Opening with a remixed version of CeCe Peniston’s ‘90s hit “Finally,” Lady Gaga teases her loyal subjects (dubbed “little monsters”) with a larger-than-life image of herself on a jumbotron, counting down her entrance.
Finally, it has happened to her, fame in its purest form. Her influence among fans became obvious when she appeared in the flesh, causing a torrent of deafening screams to erupt from the audience. The response from her “little monsters” solidified her position as the queen of not only pop music, but media culture at large.
Her mission was clear from the start. “I’m here to set you free!” she exclaimed, and the show became a mix of both catharsis and bonding between Lady Gaga and her fans. The music and the backdrop set the stage for the treacherous journey her and her dancers faced while trying to reach the biggest party on the planet: The Monster Ball.
The setlist included all the usual suspects expected at a Lady Gaga concert. Fans were even treated to a new song, “You And I,” which sounded like the lovechild of a sweeping Elton John ballad and arena rock. Her songs have enjoyed quite the lifespan on the radio, but they are definitely best served live. With the bass stretching across the entire arena and the sound of live piano, guitars and background singers saturating the air, the eclectic range of her songs assured fans that this was more than just pop music.
Nothing short of a dazzling spectacle, the Monster Ball was replete with visual delights and Lady Gaga’s energy never faltered. She offered herself wholly to her fans, dripping with sacrificial blood throughout most of the show. Her musical talents were put on full display in every song, even while she played the guitar with the heel of her black, high-heeled, lace up boots.
She was grateful to her audience and assured they would get their money’s worth, stating “I never lip-sync and you will never pay your hard-earned money to watch some b—- be lazy for two hours.”
Throughout the show her mood hobbled back and forth between extreme confidence and fleeting insecurity. She told her audience she is like Tinkerbell in the sense that if they didn’t clap for her she would die.
“Do you want me to die? Then scream for me!” and the crowd screamed as if their lives depended on it.
The ending of the show brought the story arc full circle and found Gaga and two of her dancers lost in the dark, trying to find their way to the ball. Uncertain whether they wanted to join Lady Gaga at the ball, and with the huge “fame monster” hovering behind them, one of the dancers exclaimed, “I love you but, you’re going too far Gaga.” Left to face the Fame Monster alone, Lady Gaga exclaimed, “You can’t leave me out here by myself. It’s too dark and I can’t see.” She pleaded with her fans to help her fight it by taking its picture. She then disappeared and re-emerged, flaming bosoms and all, fashioning the most cleverly designed metaphor ever created for a music tour.
Together, Lady Gaga and her Little Monsters successfully killed the Fame Monster.
