The Fame Ball Tour
Tour by Lady Gaga | |
Official poster for the tour | |
Associated album | The Fame |
---|---|
Start date | March 12, 2009 |
End date | September 29, 2009 |
Legs | 10 |
Number of shows |
|
Lady Gaga concert chronology |
The Fame Ball Tour was the debut concert tour by American singer Lady Gaga, in support of her debut studio album The Fame (2008). North American shows began in March, followed by dates in Oceania and a solo trek through Europe. Dates in Asia soon followed, as well as two performances at England's V Festival and two shows in North America that had been postponed from April. Gaga described the tour as a traveling museum show incorporating artist Andy Warhol's pop-performance art concept. Tickets were distributed for charity also. Alternate versions of the show with minimal variations were planned by Gaga to accommodate different venues.
The show consisted of four segments, with each segment being followed by a video interlude to the next segment, and it ended with an encore. The set list consisted of songs from her debut album only. Gaga appeared on the stage in new costumes including an innovative dress made entirely of bubbles and premiered an unreleased song called "Future Love". An alternate set list with minor changes were performed after the first North American leg of the tour. The show has received critical acclaim with critics complimenting her vocal clarity and fashion sense as well as her ability to pull off theatrics like a professional artist.
Background
The tour was officially announced on January 12, 2009 through Gaga's official MySpace page. It was her first headlining tour; she has previously served as opening act for New Kids on the Block's New Kids on the Block: Live tour, as well as The Pussycat Dolls' Doll Domination Tour.[1] Gaga stated, "I consider what I do to be more of an Andy Warhol concept: pop performance art, multimedia, fashion, technology, video, film. And it's all coming together, and it's going to be traveling museum show."[2] Gaga started planning for the show while on the tour with The Pussycat Dolls.[3] In an interview with MTV News, she described the tour as,
"It's not really a tour, it's more of a traveling party. I want it to be an entire experience from [the] minute you walk in [the] front door to [the] minute I begin to sing. And when it's all over, everyone's going to press rewind and relive it again. [...] It's going to be as if you're walking into New York circa 1974: There's an art installation in the lobby, a DJ spinning your favorite records in the main room, and then the most haunting performance that you've ever seen on the stage. [...] I'm on the phone every minute of every day, talking to people, being creative, planning this Ball, and my tour manager is constantly saying, 'Come on, we have to go, we've got to go right now,' [...] But to me, the Ball is so important. I want so much to make every depression dollar that everyone spends on my show worth it. And, yeah, I'm paying a lot for it — out of my own pocket. But that's OK. I just don't care about money."[3]
Gaga prepared three versions of her show to cater to different sizes of the venues she played. In an interview with Billboard she said,
"I am so mental and sleepless and excited for this tour, [...] This is so different than anything you've seen from me in the past year. What's fantastic about [the show] was I was able to plan it while I was on another tour that was on a much smaller scale, opening for the Dolls. This is going to be, like, the ultimate creative orgasm for me 'cause I'm ready to move on. I'm not restricted to a certain structure for my show anymore. No limitations. I'm free. [...] I want to have a clear schedule of the dimensions for each venue so that we can properly execute all the technology and visuals. I need to mentally prepare days in advance if things are going to be taken out; otherwise, I won't have a good show...Every show's gonna be an A show by the time I'm done screaming at everyone – 'Hang it! Hang everything! Find a place to hang it!' That's gonna be my motto."[4]
The set list consisted of songs from her debut album mainly, but some new songs like "Fashion" from the Confessions of a Shopaholic soundtrack were also considered.[4] In May, during an interview with Edmonton Sun Gaga announced that the tour would continue through European festivals in summer. She also declared plans for a bigger North American tour including Canada. Gaga explained that the show is supposed to be much bigger than the previous version. She said, "Oh, you have no idea, [...] The tour that we're about to announce is such a dream that I have to pinch myself almost every day to remind myself that it's happening."[5]
Concert synopsis
The show is mainly divided into four parts with the last part being the encore. The main show began with a video introduction called "The Heart" where Gaga appeared as alter-ego Candy Warhol.[6] She was shown dressing up and displayed the symbol of a pink heart on her T-shirt and said "My name is Lady Gaga, and this is my Haus".[7] The video was projected on a giant screen in front of the stage. As the video approached towards the end, a countdown from ten to one happened, Gaga's face was shown wearing the video sunglasses, and flames engulfed the screen as it dropped. Gaga appeared in the middle of the stage being surrounded by her dancers holding glass encrusted plates which camouflage them. She wore a futuristic black dress in geometric patterns with a triangular piece on her right breast and peplum.[8] DJ Space Cowboy was present at a corner, playing the backing music.[7] Gaga came out in the center as the plates rolled around and started singing "Paparazzi".[9]
The performance ends with continuous clicking of the camera. Gaga comes to the top of the pillar and sings a combination of "Starstruck" and "LoveGame" as she is joined by her dancers in tracks and jackets and hands Gaga her trademark disco stick. After "LoveGame", she talks a monologue about the year "3009". And says that "The kids came out of New York and shot the paparazzi." followed by saying "It was a thousand years before when the monster first entered the city, vanished for our hearts and for our brains and for our faces (referencing to the three video interludes of the tour)" and "we knew we could co-exist with this monster with our MUSIC!!! With our art and with our fashion. My name is Lady Gaga." and tells the crowd she feels "beautiful and dirty rich" and sang "Beautiful, Dirty, Rich". This leads to the end of the first part wherein a video introduction called "The Brain" starts with Gaga appearing again as Candy Warhol and brushing her hair.[9] After the video ends, Gaga appears on the stage in a black and white leotard with high-pointed "puff" shoulders and lightning shaped symbols,[8] while riding on a similarly colored vespa.[6] She then starts singing "The Fame". This is followed by a speech. Gaga said she's been "travelling the whole world, but when I get back, I can still smell the stench of greed." And then she performs "Money Honey" with the dancers who are wearing backpacks. "Eh, Eh (Nothing Else I Can Say)" starts immediately, accompanied by hand-waving and Gaga wore a hat made of toppled dominoes.[8][9]
Gaga then leaves the stage only to appear shortly after in a dress completely made of plastic bubbles.[9] She sits in front of a glass piano and starts singing an acoustic version of "Poker Face". She sometimes puts her leg on the piano and even plays it with her stilettos. And then, thanks the audience and surprises them by performing an unreleased and new song called "Future Love" whose lyrics referenced far-off galaxies, mechanical hearts and constellations.[10] She was surrounded by a glowing mannequin while singing the song.[11] The stage had a blue setting with mechanical fog. Gaga left for a costume change as the third video interlude titled The Face starts.
After the video ended, she then came on the stage wearing a tutu shaped dress with pointed shoulder pads and peplum. Her dancers were clad in Louis Vuitton Steven Sprouse printed trousers which matched Gaga's shoes.[8] The backdrop changed to show blinking disco lights and Gaga stood in the center wearing her video sunglasses which display the line "Pop Music Will Never Be Low Brow". A remix of the intro for "Just Dance" started and Gaga was joined by her dancers on stage. When the song shifts to the bridge, Gaga once again is handed her disco stick and performs the bridge with it. The ending shifts to a remixed version of the song. Then Gaga and the dancers, joined by DJ Space Cowboy or DJ Nicodemus, take a bow in front of the audience. Gaga comes back with her dance to perform the encore. The encore of the tour consisted of "Boys, Boys, Boys" and the original version of "Poker Face". Gaga was dressed in a khaki leotard embellished with crystals. She wore an admiral's cap and gloves on her hands, both were decorated with the word Gaga on them.[8]
Changes from Oceania shows
Since the Fame Ball show in Auckland, New Zealand, Gaga performed a different setlist during the rest of the tour, involving outfit changes as well. "Paparazzi", "LoveGame", and "Beautiful, Dirty, Rich" were performed in a similar, this time tinfoil tutu with a triangular piece. "The Fame" and "Money Honey" was then followed by "Boys Boys Boys" – all three songs were performed in a glittering silver leotard with small pointy wings, riding a similarly colored vespa. "Just Dance" and "Eh, Eh (Nothing Else I Can Say)" were performed in the yellow dress from the American leg of the tour. After performing "Brown Eyes" (replacing "Future Love") and "Poker Face" on the piano, Gaga closed the show with the album version of "Poker Face", wearing a nude corseted leotard embellished with crystals.[10]
Reception
The Fame Ball Tour received acclaim from critics. Whitney Pastorek from Entertainment Weekly gave a mixed review of the concert saying, "Her onstage banter was at times a bit silly and the visuals occasionally lacking in coherent theme, but her voice was strong and refreshingly free of overbearing tracking vocals. For all her cocky bluster, perhaps the most undeniable aspect of Gaga's talent is this: The girl can, and does, sing." The show was described to be a "sartorial experimentation that it made Rocky Horror look like cotillion. One presumed the Lady approved – and somewhere, to be sure, Andy Warhol stirred in his grave."[7]
Sheri Linden from Yahoo! gave a positive review of the concert saying "Gaga's first theater tour is a hot ticket – and the Lady did not disappoint. Borrowing from Madonna, Grace Jones, David Bowie and Daryl Hannah's "Blade Runner" replicant, Gaga put on a compelling show revolving around her mysterious persona, a trio of leather-jacketed dancers, multiple costume changes and props and a lone DJ providing musical accompaniment."[12] Christopher Muther from The Boston Globe reviewed the concert in House of Blues and said "The combination of song and spectacle was crowd-pleasing and exhilarating. Her club-ready songs were delivered by a woman who is clearly studied, intelligent, and talented."[13]
Lynn Saxberg from Ottawa Citizen gave a positive review of the concert at Bronson Centre in Ottawa and said, "Accompanied by a DJ who also played a funky electric guitar, the curvy dynamo (Gaga and Space Cowboy) fronted one of wildest spectacles ever mounted at Bronson Centre, an action-packed circus of sound, lights, video images, fog and choreography. Though heavy on theatrics, there was no skimping on the music." She also commented on Gaga's fashion sense and style in her costumes by saying, "In an hour, Gaga proved her star power by packing in all her hits, displaying influences that ranged from Motown to 80s pop, and exhibiting a fearless fashion sense in several costume changes, none of which covered her bum."[14]
Andy Downing from Chicago Tribune was impressed by the show at House of Blues and said "The work is paying off. Just weeks into her first nationwide headlining tour, the 22-year-old New Yorker [...] already commands the stage like a seasoned pro."[9] Jill Menze from Billboard also gave a positive review for the performance and complimented songs like "Just Dance", LoveGame", Poker Face", "Boys, Boys, Boys" and the fame obsessed "Paparazzi". The reviewer also said that "[From] her chart success, Lady Gaga has proven herself to be an of-the-moment pop sensation. Dig deeper, and it’s clear she’s versatile and talented enough to have staying power."[15] Mikel Wood from Rolling Stone also gave a positive review saying "The tongue-in-cheek tabloid-victim shtick that provides some laughs on The Fame grew somewhat tiresome at the Wiltern, especially when the singer started spewing half-baked media-studies nonsense like, 'Some say Lady Gaga is a lie'... Fortunately, this is a woman who knows how to lighten a mood: Within 10 minutes or so, she'd donned a flesh-colored leotard and a bedazzled admiral’s cap and was rhyming 'boys in cars' with 'buy us drinks in bars."[16]
On March 13, 2009 Gaga was presented with a plaque from the Recording Industry Association of America by social blogger Perez Hilton commemorating three million sales of her debut single "Just Dance", during her performance at the Wiltern Theatre. This show was also attended by rapper Kanye West.[16] Craig Rosen from The Hollywood Reporter said that "Lady Gaga showed she's a serious contender to Madonna's crown Friday at the Wiltern. She might be a relative newcomer, but the artist born Stefani Joanne Germanotta commanded the stage with a royal air during her hourlong set, at times even sporting a glowing scepter."[11]
Opening acts
- The White Tie Affair[2] (North America)
- Chester French[2] (North America)
- Cinema Bizarre[17] (North America)
- Gary Go[2] (Great Britain)
Set list
- "Paparazzi" (contains elements of "Starstruck")
- "LoveGame" (contains elements of "Chew Fu GhettoHouse Fix" remix)
- "Beautiful, Dirty, Rich"
- "The Fame"
- "Money Honey"
- "Boys Boys Boys"
- "Just Dance"
- "Eh, Eh (Nothing Else I Can Say)"
- "Starstruck" (Intermission)
- "Brown Eyes"
- "Poker Face" (Piano Version)
- "Poker Face"
Tour dates
- Cancellations
Date | City | Country | Venue |
---|---|---|---|
June 27, 2009[lower-alpha 17][42] | Manchester | England | Old Trafford Cricket Ground |
June 28, 2009[lower-alpha 17][42] |
Box office score data
Venue | City | Tickets sold / available | Gross revenue |
---|---|---|---|
Wiltern Theatre | Los Angeles | 2,700 / 2,700 (100%) | $52,904[43] |
Metropolis | Montreal | 2,255 / 2,255 (100%) | $50,387[43] |
Royal Oak Music Theater | Royal Oak | 1,700 / 1,700 (100%) | $34,000[44] |
Gothic Theater | Englewood | 1,088 / 1,088 (100%) | $20,000[44] |
House of Blues | San Diego | 1,000 / 1,000 (100%) | $18,500[45] |
The Ritz Ybor | Tampa | 1,545 / 1,560 (99%) | $31,065[46] |
DAR Constitution Hall | Washington DC | 3,500 / 3,500 (100%) | $141,004[46] |
TOTAL | 13,788 / 13,803 (99%) | $347,860 |
Notes
- ↑ This concert was originally scheduled to take place in Avalon.
- ↑ This concert was originally scheduled to take place in Crofoot Ballroom.
- ↑ This concert was a part of the "Dinah Shore Weekend"[19]
- ↑ This concert was a part of the "White Party"[20]
- ↑ This concert was a part of the "SWR3 Party"[21]
- ↑ This concert was a part of Kiss 95.7's "Summer Kick Off"[22]
- ↑ This concert was a part of the "Grammy Celebration Concert Tour"[23]
- ↑ This concert was a part of the "Second Chance Prom"[24]
- ↑ This concert was a part of Channel 933's "Summer Kick Off"
- ↑ This concert was a part of "Wango Tango"[25]
- ↑ This concert was a part of 107.9 The End's "EndFest 2009"
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 On these concerts Gaga performed as an opening act on The Pussycat Dolls' Doll Domination Tour.[26]
- ↑ This concert was a part of Kia Soul Live at The Chapel.[27]
- ↑ This concert was a part of the "2009 Glastonbury Festival"[30]
- ↑ This concert was a part of "Live at the Marquee"[31]
- ↑ This concert was a part of "Rock Werchter"[32]
- 1 2 3 4 On these concerts Gaga performed as an opening act on Take That's The Circus Live.[33]
- ↑ This concert was a part of "Isle of MTV"[34]
- ↑ This concert was a part of "T in the Park"[35]
- ↑ This concert was a part of "Oxegen"[36]
- ↑ This concert was a part of "Orange Rockcorps Live Concert Event"[37]
- ↑ This concert was a part of "Storsjöyran"[38]
- 1 2 These concerts were a part of the "Summer Sonic Festival"[39]
- ↑ This concert was a part of "Non-Stop Musix"[40]
- 1 2 These concerts were a part of "V Festival"[41]
- ↑ This concert was originally scheduled to take place on April 3, 2009 in National Theater, but was moved to Landmark Theater and then cancelled.
References
- ↑ Vena, Jocelyn (January 13, 2009). "Lady Gaga Gears Up For Pussycat Dolls Tour". MTV. Retrieved November 4, 2009.
- 1 2 3 4 Reporter, UMG (January 13, 2009). "Lady GaGa Announces Dates For 'The Fame Ball' Tour". Universal Music Group. Archived from the original on July 17, 2011. Retrieved February 22, 2009.
- 1 2 Montgomery, James (February 4, 2009). "Lady Gaga Promises 'Life-Changing Experience' With Fame Ball Tour". MTV. Retrieved February 22, 2009.
- 1 2 Graff, Gary (March 3, 2009). "Lady GaGa Ready To Go For Headlining Tour". Billboard. Retrieved March 4, 2009.
- ↑ Stevenson, Jane (May 27, 2009). "Going Gaga: Pop diva says she's into The Jonas Brothers, the MMVAs and her upcoming tour". Edmonton Sun (Sun Media Corporation). Retrieved May 29, 2009.
- 1 2 Piccoli, Sean (April 9, 2009). "Lady Gaga's larger-than-life stage show shrinks without a band". South Florida Sun-Sentinel. Retrieved April 15, 2009.
- 1 2 3 Pastorek, Whitney (March 14, 2009). "Lady GaGa live in L.A". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved March 16, 2009.
- 1 2 3 4 5 Abraham, Tamara (May 4, 2009). "Madonna and Cyndi Lauper take style notes as Lady Gaga parades latest leotards in concert". Daily Mail. Retrieved May 13, 2009.
- 1 2 3 4 5 Downing, Andy (March 26, 2009). "Lady Gaga delights". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved April 15, 2009.
- 1 2 Deacon, Michael (July 15, 2009). "Lady Gaga at the O2 Academy Brixton, review". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved March 10, 2013.
- 1 2 Rosen, Craig (March 15, 2009). "Concert Review: Lady GaGa". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved April 8, 2009.
- ↑ Linden, Sheri (March 15, 2009). "Lady GaGa wows with big beats, bluesy surprises". Yahoo!. Reuters. Retrieved March 17, 2009.
- ↑ Muther, Christopher (April 2, 2009). "Lady GaGa shines in song and spectacle". Boston Globe. Retrieved April 2, 2009.
- ↑ Saxberg, Lynn (March 28, 2009). "Concert Review: Lady Gaga's Fame Ball". Ottawa Citizen (Canwest Publishing Inc). Retrieved April 2, 2009.
- ↑ Menze, Jill (May 4, 2009). "Lady Gaga / May 2, 2009 / New York (Terminal 5)". Billboard. Retrieved May 5, 2009.
- 1 2 Wood, Mikel (March 16, 2009). "Lady Gaga's 'Fame' Attracts Kanye West, Perez Hilton to L.A. Show". Rolling Stone. ISSN 0035-791X.
- ↑ Alexiou, Joseph (June 9, 2009). "Goth-Pop Cinema Bizarre Leaves Lady Gaga for Own Tour". New York Press. Archived from the original on January 31, 2010. Retrieved January 4, 2010.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Lady Gaga Events: Archives". LadyGaga.com. Interscope Records. January 12, 2009. Retrieved January 13, 2009.
- ↑ "GLAAD TO BE PART OF DINAH-MITE WEEKEND". GLAAD. February 18, 2009. Archived from the original on July 14, 2013. Retrieved July 14, 2013.
- ↑ Gelt, Jessica (April 3, 2009). "It's White Party time in Palm Springs". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on July 14, 2013. Retrieved July 14, 2013.
- ↑ Gaedt, Tina (April 30, 2009). "Schwaben-Mädle mit Haarschleife wie Lady Gaga". Bild (in German). Axel Springer AG. Archived from the original on July 14, 2013. Retrieved July 14, 2013.
- ↑ Lenker, George (May 29, 2013). "Six Flags New England kicks off summer concerts". The Republican. Advance Publications. Archived from the original on July 14, 2013. Retrieved July 14, 2013.
- ↑ Cline, Georgette (April 7, 2009). "LEONA LEWIS, ESTELLE, & LADY GAGA TEAM UP FOR T-MOBILE GRAMMY TOUR". Rap-Up. Archived from the original on July 14, 2013. Retrieved July 14, 2013.
- ↑ Dudek, Dani (May 7, 2009). "Second Chance Prom with Lady Gaga". The Digital Texan. Archived from the original on July 14, 2013. Retrieved July 14, 2013.
- ↑ Ching, Albert (March 23, 2009). "Incoming: Black Eyed Peas, Kelly Clarkson, Lady Gaga, More at KIIS-FM Wango Tango". OC Weekly. Archived from the original on July 14, 2013. Retrieved July 14, 2013.
- 1 2 The Pussycat Dolls concerts:
- "Billboard Boxscore: Concert Grosses". Billboard 121 (10): 12. July 4, 2009. Retrieved September 19, 2013.
- "Billboard Boxscore: Concert Grosses". Billboard 121 (23): 26. June 13, 2009. Retrieved September 19, 2013.
- "Billboard Boxscore: Concert Grosses". Billboard 121 (28): 7. June 18, 2009. Retrieved September 20, 2013.
- ↑ "KIA SOUL LIVE AT THE CHAPEL ¿ LADY GAGA Terms and Conditions". The Daily Telegraph. May 14, 2009. Retrieved August 31, 2014.
- ↑ Stevenson, Jane (June 20, 2009). "Lady Gaga Kool Haus, Toronto, June 19, 2009 review". Jam! (Canadian Online Explorer). Retrieved December 10, 2009.
- ↑ "Lady Gaga tour". TourTracker. Retrieved September 28, 2009.
- ↑ "Lady GaGa spits fire from her breasts at Glastonbury". NME. June 26, 2009. Archived from the original on July 18, 2013. Retrieved July 18, 2013.
- ↑ O'Sullivan, Gemma (July 3, 2009). "Review: Lady Gaga". Irish Independent. Independent News & Media. Archived from the original on July 14, 2013. Retrieved July 14, 2013.
- ↑ "Review: Lady Gaga op Rock Werchter" [Review: Lady Gaga at Rock Werchter]. HUMO (in Dutch). Sanoma Oyj. July 4, 2009. Archived from the original on July 18, 2013. Retrieved July 18, 2013.
- ↑ "Lady GaGa to support Take That in London". Capital FM. Retrieved August 31, 2014.
- ↑ "Lady GaGa For Isle Of MTV". MTV. April 21, 2009. Archived from the original on July 18, 2013. Retrieved July 18, 2013.
- ↑ Howard, Becky (July 13, 2009). "Katy, Lily And Gaga Have Scots Appeal". VH1 News. Archived from the original on July 18, 2013. Retrieved July 18, 2013.
- ↑ "Oxegen fans go Gaga as raunchy star suffers wardrobe malfunction". Evening Herald. Independent News & Media. July 13, 2009. Archived from the original on July 18, 2013. Retrieved July 18, 2013.
- ↑ "Lady GaGa and N-Dubz sign up for Orange RockCorps!". Orange. June 3, 2009. Archived from the original on July 18, 2013. Retrieved July 18, 2013.
- ↑ "Lady Gaga spelar på Storsjöyran" [Lady Gaga plays at Storsjöyran]. Svenska Dagbladet (in Swedish). Schibsted. April 1, 2009. Archived from the original on July 18, 2013. Retrieved July 18, 2013.
- ↑ "Live Review: Summer Sonic 2009". NME. August 21, 2009. Archived from the original on July 18, 2013. Retrieved July 18, 2013.
- ↑ Brimm, David (July 6, 2009). "Kaiser Chiefs, Lady Gaga to join Tel Aviv festival". The Jerusalem Post. Archived from the original on July 18, 2013. Retrieved July 18, 2013.
- ↑ Wood, Beci (August 23, 2009). "Late GaGa apologises". The Sun. News UK. Archived from the original on July 18, 2013. Retrieved July 18, 2013.
- 1 2 "Lady GaGa Cancels Two Take That Shows". MTV. June 29, 2009. Retrieved August 31, 2014.
- 1 2 "Billboard Boxscore". Billboard (New York City). April 18, 2009. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved September 29, 2009.
- 1 2 "Billboard Boxscore". Billboard (New York City). April 25, 2009. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved September 29, 2009.
- ↑ "Billboard Boxscore". Billboard (New York City). May 2, 2009. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved September 29, 2009.
- 1 2 "Billboard Boxscore". Billboard (New York City: Nielsen Business Media, Inc.). May 16, 2009. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved September 29, 2009.
External links
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