"Surprisingly, there were actually a lot of heartwarming and uplifting moments rather than crazy stunts for the two-plus-hour show. "
After giving it much thought, we decided to skip the entire day of lectures in order to reach Birmingham early for Lady Gaga's Artrave: The Artpop Ball tour.
It was her first Artrave concert here in the United Kingdom, so I completely had no idea on what to expect for the night. After an hour or so, we finally arrived at the vibrant city. As time was on our side, we agreed to shop for a while in a few outlets in Bullring and had our lunch before we walked slowly to The National Indoor Arena.
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We couldn't quite finish it but
I loved the potato fries that were soft on the inside
and crispy on the outside! |
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| Free peanuts! |
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| Five Guys as our lunch again! =) |
We almost lined up in the wrong location but we got it all sorted out eventually with the help from a few workers. Fortunately, we're asked to wait inside a car park as strong winds and rain started soon after we settled down.
I couldn't help but feel pity for those who were queueing out in the open space. While waiting patiently for the time to pass, we got acquainted with a few people and luckily it wasn't all that boring because we were constantly treated with fans who went all out to dress up creatively for this event.
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| Lady Gaga's fans. |
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| They made the wait less boring. |
After the lengthy wait, we're finally allowed to enter the venue to choose our preferred locations. We decided to stand in front of the runways instead of the main stage because some fans informed us that we could indeed get a better view from there and thanks to them we did!
However, the downside was that the area was so over-crowded that even sardines in the can could spend a whole day making fun of us. I did enjoy the dancing and partying part plenty but considering that I could barely feel my legs after the show, I made a mental note that this would be the very last time that I would ever purchase a standing ticket to any show.
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| The runway right in front of us. |
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| A wefie before the show started. |
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| Lady Starlight doing her thing. |
Needless to say, the beats became unstoppable once the show commenced with the song Artpop. As expected, the standing area was instantly turned into a dance floor, just like the ones that you would see in a night club, only bigger, better and everything was live.
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| And it began! |
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Sometimes the simplest move is right
The melody that you choose can rescue you. |
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I don't need to be on top
To know I'm worth it. |
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| I'm gonna wear designer and forget your name. |
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| Next up: Venus. |
Undeniably, she had got a strong set of lungs, powerful stamina, excellent dance moves and a huge vocal range but personally, I felt that the night's highlights were not during her captivating performance, but the time when she engaged with the audience. It was authentic, down-to-earth and proved that she was only human too, just like you and me.
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When you touch me I die
Just a little inside
I wonder if this could be love. |
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You're the medicine
I need to heal the way you make me feel. |
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| You wanna be manicured. |
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I love this record baby
But I can't see straight anymore. |
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I won't tell you that I love you
Kiss or hug you
Cause I'm bluffin' with my muffin. |
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| Sorry I cannot hear you I'm kinda busy. |
There was great comfort to know that behind her unique personality and all of the over-the-top outfits, she had made a great positive impact in the lives of a lot of people who were going through different difficulties by preaching self-love and self-empowerment.
To my surprise, her songs had such a big influence in some that they even helped prevent a few cases of suicides successfully. That, deserved every bit of applause compared to a few other artists who kept spinning out party anthems with no message whatsoever.
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It don't have a price
Loving you is cherry pie. |
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| Do what you want with my body. |
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Crazy schedule, fast life
I wouldn't trade it in. |
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| I need you more than dope. |
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We got a whole lot of money but we still pay rent
Cause you can't buy a house in heaven. |
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I'm beautiful in my way
'Cause God makes no mistakes |
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Out on the edge of glory
and I'm hanging on a moment with you. |
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Music played, and people sang
Just for me, the church bells rang. |
It's certainly fun to meet people with different views on life, work, love and everything. It helped me understand and embrace the fact that even though we all lived on the same planet, one's world could be vastly different from the others. And sometimes as farfetched as it sounded, a song, a few words or a simple gesture could help save someone's life and turn it into a meaningful one. #lovelife
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| Caught in a bad romance. |
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| To crash the critic saying, "Is it right, or is it wrong? " |
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And then he asked me
He said, "Baby, why do we love each other? "
I said, "Honey, it's simple.
It's the way that you love and treat your mother. " |
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| All of us after the show. |
This was my fourth and possibly my last concert in the United Kingdom but I fervently hoped that there would be more to come in the future as each of them had been such an ultimate experience and an unforgettable encounter. =)
Out Of The Woods - Taylor Swift
