The Lady Gaga Experience

My new, well I think everyone’s new favorite these days, is Lady Gaga.  Whether it’s her catchy pop tunes that get stuck in your head, or the fact that she just makes you want to dance.  Whether it’s the crazy clothes she’s wearing or the crazy things she is doing.  You love her because you can’t help it and I got to experience Lady Gaga first hand.  I saw her in concert on Saturday night! 

My crazy roommate decided he was going to drop a ridiculous amount of money for V.I.P. tickets, which meant we were general admission floor, however we got to go in early and be first in the front.

The entrance back drop

The day of:  My outfit wasn’t completed, in fact all I had were the shoes, so Jon and I spent the afternoon at the mall trying to find things to look good with a pair of leather Jessica Simpson boots with five inch heals.  It took a while, but we found everything and headed home to start getting ready. 

We, the V.I.P., had to check in early, so we went down to Consol Energy Center at 5 P.M.  We were ushered into one hallway after another to wait and then wait a little longer.  It was after 7 P.M. before we actually got our spot on the floor.  My feet froze while waiting because I took my excruciatingly painful boots off (until Gaga came on of course!)

Jon and Me right up front!

Our outfits

We were dressed up, as were many others, but for the most part, especially the teenagers, the fans were dressed as some version of Lady Gaga.  We saw girls dressed in only caution tape, guys in spandex and glitter, girls in underwear and fishnets, guys in masks and heels. 

The Scissor Sisters opened, they were amazing.  I was a fan going in so I knew they would be good but they exceeded even my expectations.

When they finished we were told by security that Lady Gaga would be going on by 8:50 P.M., but it turned out to be more like 9:50 P.M.  People were getting restless and a young girl passed out.  Luckily though she recovered and made it through the rest of the show.  Then the lights went down.

Gaga singing to us!

It started with prerecorded portraits and visual effects of Lady Gaga on a white screen.  Then the screen went translucent and she started!  The opening song was “Dance in the Dark,” And the hits just kept following.

She changed her costume maybe five or six times, most of which were scantily clad and completely fabulous.  Her wig was brassy blonde with dark roots, and her makeup was Marilyn Monroe/Madonna.  She stood directly in front of us a lot, and I can honestly say she was stunning. 

Gaga with her dancers!

The set was simultaneously ornate, cheesy, grandiose, and comical, and all intentional.  Between the giant “fame” monster, the cartoon looking car, or the smoke that covered the runway that she just laid on and let encompass her, it was all amazing.  The dancers were fabulous, and she didn’t dance too much because she is one of the few pop stars that doesn’t lip sync in concert.  Never have I heard someone sing and sound exactly like they do on the album.  Her voice was strong, awesome, perfect.

Talking to the fans

She also had a really great message.  When I looked around the arena I saw every type of person from every walk of life, dressed in costumes that could only be described as wild.  Many of these people are probably considered the outcasts at school, probably get made fun of, probably spend a good deal of their time feeling badly about themselves.  But Lady Gaga told us all that she was once picked on and people told her she wouldn’t amount to anything, and one day, we all would have a stage to sing on.  She showed everyone that being a freak, as she said, was pretty awesome.  

I loved every second of the show.  I felt more confident as a person when I left and I was a part of the older crowd, so I really hope that all of the kids left the show with a new outlook on life and a reaffirmed love for Lady Gaga.