, July 31 (RIA Novosti) - Concert organizers are pulling out all the stops to ensure Madonna's one stop in Russia for her Sticky & Sweet tour goes off without a hitch, including taking steps to prevent rain falling on the day.
As the stage was going up on St. Petersburg's main square for Sunday's outdoor concert, organizers said they had hired aircraft to drive away thundershowers forecast for Sunday evening.
Tickets ranging from 2,000 to 30,000 rubles ($60-$1,000) were still available at outlets across Russia's second city, which is one of 16 stops on the pop diva's world tour.
More than 3,000 police will be occupied in maintaining order for the concert, which involves closing a large section of downtown around Palace Square to traffic for more than eight hours on Sunday.
Madonna was due to arrive in the city on Friday evening to prepare for the concert.
Special care has been taken constructing the stage for the event following the death of a worker at the tour venue in Marseille, France on July 17. Seven were also injured during the collapse of the stage, which caused the July 19 concert there to be canceled.
