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On July 18, the second night of her North American tour kickoff, Lady Gaga transformed T-Mobile Arena into a hyper-gothic cathedral of pop music and immersive theatrics. The Mayhem Ball was a full-throttle, two-hour spectacle that reminded everyone in the building why Gaga isn’t just an iconic performer—she’s a world-builder.
Before Gaga even appeared, the mood was set by Voices of Mayhem, a video montage of fan-submitted messages that flickered across the screen. Some were emotional, others laugh-out-loud funny (one fan joked about leaving their dog at home just to witness the show), but together they underscored one thing: this is a community, not just a crowd.
On the monolith-sized screen, dual versions of Gaga—one dressed in red, the other in white—appeared on opposite sides and delivered her Manifesto of Mayhem, a spoken-word monologue about chaos, duality and inner reinvention. Then came the overture—thunderous, operatic, cinematic. A lone dancer twisted under a spotlight in the crowd, and moments later, the queen herself emerged in a towering red, multi-tiered gown like a pop deity.
The show unfolded in four acts and a finale, each with its own visual identity and narrative arc. Titles like “The Beautiful Nightmare That Knows Her Name” and “Every Chessboard Has Two Queens” added theatrical structure, but Gaga’s latest album Mayhem was the spine. “Abracadabra” brought the house down as her 20-plus dancer troupe, choreographed by Parris Goebel, filled the stage with a wild mix of runway, ritual and ballet.
Between newer material, Gaga dug into her musical vault. The audience erupted when she dusted off “Summerboy,” a sun-kissed deep cut from The Fame that she hasn’t performed live since 2007—revived, no doubt, thanks to a recent viral moment on TikTok. Lifelong fans knew every word.
There were pyrotechnics, plenty of couture costumes, a giant moving skull and even a floating gondola. But none of that could overshadow the multi-Grammy Award winner’s voice. It cut through everything—unrestrained, powerful and dead-on. When she commanded the audience to clap, to dance, and to join in song, we all followed suit, only falling more entranced by her engulfing presence.
After “Die With A Smile,” she sat at the piano and offered a moment of connection, reminding us that no matter how big the show gets, the heart of it always lies with the fans.
“I always have these things in my mind about what I want to do better in my performance and somehow the spontaneity of music and the crowd always reminds me that I don’t get to decide how it goes,” she said. “I can rehearse as much as I want but the universe takes over and all of you bring your energy into this room. You’re a part of the show.”
For the duration of the show, we were residents of Gaga's meticulously crafted universe. Even after she and her dance company took their final bows, the crowd lingered, sensing the night wasn't quite over.
Then came the most intimate moment of all. A live feed flickered on as Gaga brought us backstage, allowing us to witness her transition from mega popstar back to human as she removed her makeup while singing “How Bad Do U Want Me.” We watched her journey through the venue's back corridors and return to the stage one final time. In those unguarded minutes, she reminded us why she’s lasted. The theatrics are just a window for someone who’s truly in it for the music.
English (US) ·