Lady Gaga, famously known for her avant-garde fashion and extreme television performances, played a sold out show at Mohegan Sun Arena the weekend of May 10^th in our glorious state of Connecticut. On tour for her new album, ARTPOP, Gaga made a grand comeback after resting from a hip injury in early 2013. The Born This Way Ball, which was cancelled due to the injury, did not make it to Mohegan Sun, but her new tour, known as the ArtRAVE, certainly made up for it.

On the morning of May 10^th, I arrived to the venue at approximately 8am and found myself in line with decked out “Little Monsters.” Teens and young adults were either dressed in complete leather attire, light up t-shirts, shell bikinis, or 2-foot-high shoes; even a 72 year old woman came dressed in Gaga attire. I was instantly entertained. The doors for the show opened at 8pm and shortly the opening acts took the stage. There were a total of 2 opening acts, one being a holographic pop-star from Japan named Hatsune Miku and the other being Lady Gaga’s best friend, Lady Starlight.

During Hatsune Miku’s set, I decided to walk around the general admission floor and explore the stage. It was huge. It stretched throughout most of the arena’s floor and was elevated so fans could see through the clear catwalks. Illuminated with bright pink lights, the main stage stood tall with abstract rock-like figures decorating the platform. When it was time for Lady Starlight to perform, I went back to my spot on the barricade and watched. People around me were bopping their heads, dancing, and the group of kids next to me were even lighting a joint. I’d say Lady Starlight was a very fun performer to watch and she had everyone entertained.

Shortly after Lady Starlight’s performance, Lady Gaga made her grand entrance. She appeared from the main stage in a costume with large wings, a bedazzled one piece, and a Koons ball on the chest area. The entire arena went crazy and a huge rush of energy was felt from the floor. Everyone was dancing, some fans crying, and people were throwing gifts on stage. Some lucky fans were even taken backstage to meet the pop-star. Throughout the show, Gaga appeared in new costumes for different songs and the gigantic screen behind the stage showed new images. Neon lights flashed onto the crowd, the dancers threw light up accessories and stuffed animals to the fans on the general admission floor, and pop-up stage props decorated the catwalks. Gaga sang songs from her new and old albums, and her live singing was accompanied by choreography. Not only did she sing and dance, but at different points of the show she played instruments, like the keytar and piano.

Overall, the show was amazing. Lady Gaga had a lot to offer and the general admission experience was like no other. Everyone had an equal opportunity to see her up close, and there was plenty of room to dance and have fun. That night was a huge party, and I would definitely recommend it for everyone to see.