Gone Gaga

 

Cause you were born this way baby.

The Born This Way Ball was a brilliant thing to have been able to go to. Lady Gaga has this amazing presence on stage and her fans have the most amazing respect for her. It really was a spectacle to see and I am not even talking about the fact that her show was set in a giant castle. Just seeing how Gaga treated her fans was amazing. I don't think I have seen a relationship like it. She gives all credit to them (us?) as we are her "Little Monsters". People will yell out "I love you Gaga!" and she will say straight back "I love you too" and you can tell she means it. She genuinely loves her fans. And she is very dedicated.

Gaga spread the message of love and acceptance for all but then continued to shoot a few of her dancers and later on to dance with guns...just a few contradictions to the message but they can be overlooked because it was far too great to be hung up on these minor things. And what does it matter? I was always looking for what the next costume would be rather than trying to decipher a message in the midst of this race of moon people coming to bring acceptance to all...

I do have to say that I do not like all of Gaga's songs/music. Some of it is quite trashy really. I mean Just Dance is one of my least favourite songs, ever but then some of them are just so catchy that you can't help but like them. But there is such a different feel from the first Fame and Fame Monster albums to the new...I think you can really notice a difference and not just in the music but in the lyrics as well. Who would want to be a Paper Gangster or Dance in the Dark if you could be Born This Way or be just You and I? Anyway, acoustic versions of her songs are (most of the time) musch better. Just Gaga singing and playing the piano is pretty awesome to hear, and see really. How she plays the notes with those finger nails and in the ridiculous heels that she wears I will never know.

Yes, that is a key board on a motorbike.

The monster pit as the main part of the mosh pit is called was going off. And I am pretty jealous and regret not getting mosh pit tickets. It's not all that fun attempting to dance by yourself in the second from the back row, especially when the people that are next to you don't join in. The not dancing part is probably why they bought tickets in the stands and not in the mosh pit but I couldn't help myself. I just wanted to dance and wanted those around me to be dancing too. I was pretty late in buying my tickets, so late that my friend and I could not get seats together and had to sit apart, but then we were early enough not to know that the concert dates had been extended from 1 night to 3...

I tried to get the strangers sitting next to me to dance to especailly when Gaga was telling everyone to stand up. I didn't want to be a downer by sitting down when she was getting everyone to dance. The two students to my left side said they would only dance if Gaga sang poker face and to their credit they did stand up for that song. The ladies to my right though, during the encore when they had really started to bop along, I leaned over and said; "It looks to me like you want to stand up and dance." They just laughed and stayed sitting. So that didn't really work and I suppose that is why people buy seats so far back. They just want to see the show and don't really want to be a part of it when I can't help myself, I just can't hold it in.

Sketch of the Born This Way Ball set up as tweeted by Gaga.

Buying mosh pit tickets would have been totally worth it. You get to dance and be super close. Plus I had a friend in the mosh pit on the Thursday night and she said that Gaga looked straight at her. Plus (again) Gaga would always reach down and grab everyone's hands and talk to them and who doesn't want attention from a famous person? But the biggest plus is that she kept inviting people from the Monster Pit to come backstage after the show. She invited at least 4 people and their friends backstage. One person was holding a "Free Hugs" sign and Gaga says; "Is that a free hugs sign? Can I have one?" and so invited the person backstage so that she could get a free hug. But mainly the best part of the mosh pit or Monster Pit is that you get to dance. All I wanted to do was dance.

The most magical moment of the concert, for me, was when Gaga began talking about how she was bullied at school and then proceeded to sing Hair.

I just wanna be myself
And I want you to love me for who I am
I just wanna be myself
And I want you to know, I am my hair
I've had enough, this is my prayer
That I'll die livin' just as free as my hair

It was a beautiful moment. We sent little prayers up to those that were not able to cope with being bullied. I would go so far as to say that most of the people in that centre were crying. I was on the brink. It was a very emotional time for all involved.

I am no fashion expert or etiquette expert but I do have some tips in these fields for some of the people that attended Gaga's concert; if they are not going to dress up Gaga style then at least dress up in a formal sort of way, as one would if they were going to the theatre or something. That's really what this is, a gigantic play and people need to dress accordingly. Jeans and a hoodie DO NOT cut it. I know it's cold, so wear a jacket or at least a nice cardie. And I know that those who attended the Wednseday concert at the Entertainment Centre missed the second game in the State of Origin series but seriously? Wearing State of Origin jersies to a Lady Gaga concert? Really? How did you ever think that was a good idea? Now I can see the irony here, Gaga's message is to love everyone and to not hate but there are standards. Normally I would complain about people's lack of clothing but as I was at a Gaga concert it was justified. Gaga never seems to wear all that much clothing and when people are replicating her style for her BTWB then I am okay with that. And some of the costumes were the exact replica of her outfits but I was a little disappointed that more people weren't dressed up.

Now this is from Gaga's merchandise. I don't know whether it is one of the coolest things ever or if it's pretty gross.

 An article by Bridie Jabour called; Review: Lady Gaga at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre aptly said;

The crowd was simply lost in the Gaga experience. When she barked "jump" the Entertainment Centre shook, when she demanded "shout" we screamed so loud Queensland got spooked and lost the State of Origin.(http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/music/review-lady-gaga-at-the-brisbane-entertainment-centre-20120614-20b4g.html#ixzz1ynQvFbs4)

Gaga ended the show with Marry the Night. She pulled a young girl from the crowd and they danced together. Everyone was jealous but it was an awesome moment. Earlier in the show, Gaga had been talking to the same little girl about her costume which her mother had made her. The little girl was in tears and saying that Gaga was her idol but Gaga looked at her and said "No. You are my idol." It was quite a touching moment. What a show!