ARTIST: LADY GAGA
VENUE: SUNCORP STADIUM
DATE: DECEMBER 9TH 2025
REVIEWER: HAYLEY TREADWELL – REAL WOMAN REAL REVIEW
Going to a show with your 11 year old hits differently. You take everything in partly through their eyes, and it changes the whole experience. I’m so grateful this was the kind of show my son got to witness. This wasn’t your everyday concert, more like a celebration of life, art, honesty, and the courage it takes to peel back the layers of doubt.
It played out almost like the most music-filled play you have ever seen, dramatic, theatrical performances, incredible costumes that told a story in themselves, and each song placed with purpose , each moment adding to the bigger story unfolding on stage. I was completely drawn in, and so was my son.
We begin with,
Act I: Of Velvet and Vice
Lady Gaga appears set in the top of a 4 or 5 story high dress and delivers a somewhat operatic version of ‘Bloody Mary’, which instantly has me drawn into the theatrical performance and my excitement just rises. Then mid song the intensity picks up, the stadium turns red from the light up bracelets everyone was given to wear and it’s just a spectacular sight! At the same time, the dress opens at the front to reveal a cage, full or people dancing, trying to escape and then Gaga proclaims ‘dance or die’ and we fire into ‘Abracadabra’ which seriously got the party started. Before we know it the dancers and Gaga are on the stage and we immediately journey through a variety of albums as the tale is told, and this trend continues with each act.
We end Act 1 with both a theatrical start and finish with a phenomenal dance performance in the centre to ‘Poker Face’.
And while I could tell you all the details about the stories I took away from each act, I also think it will be so personal for each fan that I could never relay it to you in a way you would understand, unless you were there.
So, if you have tickets to this show, enjoy, you’re gonna love it! And if you ever have the opportunity to see Lady Gaga in the future, don’t hesitate for a moment! Go! I promise you, just go!!!
Now back to my review!
Act II: And She Fell Into A Gothic Dream
Visually this set was something else! Starting in a half tilted sandbox with creatures and glitter singing ‘Perfect Celebrity’; to a magnificent colour changing cape the length of the stage, one of my favourite songs that amped up the dancing again ‘LoveGame’, to ending on guitar center of the catwalk passionately pleading with ‘The Beast’.
Wow! Where too from here!
Act III: The Beautiful Nightmare That Knows Her Name
I think this act was my favorite. A huge skull on its side on the stage wrapped in a set of stairs.
Gaga dressed like a beautiful Gothic queen singing ‘Killah’ into ‘Zombieboy’ and ‘The Dead Dance’. I was dancing up a storm! ‘LoveDrug’, ‘Applause’ and ‘Just Dance’ round out this act and you can just imagine how big the party was during this one! I have never seen Suncorp so alive with dancing.
Act IV: Every Chessboard has Two Queens
During this act there were some absolutely outstanding, magical moments! Her performance of ‘Million Reasons’ so emotive and passionate then into a beautiful solo vocal during ‘Shallow’ – the performance that went with it was outstanding. I loved the boat and the way Gaga was rowed to the piano, where we got the most stunning acoustic versions of
‘Die With a Smile’ (you know you are getting the real deal when the singer has a sneezing fit 2 lines into the song and has to start over! Such a sweet moment), ‘Rain On Me’ and ‘Edge of Glory’, which had both my son and I in tears thinking of a very special soul we lost earlier this year.
The act ends, very fittingly, with ‘Vanish Into You’.
Finale: Eternal Aria of the Monster Heart
It’s the most epic performance and the crowd erupts and dances from beginning to end of ‘Bad Romance’, the outstanding tale told bringing all the acts together in one song to finish of the story, as only Lady Gaga can!
And just when we think it’s done, the screens light up showing images of the incomparable Lady Gaga, having shed the costumes and wearing shorts, a jacket and a beanie, taking off her make up, a shedding of layers, and singing ‘How Bad Do U Want Me’ as she comes through the corridors under the stage hugging and celebrating with her dancers and crew making her way back up to show us all, that whether you have the make up and the costumes or you strip it all back to the natural, at the end of the day, it’s all you, and you should be celebrated for being exactly as you are! Baby, you were Born This Way.
Such a fitting ending to what was, and I really don’t think I am overstating this, the experience of a lifetime!
I am eternally grateful to the amazing Lady Gaga and the wonderful folks at RPM PR and Live Nation, Izaac and I had the most incredible time.
Until the next gig
Hayley
Loved reading your review Hayley which gave me more context from where we were in the Cheap Seats!
Sydney had a different set list for some reason but the audience and our wrist lights were pulsing like the very best Dance Party I’ve been to!