Photograph by Jordan Corey courtesy of Kiss108.com
Last night in Boston, at a venue traditionally reserved for Broadway shows like The Phantom of the Opera and Les Misérables, Lady Gaga opened the American leg of her highly anticipated The Monster Ball tour. The choice of locale couldn’t have been arbitrary. Throughout the evening, Gaga — a.k.a. Stefani Germanotta, a.k.a. Tinker Bell (more on this later) — aimed for a kind of pop theatricality that might potentially cement her burgeoning status as “performance artist.”
The pre-show scene outside Citi Performing Arts Center was all blonde-wig-wearing Lady Gaga imitators, face glitter, oversized shades, and the occasional light-up replica of that “disco stick” scepter featured in Gaga’s “LoveGame” video. Inside, the same crowd looked out of place amongst the venue’s marble columns, wide staircases and elegant opera house chandeliers.
At 9:15, following sets by Semi Precious Weapons and Kid Cudi, Gaga took the stage behind a giant, black-and-green scrim and proclaimed, “I’m a free bitch, baby” — the first of several moments during her performance that gave parents in the audience consternation. (Latter instances included crotch-grabbing during “Teeth,” a simulated three-way during “Alejandro,” and Gaga smoking a cigarette on stage between songs.)
Soon, the scrim — which resembled an electric math grid — lifted to reveal Gaga, solo, singing “Dance in the Dark” and wearing a sparkling, silver leotard. Smoke filled the floor as Chippendale-esque background dancers joined her, and the concert’s general formula was set. Two main variables existed during the night. One, of course, was Gaga’s wildly over-the-top wardrobe. Clothed by her own design team, Haus of Gaga, the Lad...
Article Source: Rolling Stone : Rock and Roll Daily