Lady Gaga - SSE Hydro, Glasgow - October 19 2014 (Live Review)
Thursday, 23 October 2014
Written by Heather McDaid
When it comes to taking the weird and wonderful to natural extremes, Lady Gaga has never been one to shy away. Even in terms of the technology used to deliver it, she pushed her latest album, ‘ARTPOP’, that little bit further, promising a multimedia extravaganza that didn't quite materialise.
Following its unveiling, a bunch of questions surfaced. Had the spark that set her apart, and helped to amass her dedicated little monster following, fizzled out? For all the bells and whistles, did ‘ARTPOP’ stray too close to the mundane territory of catchy yet unexceptional pop?
At Glasgow’s SSE Hydro, these thoughts evaporate the moment Gaga is raised from beneath the stage, a vision in white, for her new record’s title track. Almost immediately, there's little room to think as the visual spectacular bombards the audience.
Gaga rocks everything from a green wig and a neat denim jacket to a full-blown dalmatian-octopus hybrid and powers through Bad Romance, Judas, Paparazzi and Venus.
The sci-fi backdrop, bold, brash colours, scale of the production and sheer ambition of the show continue to chip away at any worries, to the point that it's easy to wonder how there was ever any doubt in the first place. Even the most questionable moments of ‘ARTPOP’, including Sexxx Dreams, have a new fire lit under them live.
In a venue so large, this is a show that feels oddly personal. Gaga's interactions range from recognising crowd members who have followed the tour to reading letters on stage, leading to a particularly poignant moment as she pulls a fan out of the crowd for her piano rendition of Born This Way.
This personal approach, in the midst of such grandeur and technicolour insanity, really brings out the megastar in Lady Gaga. Her passion and creativity have drawn the fans in, but it's that human element that garners such fierce devotion.
"Tonight we celebrate that pop can exist in an intelligent space," she shouts in one of many speeches about following dreams, creating art and never giving up. Many of the words have been said by a million artists before, but sandwiched by such pomp and profanity, they ring true. #artRAVE feels like something truly exceptional.
Lady Gaga Upcoming Tour Dates are as follows:
Thu October 23 2014 - LONDON O2 Arena
Sat October 25 2014 - LONDON O2 Arena
Sun October 26 2014 - LONDON O2 Arena
Thu November 13 2014 - BIRMINGHAM Barclaycard Arena
Sun November 16 2014 - GLASGOW SSE Hydro
Thu November 20 2014 - SHEFFIELD Motorpoint Arena
Sat November 22 2014 - NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE Metro Radio Arena
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