Blood, broken car, pyramid keytar, PVC dresses, drags, giant fame monster, blue vomit, Jesus, flame-sparking breasts, high-heeled boots pressing on piano keys, little screaming monsters, and their Mother Monster. Last night may sound like a night of shrooms or absinthe, but in actuality it was even more poisonously surreal and greater than either the two. It was Lady Gaga, the Mother Monster.
Although I am already a fan of her music and an occasional appreciator of her aesthetic taste, I, along with more than 20,000 fans, had our minds, eyes, and ears blown by her raw yet ethereal performance. I say ethereal because her talent and appearance were so far above human level, and raw because her voice and words naturally touched so many of us in the audience.
With performances such as “Dance in the Dark”, “Bad Romance”, “Paparazzi”, and “Just Dance” the crowd was carried away by her and her dance crew’s unconventional choreography and epic stage sets. However, it was during performances such as “You and I”, “Monster”, “Show Me Your Teeth”, and “Alejandro” where Gaga shined most brightly. Unlike the performances of her notoriously addictive bubblegum pop songs that showcase her as a dancer and performer, her performance of “You and I”, a ballad piece from her upcoming new album Born This Way , truly defined her as a virtuosic musician. Stripped down to her voice and piano Gaga proved to her doubters that she is one of the very few pop musicians who are actually worthy of the larger-than-life fame. Say what you will about her taste in fashion and her attitude towards sexuality but her musicianship should not be mocked.
In addition to the performances of her songs, Gaga gave speeches that caused some to shed tears. In her prelude to “Alejandro”, Gaga made a speech addressed to God, expressing her belief that everyone is loved by Him regardless to who they are. Even as an atheist, I couldn’t help but feel emotionally swayed by her message.
Amidst all the crazy mixture of pop and shock, Lady Gaga’s Monster Ball tour has underlying uniting themes of individualism and social acceptance. Her extremities as an artist established her as an ambiguous icon or a “master of fame” as she puts it herself. But the rawness of her live performance and stage presence give this living legend humanizing qualities that connect her and her fans together in ineffably strange ways. I could only hope to see her perform once again before I die.