On Monday and Tuesday night, Lady Gaga performed to sold out crowds at H.P. Pavilion in San Jose. Fans from all over California came to see one of the most controversial artists of our time.
Gaga’s message is made clear in the very beginning of her show. After her first 2 songs, she tells the crowd that her tour, “The Monsterball” was created as an outlet for her fans to express themselves. “I used to not be so brave...I felt like a freak,” said Gaga.” “But now, all the freaks are outside, and I locked the doors.” Gaga continues to motivate her fans, or as she calls them, her “little monsters” by constantly reiterating the importance of being yourself, even going so far as saying they are “cheating the world” if they do not do so.
The crowd attending Gaga’s show was anything but normal. From men in drag to elaborate costumes, many concert go-ers seized the opportunity to dress like Gaga from one of her videos. Some Gaga impersonators were taking pictures with fans before and after the show.
Gaga fans spent the time and money to make going to this show memorable with the expectation that Gaga would, too. Known for her intricate (and sometimes electrical) costumes, enormous sets and fierce dancers, this was something that most fans had been looking forward to for weeks.
“I bought my ticket 7 months ago,” said Gaga fan Claire Flyer from San Francisco. “My mom is a really good seamstress, she helped me sew the jewels on my outift.” Flyer was wearing a black one piece bathing suit with fake crystals sewn on the top, fishnet stockings and a leather and lace sweater with black boots.
Gaga seemed grateful for the participation of the fans, stopping after one of her songs to read signs out loud from people in the crowd, and to comment on people’s outifits and creativity. Gaga also took that time to look at the things people threw on stage, including men’s underwear which she proceded to put on for one song.
One thing Gaga’s fans love about her is her love of controversy- she is fearless when it comes to what she wears or says. She likes to poke fun at herself too, which is sort of humbling, since she is one of the most famous people in the world right now. Gaga jokingly addressed the rumor that she was a hermaphrodite, saying, “I don’t know if you’ve heard this, but I have a huge dick.”
She has made herself a spokesperson for the LGBT community, personally thanking them several times during her show for all their support. The music video for the song “Alejandro” is a tribute to all the gay men and women in the military.
Gaga’s 2 hour set went by very quickly, as the entertainment never stopped and the performances were getting more and more intense.
The beginning of her show started with her song “Dance in the Dark,” where she really did dance in a dark-lit corner of the stage for about half the song. The build up to her coming out was drawn out, where she made slow movements with her hands and arms until she finally came out on stage. After that, she sang her first smash single, “Just Dance,” and then she took off her big studded glasses, her trademark fashion piece, similar to Michael Jackson’s white glove. After that, the show truly began. She sang all her hits along with a few older songs, including “Boys Boys Boys,” “Poker Face,” “Paparazzi,” “Alejandro,” and so on. Gaga’s show is more about her music, it truly is performance art. From an old American car that turns into a piano, to the giant animatronic monster that almost gobbles her up, Gaga is constantly trying to entertain us in a symbolic sort of way. All of her outfits and sets might seem like random happenings created for shock value, but they all provide purpose and meaning for Gaga, who spends her own money on all the set and costume designs.
After the show ended, “little monsters” stayed at H.P. for quite some time, taking pictures with one another, discussing the show and comparing outfits.
Gaga fan Jonny Arguello of Fremont felt the show was intimate, despite the nearly 20 thousand people in attendance, “She stands there in between songs and talks to us, uplifts us, and thanks us. I’d say a good combined 20 minutes of her show were spent nurturing us with her devotional words. It was the most entertaining show of my generation,” said Arguello.
The way Gaga moves, talks to her audience, and performs is already very iconic. No detail is left unnoticed, no hit song is left out of her show, and each outfit is more ridiculous than the one before it.
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