Photographer Christopher Nelson reports:
I photographed the Lady Gaga concert on Saturday night out of pure curiosity. I wanted to see what all the hype was about: if she was as good as people say, and who exactly her fans are.
Though, I only saw two songs — all photographers were ushered out after that — I can tell you she didn't disappoint.
But what stood out the most was how welcoming and friendly her audience was. They were as diverse as they come, sporting unique and, at times, outrageous outfits.Everyone snapped photos together, more than happy to pose with strangers.
Creativity everywhere
I figured my roommate Dawn, who saw the show in its entirety, might give you a better glimpse at the show itself.
Dawn Lake reports:
I expected to be entertained at a Lady Gaga concert. On Saturday night she exceeded my expectations. Her fans, "little monsters" as she affectionately calls them, were dressed especially for the event; imitating her or creating their own crazy costumes.
She started the show performing "Dance in the Dark" with a gritty night scene, including a burned-out car with a keyboard underneath the hood. She then moved into her hit "Just Dance" which got everyone moving. She played all of her hits from both albums, The Fame and The Fame Monster.
In between the many set and costume changes, the video screens above the stage showed snippets of highly stylized videos of her posing in elaborate costumes before returning to live shots of the show upon Gaga's return.
It was great to have the screens because you could really see the show. However, at certain points during the show, I realized more people were watching what was on the video instead of the stage.
Gaga kept up a rapport with the audience, always being sure to say, "Thank you, Tacoma."
And she mentioned that the last time she was in Tacoma, she opened for New Kids on Block and only a quarter of the Tacoma Dome was filled. Ouch.
She also innocently asked the crowd if she was sexy. The crowd yelled back an affirmative.
Only one thing she said struck me as odd: she reminded the audience that she has seven number-one hits. She was simply stating a fact, but I typically don't hear a singer touting her own success quite in that way.
Regardless, she commanded the stage. Whether she was in some giant monster costume with fake hair or in a a high-cut bodysuit, she worked her way around the tiered stage singing and dancing in extremely high heels, and never faulting. The choreography was solid.
The best dance number was the last song, "Bad Romance," reminiscent of the popular video. Oftentimes, singers with successful dance tunes focus so much on the choreography that the singing takes a back set. In Lady Gaga's case, she found a balance. And, yes, the lady can sing.
Her singing capabilities were best demonstrated in "Speechless," a bluesy piano number played as a flame tore out of the piano. She played with passion and physicality reminiscent of Tori Amos. I was surprised that, for all the spectacle that is Lady Gaga, her show wasn't just about the spectacle. Behind the theatrics, Lady Gaga is a performer with a lot of talent, vision and, of course, showmanship.
Photos by Christopher Nelson. Stay tuned for a slide show, including more fans in crazy costumes.
