Review: Lady Gaga at Verizon Center February 24
The idea that Lady Gaga cribs from the Madonna songbook is a crock.
At Thursday night's show at Verizon Center, she also cribbed from Elton John, Queen, Guns n' Roses, Klaus Nomi, even Tim Burton, all for a show that was upbeat, hysterical at times, and as shamelessly frivolous as the best pop spectacles should be.
The show opened at 9:25 p.m. with a lopsided silhouette performing "Dance in the Dark" from behind a white scrim, much like Madonna opened "Express Yourself" at the 1989 MTV awards.
Was it Gaga back there, or some kind of animatronic? With Gaga, it's always a combination of both. The figure tried different poses in place, earning ecstatic cheers from the mostly filled-out arena for each new one.
When the scrim finally went up, Gaga was revealed in a big purple onesie and exaggerated Klaus Nomi-esque (or, if you want, Margiela-esque) power shoulder pads. Also on stage: a small flotilla of dancers in ripped leggings and leather vests, and a beat-up green car, the second automobile to make a stage guest appearance in the last year after Carrie Underwood's flying pickup truck.
Some kind of memo must have circulated at Live Nation last year. Only Underwood's car didn't also double as a piano, like Gaga's did, one she put to use during a mainly subdued "Glitter and Grease."
"Just Dance" revved things up. To offset Gaga's spirited if kicky, aimless dancing style, she was backed by some 20 dancers, all on stage for the first time. Where she poses more than she gyrates, they're supposed to fill in the gaps with suggestive calisthenics.
But dancing's never been Gaga's strong suit; Robyn put on a more coordinated performance on that front at Rams Head not long ago. Her assets are her singing voice, and the spectacle she inspires in even the oldest fans. One needn't look further than the crowd here, which was a cross-section of young and old, gay and female, many decked out in their best duds and pink wigs from Party City. There were even septuagenarians in silver jackets and face masks, a Ga-Ga sisterhood, if you will.
There's also her sense of humor. Though she didn't crack a smile all night, Gaga's best moments are inspired by kitsch and a Dada sensibility that appreciates double entendres, irony and the absurd. Witness her piano car, "bluffin' with my muffin,' an engorged claw for a glove, or her off-the-cuff banter with the crowd.
"I don't if you've heard D.C.," she told the crowd, "but I've got a tremendous [***]," a reference to probably self-created rumors a few years ago that she was intersex.
Her costume here - a play on a Richard Prince nurse - was quickly shuffled out for "Telephone," which ushered us into the leather portion of the evening, and her, perhaps, best moment of choreography. She showed off her potent singing voice on new ballad "You and I," pure vintage Elton, that she played on a burning piano.
She dedicated it, in so many words to LGBTQ activists, a poignant moment that came days after President Obama asked the Justice Department to stop defending the Defense of Marriage Act. Surprisingly, she didn't make note of it - maybe she's saving that speech it for her second single.
Over two hours, she played a set-list that was a virtual carbon copy of the one from September, and featured just a couple of new songs off the new album. The rest of her set list showed off some of her less known songs - "Teeth;" "So Happy I Could Die," as good a pop ballad as Gwen Stefani's "Cool," here sung in an angel costume with moving wings and halo.
Unlike Madonna, who endlessly remixes her songs for concerts, none of Gaga's songs showed much variation from their album or radio counterparts.
She finished the night with three of her best known singles - "Poker Face," "Paparazzi" and a soaring (and shiny) "Bad Romance."
For the encore, she starting singing "Born this Way" acappela with her three back-up singers, and then switched to the version that's ubiquitous on top 40 radio now. She calls it an anthem for the disaffected, though judging by the merchandise outside, they must only be the deep-pocketed kind. A "Born this Way" hoodie went for $75 while a simple, sequin-less black tee cost $50.
The implied message? Splurge, you were born to pay.
Lady Gaga set list:
Dance in the Dark
Glitter and Grease
Just Dance
Beautiful, Dirty, Rich
The Fame
LoveGame
Boys Boys Boys
Money Honey
Telephone
Speechless
You and I (New song)
So Happy I Could Die
Monster
Teeth
Alejandro
Poker Face
Paparazzi
Bad Romance
Encore:
Born This Way
Photo: Lady Gaga performing in September at the Verizon Center (Gene Sweeney Jr./Baltimore Sun)
Erik Maza is a features reporter at the Baltimore Sun. He writes for several sections of the Sun paper and contributes weekly columns on music and nightlife. He also writes and edits the Midnight Sun blog. He often covers entertainment, business, and the business of entertainment. Occasionally, he writes about Four Loko, The Block, the liquor board, and those who practice "
Comments
Lady Gaga's performance last night was miserable. In addition to be very late to her performance, she barely sang her songs. It was clear that she could not even follow the background music with her lips. The only clear song she sang was the a capella (of course right?). Her comments were very annoying; it seemed like she was not ready for this DC show and had to warm up the audience by her gay activism.
very dissapointed
Posted by: cristina | February 25, 2011 2:34 PM
And several blocks away, Galactic played to a sold out 9:30 club and displayed what true musical talent is. No one left that show disappointed.
Posted by: Eutaw Street Historian | February 25, 2011 3:58 PM
She's been doing this same show for many months now, and gets rave reviews every time and always sells every seat in the house. Somehow I find it hard to believe that "cristina" was actually at the show. If she was, I'm not sure why. She's clearly not a Gaga fan.
Posted by: silvia | February 25, 2011 7:05 PM
Some how I don't believe cristina's post. Probably a really old women or a britney stan.
Posted by: joey | February 25, 2011 8:18 PM
Wow, Joey, way to look legit...I'm thinking Cristina's post is the most honest here...
Posted by: Lotsa Laughs | February 26, 2011 12:47 AM
This was my 2nd time seeing her but my first time at the monster ball and she was great! Way more elaborate than the old show from her 1st album
Posted by: Justme | February 26, 2011 3:23 AM
Poor Cristina, you must be in total denial, I was at both MSG shows filmed for HBO on may 7th. It will forever silence you Lip Sync Liars. Fantastic Show!
Posted by: Jersey Boy | February 26, 2011 5:51 AM
Pros: Sounded great, looked great, wonderful production of sets, costumes, dance, imagery, theater, teasing, great crowd. Very high energy show.
Cons: I can do without the therapy and activism.
MAM Score: 8/10
Posted by: Middle Aged Monster | February 26, 2011 6:10 AM
ANY photos from the show?????
Posted by: NELSON | February 27, 2011 9:59 AM
I didn't go to the show but my sister did and she said that Gaga addressed the "lip singing" issue. She said Gaga said that she don't do it because it is a waste of time and money for her "little monsters". Plus my sister said that Gaga sounded very good and it was the one of the best shows she had been to. And it is more ove a theatrical show more then a concert. My sister is a fan over 30 just to note...she has been to many of a concert.
Posted by: Sarah | February 27, 2011 2:38 PM
Thanks for the laugh Sarah, now surf back to Zoog Disney and leave us grown folx be
Posted by: Tif | February 28, 2011 10:14 AM
If this show was anything like the July 4th show in Atlantic City, then it had to be awesome. Her concert is one of the best I've been to, behind only the Shinedown Acoustic night in Wilmington late last year.
Posted by: Gman | March 5, 2011 12:35 PM