Christina Tadin Staff Writer “I created ‘The Monster Ball’ so that you would always have a place to go. Tonight, the freaks are outside,” said international singing phenomenon Lady Gaga during her sold out “Monster Ball” show at the Rosemont theatre. Inside, following Gaga’s words of wisdom, people expressed themselves without worry of being called freaks. Both men and women rocked sparkly dresses, elaborate masks, and flamboyant hats. Some women even dressed up as sexy kittens. It looked like people were attending Halloween party, not a concert. “Semi Precious Weapons” kicked off the concert with their song “Semi Precious Weapons” – a single from their debut album “We Love You.” Justin Tranter, the band’s lead singer, strutted around the stage wearing pantyhose and spike-heeled boots. As the audience jumped up and down, Justin and the rest of the band tore through their tracks. While they played “Sticky Champagne,” a new song, Justin went into the crowd pouring Champagne into open-mouthed girls and boys. Jason Derulo, who obviously has a great voice, seemed entirely out of place in the middle of the lineup. He unfortunately drained the excitement that Semi-Precious Weapons created. Gaga then began the 100 minute set to “Dance in the Dark,” wearing a sparkling silver leotard, “stuck” behind a grid of squares. She was clearly confident and willing to show off her body. During “Poker Face” she wore just a red bikini. The concert was clearly not for children; at one point she screamed to the audience “Do you think I’m sexy?’ Take away the crazy outfits and the suggestive comments; she still has a great voice. Listening to Gaga belt “Speechless” and a slower version of “Love Game,” crouched on the piano bench (wearing heels), was definitely a highlight. She frequently let her “little monsters”, her fans at the Rosemont theater that night, know her much they meant to her, even saying “I’ve got no money because I’ve spent it all on my show.” Her unconditional love for her fans makes them not only enjoy her shows, but love her as a person. Although some say she’s nothing more than the string of female pop artists who have come before her, she showed much more. She’s someone who can speak to her audience and let out her thoughts mid song while still performing a choreographed show. If you have ever been to a Britney spears, you’ve been to an over-sized arena, seen an artist that not only doesn’t actually sing but has no relationship with her audience. This is not Lady Gaga. Fans danced and, often, were stunned by the comments in which Gaga made. She is a new breath of fresh air, and people love it. Caption for picture: Lady Gaga struts her stuff in the “Poker Face” music video Set List: “Dance in the Dark”?“Just Dance”?“LoveGame”?“Alejandro”?“Monster”?“So Happy I Could Die”?“Teeth”?“Speechless”?“Poker Face”?“Fashion”?“The Fame”?“Money Honey”?“Beautiful, Dirty, Rich”?“Boys Boys Boys”?“Paper Gangsta”?“Paparazzi”?“Eh, Eh (Nothing Else I Can Say)”?“Bad Romance”]]>