Lady Gaga rocks Newcastle’s Metro Radio Arena

Mar 5 2010 by Matt McKenzie, The Journal

AFTER stealing the show at the Brits, Lady Gaga rolled into Tyneside last night, a genuine pop phenomenon performing an unforgettable show.

Actually, her 33 trucks rolled in, Gaga herself just appeared, marinated in a mystique that few manage to muster at any point during their career, never mind the very start.

Isnt this what all pop stars should aspire to be like? A transformation, a vision, a new character with each costume change (there were many); shed be a figment of our imagination if only we had the capacity to dream her up. Of course shes got her pop precursors, not least that other androgynous alien David Bowie, and she too is chameleon, comedian, and caricature but never a clichm.

Before the show, an impressively-costumed arena crowd wore a palpable look of excitement. And they werent disappointed. This was glam rock for the 21st Century and, yes, The Monster Ball really does contain monsters.

Not to mention keyboards in the bonnet of a car, nuns in a subway carriage, shadow puppets and bleeding eyes.

Its remarkable to have achieved a show such as this at the tender age of 23. But then shes already hit a level of unusual global fame now everyone calls her simply Gaga a character inhabiting the popular imagination.

Of course, the hits were all here an exultant Just Dance is the Into the Groove of our day and Love Game is rude and magic. And by golly it was loud, and Im not just talking about her costumes. The volume for an arena gig was top notch.

Though this was about so much more than the music. In terms of pure performance it was not far off Prince like nothing youve ever seen.

It was breathtaking. A two-hour spectacle from an artist (in the genuine sense of the word) in complete control.

The future? Its hers for the taking.