Concert Review: Lady Gaga's Monster Ball 2.0

She's taken the music industry by storm, redefined pop star fashion, has the most viewed video on YouTube, and just today set the digital album downloads record for The Fame. Now, Lady Gaga has finally achieved her childhood dream - headlining at Madison Square Garden. The Monster Ball 2.0 (the Ball's first incarnation swept through the United States early 2010) is a true eye-popping, theatrical spectacle; the concert's loose narrative is told in four acts, as Gaga and her dancers trek through a dangerous cartoon version of New York to reach the Monster Ball, the "greatest party on the planet" in the heart of Central Park. Outrageous costumes (a lampshade-birdcage creation during "Monster," the animatronic Living Dress from "So Happy I Could Die), campy call-and-response banter with the audience, artistic video interludes, and elaborate sets were abound.

Gaga opened with "Dance In The Dark," posing on a make-shift fire escape, backlit by colored lights behind a white screen. The sound in the Garden reached a high when the curtain was finally pulled away, and Gaga strutted down onto the stage. She rocketed through her two albums, stopping often to interact with the crowd. At times, she looked truly overcome with emotion, close to breaking down in tears from the deafening screams. One touching moment came early in the show, when she recounted her memories of sitting in the nosebleed seats, watching her idols (Madonna, Cher, the Rolling Stones) and dreaming that one day she'd be on stage.

With inspirations including New York, Broadway, The Wizard of Oz, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, and even black-and-white monster movies, Gaga infused her show with an array of awe-inspiring visuals. She also proved her raw, powerful talent; when she sat down at her deconstructed piano for "Speechless" (for her Dad, in the audience) and the Elton John-tinged "You and I" (off of her third album, to be released early 2011), Lady Gaga's scorching voice reigned supreme. When she played big hits like "Just Dance," "Poker Face," "Telephone" (with Gaga's delivery, everyone thought Beyonce was about to jump on stage for a few seconds), and show-closer "Bad Romance," the energy was unbelievable - the entire stadium was screaming, dancing along with the superb choreography (give Laurie Ann Gibson a raise!), and simply having the time of their lives.

Seeing Gaga at Madison Square Garden was an interesting experience after seeing her at Radio City in January - some of the banter and imagery were recycled, she opened both shows with "Dance In The Dark," etc. Radio City was more intimate, with Gaga performing on a legitimate stage; MSG had a size and roar that infused the arena with remarkable energy, and her work as a performer has matured. Sometimes I felt like the scattered "plot" of the MSG show took away from the strength of Gaga's vocal talents and brilliant hooks, a feeling never experienced during the more stripped-down Radio City show. Both concerts where incredible, and probably the two greatest shows I've seen; it's still hard to compare the two. The sheer magnitude of show Gaga put on at MSG rivaled the work of Madonna.

Gaga's live show proves she's here to stay, and has become an irreplaceable part of the industry. Gaga is no flash-in-the-pan, trashy starlet. She is pure unbridled talent, a true star who will do anything for her fans and her art. Seeing her live also shows that beneath the insane performance art attitude, Gaga is still a 24-year-old girl, with dreams and passions like all of us... It just happens she also owns a mechanical bra that shoots sparks. Gaga ended the show saying, "We made it to Madison Square Garden. Thank you for making my dream come true. I love you so much." As she walked off stage, the two-hour-plus spell this young woman had cast on 18,000 Little Monsters still lingered in the air. The night was electric, magical, and empowering. Isn't that how every show should end? Rah rah. Paws up.

The Monster Ball 2.0 Set List, 7/6/10

Dance In The Dark; Glitter and Grease (unreleased); Just Dance; Beautiful, Dirty, Rich; Vanity (unreleased); The Fame; LoveGame; Boys Boys Boys; Money Honey; Telephone; Speechless; You and I (unreleased); So Happy I Could Die; Monster; Teeth; Alejandro; Poker Face; Paparazzi; Bad Romance (encore)