How long was Lady Gaga in Bangkok again? In the space of a mere three days, pop's current biggest princess unknowingly courted more controversies than she'll ever know or, actually, care.
From her Twitter post regarding fake Rolex that enraged Thai authorities and netizens to the feeble attempt of a three-people protest at Siam Square declaring that Lady Gaga is evil, and she must be stopped before she "eats our children up", Lady Gaga must be mindboggled to see such off-kilter reactions to her arrival. After all, she proclaimed loudly on stage that "I'm not your creature, Government of Thailand" to thunderous cheers.
The ongoing drama concerning Lady Gaga has to be with her wearing a borrowed Chada, a traditional headdress for Thai dances, on stage with a provocative outfit as well as a fluttering Thai flag stuck in the back of her stage motorbike. Even if the lady has left the building, the idiocracies continue.
On a more serious note, her gig in Indonesia has officially been cancelled, leaving over 50,000 fans high and dry.
So Thailand's "Little Monsters" were luckier as they got a chance to put their paws up with Mother Monster last Friday.
Rajamangala Stadium accommodated around 60,000, who turned up in full force to welcome the 26 year-old pop royalty who shot to such massive global fame in a short span of four years and only three albums.
One clear thing about Lady Gaga's showcase is that it's not so much about coming to see your favourite artists, but it somehow veers towards community spirit as fans came dressed as Lady Gaga in her plenty-to-choose-from incarnations. Noted for her out-there sense of style, Thai Gagas came in many shapes and forms, and it was quite liberating to see how Thai Little Monsters shed any inhibitions they might have had to join in the circus led by the one and only Lady Gaga.
It was smart in a way for Mother Monster to encourage her little ones to hold no barred when it came to dressing up as the collective act provided extra visibility to those who might just happen to be lounging around the Ramkhamhaeng area. It was also a powerful message getting across to other pop divas that her army is only getting stronger and stronger, while her brand is loud and clear, no matter how cheesy it might be for some.
The whole bringing out my inner Gaga also contributed to more than half the fun of going to see her in flesh. Not that she didn't give a performance worth writing about, but mini Gagas, as well as other hardcore fans in sweltering heat, I'm sure Lady Gaga would agree, were what made her first ever show in Thailand rather enjoyable.
Known for her extravagant stage production, much was expected, but it was a bit disconcerting to walk on to a small stage when compared to the size of Rajamangala Stadium. The stadium's vast area somehow dwarfed Gaga's multi-layered Gothic castle in the same fashion of the now deserted Dan Neramit landmark castle. Gaga's castle was highly functional with secret passages and doorways that were maximised fully during the show.
Lady Gaga, staying true to her self-appointed title, rode out on a gigantic, mechanic war horse with her troops marching in front, prompting excitement to ripple all the way to the back. Highway Unicorn (Road to Love) opened the show, and the hit list from Born This Way, Judas, Just Dance, Bad Romance to Poker Face among others, kept pouring out.
With almost every song, there was a costume change or at least a wardrobe alternation. Noted for her larger-than-life fashion sense, it was a pleasant surprise to see that her costumes somewhat toned down. The dramatic constructions complimented the stage and the scale of her showcase. Come to think of it, most of her ghastly fashions usually derive from her everyday get-up, rather than her stage costumes. Signature outlandish shapes and volumes were still intact, as well as latex, studs and over-the-top headgear. Still, it worked wonderfully. Even the replica of her infamous meat dress looked wearable and rather fetching actually. Some, I dare say, would even be called pretty, thanks to Mr Giorgio Armani.
Lady Gaga has been branded as one of the most accessible artists working today. With the help of the online world, she keeps strict social media regime, making every fan feel included, and her interviews are warm and encouraging people to be who they truly are and to be ''rebels.'' As her song dictates, Born This Way has become a part of her preaching mantra. Her contributions to LGBT activism are also noteworthy, and it shouldn't be a surprise to see many from the queer communities standing behind her.
That famous connection to every Jack and Jill translated very well on the night. Lady Gaga's most amazing quality must be her ability to relate to a large crowd at the snap of her fingers, while appearing real and affected at the same time. I don't know if she's just really well rehearsed since this is her brand, her person and her identity to the world, but her passionate delivery and dialogues resonated well beyond her 26 years. During Hair, Gaga cried as she became touched by the level of sexuality openness that Thailand offers, and this was also when she borrowed a chada from possibly her biggest Thai fan and impersonator known as Shade of Gaga. Her chada-wearing stunt caused quite a stir among detractors who butt headed with her loyal followers. I have to say I didn't feel anything inappropriate, and I strongly believe that the act came from a good place and an even a better intention.
As a singer, Lady Gaga was capable, and her piano playing skills, albeit brief, deserved a round of applause. But most importantly, she was a consummate performer who lived and breathed every essence of herself. Though, I must say that the over all energy level dropped towards the end of the show after a slower number section. Poker Face could have been more electrifying but it came when the audience was exhausted, sweating to the end of the world.
It must be boldly stated that smaller venues would have made the experience more complete. Understandably, the demand for tickets must have been very high, and this was the only place possible. It's impossible to fathom how those in the back enjoyed the concert for they certainly couldn't see anything, not even the the pair of screens. They must have seen just moving dots. Adding screens further away from the original two would have helped. It was definitely Gaga's strength as well that of her band and dancers that kept the show going until the very end.
At the end of the day, you can take or leave Lady Gaga. It doesn't matter either way. True, there are multitudes of stylists, marketing strategists and business minds working behind Lady Gaga, pushing her to where she is today. I don't know how much of this is real, but what I saw last Friday convinced me enough to accept her glories, but not enough to wear a meat dress. Then again, even if it's all marketing strategy and branding, at least her representational self encourages people to express themselves in the simplest way, and that's always a good start.
PHOTO: SOMCHAI POOMLARD
