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In a Rolling Stone article last year, Madonna called Lady Gaga’s show a mess. And while last night’s Monster Ball concert wasn’t the most polished (that’s part of Gaga’s charm), it was probably a huge improvement on the performance Madge saw last year. Not that it would matter to the crowd packing the Rosemont Theatre. The “Little Monters,” as Gaga affectionately calls her fans (many of them dressed like the performer) were mesmerized, dancing and screaming during the entire two hour set.
And Gaga (her real name is Stefani Germanotta) loves her fans. She paused many times throughout the show to display her appreciation, saying how her shows can be safe havens for them. One pause had her calling a random fan in the audience for a quick chat and invitation for an after-show drink. It was basically a live ad for Virgin Mobile (and the GBLT homeless youth charity she supports), but a cute moment nonetheless. Of course, other times she demanded more and more attention in between songs, asking if we think she’s sexy and requiring more clapping (”I’m like Tinkerbell. Without clapping, I could die”). I actually liked the between-songs moments, even though a majority of them were probably scripted, they felt impromptu and connected with the audience. Many pop stars go from song to song without any interaction, which never feels sincere. Gaga, 23, also mentioned that she spent years trying to make it in New York but feels she got her first big break here in Chicago when she played Lollapalooza in 2007.
After checking out this clip of that Lolla performance, it’s safe to say that Gaga’s look has more star quality these days. Instead of the brunette performing in a bikini, her hair is now platinum blonde, and her costumes are more high-concept. Last night’s outfits weren’t as outrageous as her red carpet moments, though. Instead they were costumes that would suit Madonna or Kylie Minogue, featuring a lot of fringe, feathers, huge shoulder pads and cone-shaped busts.
As for the songs, Gaga did something rare for a pop show: She sang live. And the girl has pipes, which was clearly evident during the slower part of the show as she played the piano and sang “Speechless” and a slower, jazzy version of “Poker Face.” (She also performed the original version of the megahit towards the end of the concert.) Gaga even sang live during her dance numbers (just like in her videos, her moves are stiff, but maybe that’s part of the shtick?) on songs such as “Just Dance,” “Alejandro,” “Teeth” and “Love Game.”
It’s a big production, complete with arty videos and flashing lights on her boxy stage. If Gaga stays at the rate she’s going, her show will become seamless and she’ll be playing arenas in no time, which would kind of be a shame. It’s nice to see the rising star display raw moments in a more intimate setting.
Last night’s setlist:
1. Dance in the Dark
2. Just Dance
3. LoveGame
4. Alejandro
5. Monster
6. So Happy I Could Die
7. Teeth
8. Speechless
9. Poker Face (slow version)
10. The Fame
11. Money Honey
12. Beautiful, Dirty, Rich
13. Boys Boys Boys
14. Paper Gangsta
15. Poker Face
16. Paparazzi
17. Nothing Else I Can Say
18. Bad Romance
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