Lady Gaga danced front and center of her own chaotic, stunning vision during the July 29 stop of The Mayhem Ball Tour at the Kia Forum in Inglewood, Los Angeles. The performance was a mix of theatrical storytelling, commanding vocals, and a visually immersive journey that once again confirmed her status as a top-tier live entertainer.
Gaga’s Mayhem Ball is structured as a theatrical spectacle divided into four distinct acts, each weaving narrative themes of transformation, duality, and self‑rebirth inspired by her 2025 album Mayhem—a chart-topper in 23 countries and praised for its daring conceptual vision.
Opening with Act I: Of Velvet and Vice, she delivered powerful renditions of “Bloody Mary” and her 2025 hit “Abracadabra,” followed by darkly charged songs like “Judas,” “Scheiße” and “Garden of Eden.” The show unfolded with dramatic choreography and stagecraft that blended elegant gothic noir with operatic grandiosity and cinematic visuals.
Act II transitioned to And She Fell into a Gothic Dream, including “Perfect Celebrity,” “Disease,” “Paparazzi,” “LoveGame,” “Alejandro,” and “The Beast”—a wash of spectacle, political commentary, and visual metaphor, including the iconic moment “Paparazzi” cape turning rainbow during the performance, a nod to her LGBTQ+ allyship.
Act III, The Beautiful Nightmare That Knows Her Name, featured the live debut of “LoveDrug” and “Kill for Love,” plus “Summerboy”—performed for the first time since 2007—and fan favorites “Applause,” “Just Dance,” and “Shadow of a Man.”
Act IV, titled Every Chessboard Has Two Queens, brought emotional resonance with “Born This Way,” “Million Reasons,” “Shallow,” and her glam‑rock album closer “Die With a Smile.” She dedicated “Vanish Into You” to her nieces, delivering a tender, tearful moment that followed her moving tribute to her journey—emphasizing her personal and artistic evolution since relocating to LA at age 19.
The encore featured the iconic “Bad Romance,” the rare live return of “How Bad Do U Want Me,” and even a surprise performance of “Swine”—not sung live since 2014—bringing a nearly 2½-hour finale filled with drama, fervor, and celebration.
Reviews echoed what PEOPLE and EW noted: Gaga reaffirmed her stature as one of the most dynamic live performers of her generation. From Las Vegas to L.A., critics have praised the tour as a blueprint for immersive concert experiences that blur lines between theater, opera, and pop spectacle. Fans flooded social media with clips and responses to transformative set pieces, standout vocal moments, and Gaga’s uncanny ability to reinvent herself onstage.
Choreographer Parris Goebel and Gaga co-directed the show, which features segment-specific stage designs, custom costumes by Hunter Clem and Natali Germanotta (Gaga’s sister), and artistic direction from Ben Dalgleish—creating what critics call a new standard in experiential entertainment.
The night drew high-profile attendees, adding flair and cultural buzz. PEOPLE and other outlets reported that former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi attended the San Francisco shows and confirmed her attendance in L.A., calling the show “the most fun I’ve had in a long time,” and praising Gaga as “very beautiful, extraordinarily talented, and surprisingly humble.” A viral video showed the 85-year-old dancing throughout the performance.
Celebrity fans including Chappell Roan, Olivia Rodrigo, Addison Rae, Conan Gray, and Gabbriette made notable appearances in the Kardashian-era style moment—expressing individuality, creativity, and bold fashion statements rather than imitation. Their presence underscored that Gaga’s influence extends beyond music into cultural and fashion conversation.
The Mayhem Ball is Lady Gaga’s first full-scale tour in three years, following a string of high-profile performances in 2025, including headlining Coachella and a record-breaking free concert at Rio de Janeiro’s Copacabana Beach attended by an estimated 2.5 million people. The narrative-rich performances, combined with her advocacy for LGBTQ+ rights and inclusion, continue to redefine what a pop concert can be.
Her 2025 album Mayhem—released March 7—has been hailed as a return to her synth-pop roots with industrial and disco elements, and it debuted at No. 1 on Billboard 200. It quickly became her highest-rated release on Metacritic, praised for its genre-blending ambition and personal lyricism. The tour’s production design and messaging reflect themes of identity, love, fame, and chaos—creating worlds of immersive meaning.
With sold-out shows in L.A., San Francisco, Las Vegas, and more upcoming dates in Seattle, Miami, Chicago, Toronto, and beyond—The Mayhem Ball Tour is shaping up to be one of 2025’s most iconic live music events. Gaga remains at the center of a sophisticated pop-performance revolution—one where spectacle meets social commentary and artistry meets activism.
In summary, Lady Gaga’s July 29 performance at the Kia Forum was a masterclass in big‑scale theatrical pop: emotional, visually stunning, fiercely political, and full of heart. With every moment—from the opera‑inspired acts to the heartfelt dedications—she reaffirmed why she continues to rule live performance in the modern era.