How I survived the attack of the Fame Monster

I was jammy enough to be sent to Manchester last night for the opening night of Lady Gaga's first headling tour of the UK. It was predictably grandiose and grotesque, but I generally felt like a rubber-necking outsider, rather than an special invitee to The Monster's Ball. That could have been because I had my "professional" hat on (it's a sombrero, in case you're interested) or it could have been down to opening night nerves making the performers concentrate on hitting their marks, rather than reaching out to the audience.

Anyway, enough jibber-jabber. There were 20 (20!) journalists at the MEN Arena in Manchester, and here's what the ones who survived their hangovers enough to bash out a few paragraphs had to say:

"Right up until the wire there was a mad panic" (Digital Spy)

"For the third act she wore her most bonkers costume, resembling a tasselled lampshade." (The Sun)

"Gaga herself is on imperious form, displaying a powerful singing voice not readily apparent on the album" (The Independent)

"Muppet Wonder Woman" (BBC - clearly the most insightful review in this list)

"A dishwasher overheated in an MEN Arena kitchen, and the fire brigade were called." (Manchester Evening News)

"It still leaves every other pop star looking a bit wan by comparison." (The Guardian - who liked this phrase so much they used it twice)

"Her piano burst into flames during her song Speechless - which is exactly how many of us felt." (Mirror)

"Hold on to your hairdo, this is one helluva ride." (The Times)

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