West Coast Review: Lady Gaga Ooh-La-La Jazz & Piano Show
Jill Weinlein - Chief Los Angeles Theatre Critic
New Year’s Eve in Las Vegas is going to be epic this year when Lady Gaga and her world class orchestra perform inside the Park MGM Theater.
Last Sunday during her Jazz & Piano residency show at the Park Theatre in Las Vegas, Gaga passionately sang century old songs from the Great American Songbook, along with stripped-down versions of a few of her award-winning contemporary songs.
Music to Gaga brings joy to her heart. She shares a story about how wonderful it is that there is a Great American Songbook, where some songs are over a century year old. She associates this music to the great art of Monet.
A few years ago when Tony Bennett approached Gaga to sing a collaborative jazz album together, she jumped at the opportunity to sing the songs she lovingly listened to as a young girl. Some of her favorites included songs by Nat King Cole, Dinah Washington and Cole Porter. This eclectic duo sang some of his and her favorite songs on the 2014 Cheek to Cheek album, earning Gaga the Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album.
Walking out in a sexy, low cut, cleavage displaying black sequin floor-length dress, Gaga wows guests with a long slit up the side, and pointy black sea urchin looking headdress while singing Frank Loesser’s "Luck Be a Lady.” Not only was this song featured in the Guys and Dolls musical, but one of Frank Sinatra’s favorites.
Next she paid a tribute to Cole Porter’s “Anything Goes” and belted out “Flash, Bam, Alakazam” from Nat King Cole’s “Orange Colored Sky” while swirling the skirt of her dress around.
Before her first of many wardrobe changes, she sat at the white Grand Piano playing and singing her Grammy Award winning song Poker Face. Displaying whimsical facial expressions, she clues the audience in to the true meaning of this song.
It’s a show that appeals to all ages and the audience adores her. Those high rollers sitting in the first ten rows continuously give Lady Gaga a standing ovation. Noticing this, she asks for the house lights to go on every time she receives a standing ovation. Each time acknowledging and appreciating their love.
In between wardrobe changes, a video of Gaga appears on two large side screens displaying a platinum haired Gaga being interviewed. She discusses how she landed at the MGM Park Theater, and lives near a fountain at The Mansion, alluding to an exclusive area hidden in the MGM Grand Hotel. The Mansion contains 22 villas that range in size from 2,200 to 12,000 sq.ft.
Her next costume change was into another full length elegant white bling dress with a long white fur boa. Instead of a headpiece, she has a pink cotton candy colored wig with “Bumpit” height and curled ends. Whipping the fur around before sitting down on the piano bench for a stripped down version of her 2011 Grammy nominated Album of the Year song Born This Way.
There are three tables with two chairs on-stage for a premium seating experience with Lady Gaga. One table is on the piano side and two are near the drums. Gaga interacts with these guests, drinking their champagne, and even kissing one female guest on the lips.
She fondly talks about meeting and working Tony Bennett, or as he calls him “Tone.” Singing one of his favorite numbers Bart Howard’s Fly Me to the Moon with her stellar band, including her longtime friend and award winning trumpet player Brian Newman.
Newman played the trumpet and was the bandleader for the Cheek to Cheek album. When she gets a little flirty with him on stage, she tells the audience to calm down “I am the Godmother of his child.” After Jazz & Piano, Newman performs at The NoMod Restaurant around 11 p.m. Sometimes Gaga joins him and sings a few songs after performing at the MGM Park Theater, other times Newman’s wife Angie Pontani, a contemporary burlesque dancer.
Discussing her loneliness while dressed in a black floor length strapless dress with a belt, she sings Paparazzi at the piano. When her belt malfunctions, she removes the belt, wraps it around her neck as a choker and starts tickling the ivory keys.
Although she doesn’t sing her Academy Award winning hit song Shallow from the remake of A Star is Born, but does belt out Piaf’s La vie en rose and receives a single red rose for a fan in the audience.
She sings with brightness in her voice Richard Rodgers’ The Lady is a Tramp, and before singing Billy Strayhorn’s Lush Life, a well dressed server arrives on stage with a low ball glass filled with a generous pour. Lady Gaga’s spirit of choice is whiskey, and taking a sip, she shares a story, sings a song and sips again until her glass is empty.
Strutting in high heels in a shiny black neoprene tuxedo with a skirt and top hat, she finishes her show singing and playing her hit Bad Romance at the piano. Encouraging her fans to sing with her, and we all do, her orchestra backs her up halfway through the song, enhancing the experience even more. She saves the famous 'Rah-rah' hook at the end as a climax to a timeless and ingenious show.
Walking out of the theatre, I can just picture black, gold and white balloons spilling from the rafters on New Years Eve as Gaga closes out 2019. Ooh-La-La!
Photo courtesy of MGM Entertainment.
LADY GAGA JAZZ & PIANO
Tickets are available for the following Lady Gaga Jazz and Piano show at December 31 at 8 p.m. In 2020 tickets are available on May 3, 7, 10 and 16 at 8 p.m.
Park Theater is located at Park MGM on the casino level. Premium Sales call (844)600-PARK premium@parktheaterlv.com or call 1.844.600.PARK Park Theater Ticket Office
ticketoffice@parktheaterlv.com website ParkTheaterLV.com