The Mayhem Ball Tour<\/a>.\u201d Before the curtain had even been raised, it was already living up to its name. It was mayhem in the streets outside the building. Nice and early to pick up my ticket to the show, I was met with a mass of humanity larger than any concert I had ever attended before.<\/p>\nFor any locals who may be reading, the line began at Centre Bell. It went up Drummond to Boulevard Ren\u00e9-L\u00e9vesque. It continued for a block before turning right and going half the way down Stanley, almost back to the Centre Bell itself. A full city block. Spirits were fortunately high, and some of the costumes being worn by the fans were outstanding.<\/p>\n
An hour later, I had finally arrived in my seat, but there was no time to relax. The lights dimmed, and a dual image of Lady Gaga appeared in the enormous video wall behind the stage. The stage looked like a giant gothic opera house. She entered the stage atop a huge French Revolution-era gown to the massive roar of the crowd. The bottom of the gown was torn away after an operatic version of \u201cBloody Mary.\u201d It revealed a corset full of dancers.<\/p>\n
So began the first of five acts for our show. \u201cAct I: Of Velet And Vice\u201d kicked off with a rowdy version of \u201cAbracadabra.\u201d Fireworks and wristband lights had the building aglow as Lady Gaga implored her Monsters to \u201cChante Montr\u00e9al!\u201d She speaks French very well, and the local crowd appreciated it. The first act came to an end with \u201cPoker Face.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
\u201cAct II: And She Fell Into A Gothic Dream\u201d opened with Gaga half-buried in a giant sandbox. She sang \u201cPerfect Celebrity\u201d while having some cheeky fun with a skeleton. Shortly, the other dancers zombie walked out of the sand to join in on the fun. This act featured a toned-down version of \u201cPaparazzi\u201d and the touching \u201cAlejandro.\u201d Trailing a huge bridal train behind her that was lit up like a rainbow, the act came to a close as Lady Gaga walked the length of the stage.\u00a0 She once again disappeared after \u201cThe Beast.\u201d<\/p>\n
Titled \u201cThe Beautiful Nightmare That Knows Her Name,\u201d the third act began with Lady Gaga positioned at one of the top levels of the opera house. She described dreaming as a child and never letting those dreams die. This led to \u201cKillah\u201d and \u201cZombieboy\u201d as Lady Gaga and crew performed around a giant skull. \u201cJust Dance\u201d brought this Act to an end as neither Lady Gaga nor the crowd showed any signs of weakening.<\/p>\n
Shortened versions of \u201cShadow Of A Man\u201d and \u201cKill For Love\u201d opened \u201cAct IV \u2013 Every Chess Board Has Two Queens.\u201d Gaga asked where Montreal\u2019s queer community was before blasting into \u201cBorn This Way.\u201d The entire crew of dancers joined her as they filled the stage. A figure clad in red then appeared atop the giant dress from the beginning of the show. They came together during an emotional \u201cMillion Reasons.\u201d They rowed in a boat of skulls to the other end of the stage while Lady Gaga performed \u201cShallow.\u201d \u201cDie With A Smile\u201d and \u201cThe Edge Of Glory\u201d were performed solo from a piano. The tempo then picked up for \u201cVanish Into You.\u201d During the song, Gaga shared some moments with the crowd. When she stopped to take a photo with a front row fan, that girl\u2019s face almost lit up the building on her own.<\/p>\n
Alas, all good things come to an end. However, at \u201cThe Mayhem Ball,\u201d\u00a0things go out with a bang. The finale, titled \u201cEternal Aria of The Monster Heart,\u201d saw Gaga wheeled onto the stage on a gurney. The sound of a heart monitor flatlining filled the arena. The sound gave way to \u201cBad Romance\u201d as Gaga and crew dominated the stage one final time. Fireworks went off over the opera house stage before a trap door lowered our conquering songstress below. To a deafening roar and standing ovation.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
After the final credits rolled, a camera crew caught up with everyone backstage. They celebrated and removed their make-up before singing their way back on stage. One final time for \u201cHow Bad Do You Want Me.\u201d What. A. Show!<\/p>\n
It was musical theatre, sprinkled with healthy doses of drama. Lady Gaga was a beast on stage. All eyes were on her, and she made sure it remained that way. Her facial expressions were amazing. The set pieces and costumes were a sight to behold. As the evening came to a close, I felt a little tinge of sadness. I didn\u2019t want it to end. But, like the rest of the sold-out crowd, we left the excitement of \u201cThe Mayhem Ball\u201d\u00a0and returned to the far less colourful and bland world that awaited us outside. Hopeful to catch a glimpse of the extravaganza once again.<\/p>\n
I have never experienced a concert like that before. Beginning to end, it was non-stop sensory overload. This is a nearly two-hour ride of musical madness.\u00a0 I was one of those first-timers tonight. I\u2019ll probably be a little more rundown 20 years from now. But, I can\u2019t think of anything else I would rather do come that day than to attend another of your shows.<\/p>\n
\u201cI love you so much,\u201d said Lady Gaga as the night came closer to an end. \u201cThank you for including me in your beautiful community tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n
The entire venue felt the same. After nearly a full year, this tour is coming to an end. Hopefully, it won\u2019t take 20 years for her to return.<\/p>\n
\n\tRelated<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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