By Gabrielle Siegel

There were rhinestone bras. There were chains. There was glitter. There were multicolored lights, smoke, fake blood and fire. And then there was Gaga.

For those going to see Lady Gaga’s Monster Ball Tour, the usual dull Monday night was anything but. On April 18, thousands of fans flocked to the Gwinnett Arena, mobbing the building before security even unlocked the doors. After stepping through the glass doors, enthusiasts of all shapes and sizes were visible, either flaunting their most outrageous accessories or imitating one of Gaga’s distinctive ensembles. It was evident that the unorthodox pop star has truly inspired her so-called “little monsters.”

The opening band, Semi Precious Weapons, played for about 30 minutes. Then the real anticipation began. The arena lights cut off  around 9:45 p.m., nearly an hour after the opening band finished. But it was all worth it when the shadow of the discernible womanly figure appeared on a white screen surrounding the stage. The funky beat of “Dance in the Dark” sounded, and the show was on.

Gaga donned all  her  signature looks, including a silver futuristic dress, a metal bra shooting sparks, a translucent nurse dress and the classic  leather two-piece, and her outlandish high heels made her elaborate dance numbers that much more impressive.

Even surrounded by overwhelming props and hectic dancers, the scantily clad Gaga  managed to stand out. She didn’t simply sing her hits and leave; she really interacted with her audience. At one point, she looked out into the crowd and observed the hard work her fans had put into homemade outfits and signs. She complimented one woman’s faux meat dress and hummed a quick “Happy Birthday” to another.

Contrary to many people’s expectations, every song was not some upbeat dance tune. Gaga belted a slow, heartfelt version of “Born This Way” while playing a flaming piano, revealing her truly stellar natural voice. She broke up the song with interjections about self-determination and belief, including details of her own journey. Although her motivational pauses grew excessive, it made the concert memorable.

“Leave  tonight loving yourself a little bit more than when you walked in,” Gaga urged.

Concert goers may or may not have accepted the challenge, but surely everyone left with a once-in-a-lifetime experience embedded into their minds. The show was not simply a concert, but an extremely creative and well choreographed piece of art.