There are many divas in the music industry now: Madonna’s hanging in there, Britney is just about, Leona is growing, Mariah isn’t going anywhere and Beyoncé sits at the top of the pile.
There is however, a very fast rising star who has been catapulted from relative obscurity, supporting the Pussycat Dolls at the CIA a year ago and now selling out arenas around the world: Lady GaGa.
If the crowd was anything to go by, the show would be fun, young, camp and energetic. We weren’t disappointed. After waiting for only an hour inside the venue (we waited four at the Madonna concert) a young glam rock band ‘Semi Precious Weapons’ appeared on the stage to get everyone in the mood. They certainly did that, with loud guitars, incredibly ostentatious attire and the most liberal use of the word ‘motherf**ker’ I’ve ever heard. Once Alphabeat came on it was quite a relief as everyone’s ears had taken a pounding and their cheesy electro-pop sing-a-long was a lot of fun to build us up ready for the GaGa.
The show itself was incredible, I’m not sure who came up with the ideas for her outfits or sets but I want whatever they’re on. Whether she was being ravaged by monsters with fake blood on her chest, playing a burning piano with a flaming tornado erupting out of the centre, slamming the keys on a keyboard attatched to a monster truck or fighting a 20 foot high inflatable sea creature, her voice, singing live, was faultless.
At times she seemed timid, as though she was expecting to wake from a dream, she paused but only to tell the crowd how beautiful they were or how much she appreciated them. Her love and gratitude to her gay fanbase she has seen grow so incredibly over the last year was touching and right at the start she stated that the theme for her show was for everyone to be whoever they are, to lift all restrictions on their lives and have a good time. And lots did. I must have screamed myself hoarse, as did the other thousands packed into the sold out CIA.
Out of all the divas wanting to put on a show, they should learn from Lady GaGa. After seeing Britney and Madonna in the last couple of years, Lady GaGa is already head and shoulders above them when it’s down to putting on a live show for her fans. Singing live, dancing, surprising and interacting with the audience; GaGa does it best.
