Epic yet intimate theatricality. These words succinctly describe the Boston leg of Lady Gaga’s Chromatica Ball. While Chromatica, the sixth studio album from Lady Gaga came out in 2020, plans for touring in support of the album had to be put on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic. For many, the postponement of a new Lady Gaga tour experience was disappointing but over two years later the Chromatica Ball breathes life into the latest studio album by Gaga for those who may have slept on it when it was first released and gives exciting visuals for those who own Chromatica.
Playing to a massive, sold-out crowd at Fenway Stadium, home to the Boston Red Sox, on August 19th, Lady Gaga started off the show performing her best-known hits in an avant-garde style. Opening with “Bad Romance,” Gaga was encased in a sarcophagus-like cocoon.
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As she performed “Just Dance” and “Poker Face,” layers of her costume were peeled away. This was a taste of what was to come during the Chromatica Ball.
After playing the trio of songs that compromised the prologue of the Lady Gaga epic, it was time for the real show to begin. Composed of four acts and a finale, each was preceded by visually intriguing videos. The majority of songs performed during the four acts and finale were mostly songs from Chromatica with songs from other albums (sadly none from Artpop or Joanne) and two songs from A Star is Born.
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For the encore, Gaga performed “Hold My Hand,” the song written for Top Gun: Maverick.
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Chromatica Ball Boston also had some famous Gaga fans in attendance. Puerto Rican rapper Bad Bunny, who performed at Fenway the previous night, shared a video of the concert on his Instagram stories.
Bad Bunny via Instagram tonight at Lady Gaga’s concert “Chromatica Ball Tour” in Boston pic.twitter.com/U1GNhRwo7c
— Access Bad Bunny (@AccessBadBunny) August 20, 2022
D.J. Pierce (aka Rupaul’s Drag Race alum Shangela) was in the audience as well.
Speechless! @ladygaga is a masterclass in kindness and top notch entertainment. What a gift to be seen by one of the GREATS last night. I was fully teleported to #Chromatica! 💗🌈😁 https://t.co/CawkZU3u27
— Shangela (@itsSHANGELA) August 20, 2022
Lady Gaga shared a video on her Tik Tok account with the news that her Boston show was the highest attended and paid show at Fenway Park.
@ladygaga Tonight is the highest attended and paid show at FENWAY PARK EVER #chromaticaball 🔥
What made Chromatica Ball so great was the combination of choreographed dance numbers to Gaga’s newest songs and the reimagining of some her earlier hits. The beauty of the show was Gaga knew when to slow things down and have a conversation with the audience.
It was a show that really had everyone exhilarated from beginning to end. The show had its larger-than-life performances, but Lady Gaga took the time to really talk to the crowd as if they were her long-lost friends. She thanked those who came to her shows there at Fenway as part of the Joanne Tour five years ago.
Sources: Shangela Official Twitter Account, Access Bad Bunny Twitter Account, Lady Gaga Official Tik Tok Account
Writer’s Note: This is the opinion of one contributing writer and may not reflect the views of Instinct Magazine itself or fellow contributors
