Vegaga Weekend Review: Lady Gaga, Scissor Sisters, Fergie

Posted on March 29, 2011 by CenterOrch

In January my long-time friend Kelly suggested we rendez-vous in Las Vegas to catch Lady Gaga and the Scissor Sisters at the MGM Grand.  How could I resist?  And Vegaga Weekend was hatched.  Appropriately, we stayed at the Hard Rock Hotel a few blocks off the Las Vegas strip chock full of nostalgia and memorabilia.  It was perfect.  Needless to say, what happened in Vegas is about to be shared…

A few drinks and one pitcher of margaritas at the Pink Taco later, we arrived to catch the Sisters.  Schmaltzy as ever, they opened with “Nightwork,” the title track off their 2010 album and “Any Which Way” featuring flamboyant frontman Jake Shears’ signature falsetto.  Before they delved into their earlier work, I was surprised to see how unaffected the crowd was around me.  Sure, they were there for Gaga, but I thought opening for her would boost their notariety in the U.S.  Ana Matronic gets it.  She said, “unless you’re gay or British, you probably don’t know who we are.”  Still, they did a great job getting the crowd warmed up with “Take Your Mama,” “I Don’t Feel Like Dancing” and closer “Filthy/Gorgeous.”  

Finally, the main event.  Lady Gaga appeared just as she did last summer at Madison Square Garden.  Fierce as hell behind a veiled stage singing “Dance in the Dark.”  While this was the Monster Ball, an extention of her 2010 tour, it felt like a completely different experience.  This time, I’m on the floor, up close and personal — the way every concert should be experienced.

For my Monster Ball review and healthy comparison of Gaga’s rise to fame monsterdome to Madonna’s, read my review from last summer.  It still stands and it begins to preview her next move — a little record called Born This Way.  She herself proclaims it to be her Thriller.  Ballsy statement, but would you expect anything less?  Based on the two tracks released, the title track and the Elton John-esque love song “You and I,” I think she’s probably right.  My favorite moments of the night were these two songs.  I captured “You and I” on video, so check it out. 

As for the song “Born This Way,” I’m not jumping on the hater bandwagon of Gaga ripping off Madge’s “Express Yourself.”  In fact, it underscores my point of view that Madonna’s message was that of expressing oneself, while Gaga’s message has been about being yourself.  Is she inspired by Madonna?  I should hope so.  And when she appeared for her final encore in that latex dress, it was evident the song may be her “Like a Prayer.”   The audience went mad.

After the concert, Kelly and I hopped in a cab and headed over to the Bellagio to hit Fergie‘s birthday party at The Bank.  I know — she was paid to show up (with hubby Josh btw) because operators of the competitive club market in Vegas need the buzz to drive foot traffic, but dammit it was fun.  Fergie thanked the crowd for helping her celebrate and then stormed the deejay booth and sang over the tracks to the Black Eyed Peas’ “I Gotta Feeling” and David Guetta’s “Gettin’ Over You.”  She looked amazing and I’m gaga for the unicorn cake.  What a great, unforgettable night in Sin City. 

Filed under: Fergie, Lady Gaga, Scissor Sisters | Tagged: , , | Leave a Comment »

Janet Jackson at Radio City Music Hall

Posted on March 20, 2011 by CenterOrch

I was a sophomore in college the first and only time I’ve seen Janet Jackson in concert.  It was 1990 and her Cab Calloway-inspired hit “Alright” was climbing the charts.  My fraternity brother Marty and I drove from Springfield, Mo., to Kemper Arena in Kansas City to see Janet and her massive Rhythm Nation tour.  I left that concert in awe of her command of that arena and her perfectly synchronized dance moves.  I practiced all her dance moves from her iconic videos in my room at home and in my dorm room when my roommate was at class.  Cut to me hoofing it to classics “Miss You Much” and “Escapade.”  As the years progressed, I’ll admit, like Jennifer Hudson did in Dreamgirls, that “I… am not a dancer.”

Two well-designed decades later, I have the chance to see Ms. Jackson again, this time on her aptly-titled Number Ones tour at Radio City Music Hall.  Before I go any further, there’s just a thing or two I want to get off my chest.  First, details matter.  Second, production value matters.  Third, the music matters and that’s what trumps my first two gripes.  Janet, details:  the biggest typo ever printed ever… Are your number ones really possessive?

The concert opens with two videos, the first a montage of Mo’ Money snippets featuring the Wayans brothers and the dashing Stacy Dash to Luther and Janet’s “The Best Things in Life Are Free.”  Ok, fun warm-up.  Next, the full-length video of “Rhythm Nation.”  Confused.  Does this means she won’t sing this one?  Finally, Janet takes the stage in the first of four or five sets of medleys of her hits.  She’s still gorgeous.  That face.  The tightly cropped hair.  That body stuffed into a super-tight military onesy that thrust her chest out of the top.  Amazing.  She opens with “Pleasure Principle,” “Control” and “What Have You Done For Me Lately.”

Gripe 2:  Production value.  For her first costume change, four videos played:  Janet as Penny from Good Times in the scene when her mother comes after her with a hot iron.  Dammit Janet.  Bring down the room, why don’t you?  Then Janet as Charlene from Diff’rent Strokes.  Janet in “Poetic Justice” and finally, Janet in “Why Did I Get Married Too?” and the angry scene when she remodels her living room with a golf club.  For her next costume change, a PowerPoint presentation of her iconic photos.  This on top of a very boring set and lame graphics on the screen behind her.  I’m typically not a big complainer about things like this, but c’mon…  You’re Janet Jackson!  The whole show felt very low-budget and it showed.

What redeems her though is the massive string of hits this woman has accumulated in over 30 years in the business.  I also remember all the struggles she’s been through lately and decide to give her a break.  Highlights of the show included the medley of her ballads, including “Let’s Wait Awhile,” “Again” and “Come Back to Me.”  I also loved her rocker side with “Scream” and “Black Cat,” her sexy set, “Love Will Never Do (Without You),” “If” and “Throb” and her nostalgic cute side, “Nasty,” “When I Think of You” and “Miss You Much.”  She played everything — that is everything off Control, Rhythm Nation, Janet and Velvet Rope.  Only “All For You” and “Feedback” made the cut — representing her last four albums.  In the end, she played my favorite song of her’s, “Together Again,” and featured images of her late brother Michael overhead.  I thought it was a really tasteful, heart-felt way to honor her brother.

So Janet, good job overall.  But I have higher expectations of you on your next go around.  Remember, details and production value matter, especially when you’re a Jackson.

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