Why Enigma 'Disappointed'

[OMonster 14,664]

Having now watched it in full HD, I think it is fair to say that - objectively - Enigma is a very good show. And I say that, regretfully, as a monster who criticised the performance on opening night. Gaga's charisma, energy and attitude is really at it's peak at Enigma. I never thought we would see this side of her again - the side that is wild, crazy and monster-obsessed. I mean, who would've thought that just a few months after ASIB, we'd have Gaga screaming on the stage singing Aura, DITD and The Fame. This is a show for us - and whilst it isn't perfect, when you strip it all back to Gaga herself... it's really phenomenal and is a great homage to her fanbase, and her career so far.

That said, I understand why the show received an, at-first, pretty negative reception. Narrative and style issues aside, I think it is predominantly the organisation / structure (not content) of the set-list that really created this less-than-exceptional first impression. 

Firstly, opening with Just Dance / Poker Face / LoveGame was (and is) a choice. For a show that's about the enigmatic quality of Lady Gaga, it really needed to start with a song(s) that highlighted her elusive ambiguity. And when watching the Aura / Scheiße / Judas / Government Hooker segment of the show, I can't help but think how different the entire set would've felt had it started with an Act closer to this. The opening needed to feel new but familiar... it didn't need to be a re-hash of what we've already seen. 

Secondly, the inclusion of the hits is clearly a must - I'm not disputing that. But the problem is how these songs have been included. Beyond their misplacement as opening tracks, the problem stands within the fact that these decade-old-hits were not remixed or changed up at all. The vast majority of Gaga's hits came at the beginning of her career, and as such, in order to feel fresh and rejuvenated, she really needed - in my opinion at least - to update these tracks. For an artist who is not currently releasing any iconic pop hits, it's totally necessary to reinvent her discography. This would've really improved Enigma, making it feel like - and sound like - something we have never seen before. 

Thirdly, the timing of Enigma could not have been worse for a show that re-visits - and not reimagines - Gaga's work. Recently, we have had the Super Bowl, Coachella and JWT... all of which were hinged on her classics. The truth is, it feels slightly old now. Had Gaga gone from Joanne in 2016 to Enigma in 2018 (without any of the pop-focused projects in between), this show would've been praised to the high-heavens. Without doubt, we would be calling this Gaga's best show. In order for Enigma to stand it's own ground amongst the recent hit-saturation we have encountered, it needed to A) re-mix the classics and B) include more of her less-performed tracks. 

Which brings me onto my fourth point... ARTPOP's continued rejection is becoming a real problem, particularly with Enigma. This show would've felt completely different had Gaga performed ARTPOP, MANiCURE, Sexxx Dreams, Venus and Gypsy, for example. These are songs that, on the whole, we have not heard in a long time. They are not part of the saturation Gaga has a problem with. Beyond feeling fresher, these songs would've also been really perfect for Enigma - a show that is, inherently, weird and wonderful.

It is also Joanne's rejection that, I think, is very problematic - which is my final point. Whilst the album is not a career-highlight (in terms of being a hit-maker, at least), Gaga needs to make the absolute most of all of her discography - not just the tracks from her first three releases. Along with ARTPOP tracks, the inclusion of Perfect Illusion / John Wayne / Dancing in Circles / Angel Down would've helped the show to feel more representative of her entire career. I mean, as Enigma currently stands, you'd be forgiven for thinking that Gaga's career has been 'dead' since 2012 - which, of course, is totally untrue. 

In conclusion, the 'problem' with Enigma is not what some of you think it is (the looks, the narrative, the choreography) - the 'problem' is that the show fails to A) reimagine Gaga's discography and B) delve into neglected parts of her discography. And my argument is that, in an era where her 'classics' have been so over-exposed, these two things would've really catapulted Enigma to a new status. I think that, even with some of the messiness of the show, a lot of these 'issues' would've felt totally irrelevant had the set-list itself been more alive. Because, ultimately, Gaga herself is absolutely bringing it in Vegas - it's just that she's only doing so with hits that we have so frequently seen performed over the past two years. 

 

[DitaDolla 11,006]

Just now, OMonster said:

Firstly, opening with Just Dance / Poker Face / LoveGame was (and is) a choice. For a show that's about the enigmatic quality of Lady Gaga, it really needed to start with a song(s) that highlighted her elusive ambiguity.

I will say it ONE more time:

That intro is A PART OF THE STORYLINE.

Gaga starts at her normal pop vegas show then ENIGMA takes her to ENIGMA planet (future simulation).

[andy232000 10,826]

4 minutes ago, DitaDolla said:

I will say it ONE more time:

That intro is A PART OF THE STORYLINE.

Gaga starts at her normal pop vegas show then ENIGMA takes her to ENIGMA planet (future simulation).

True, but she could’ve still re-imagined it. New instrumental/arrngement, different opening as we alredy saw her descend into a stage. Make a remix that will create hype and ambiance for the show...she literally just decended playing a keytar...something that has been done in all THREE past tours...like come one gags. I know the keytar in just dance is iconic but come on

[andy232000 10,826]

Just now, andy232000 said:

True, but she could’ve still re-imagined it. New instrumental/arrngement, different opening as we alredy saw her descend into a stage. Make a remix that will create hype and ambiance for the show...she literally just decended playing a keytar...something that has been done in all THREE past tours...like come one gags

 

[OMonster 14,664]

1 minute ago, DitaDolla said:

I will say it ONE more time:

That intro is A PART OF THE STORYLINE.

Gaga starts at her normal pop vegas show then ENIGMA takes her to ENIGMA planet (future simulation).

Man, there's no need to be so aggressive with me, you know. I'm not degrading this residency at all... I'm a big fan. And, I am already aware of the point you are making. We're all LMs here, and I think we can all see why she opened the show how she did. 

My argument is that she shouldn't have opened the show in that way... for the, I think, very fair reasons I stated in the OP. Gaga's 'normal pop vegas show' in 2018, in my view, should not have been opened by un-reimagined, decade-old-hits.

 

[Sanne Godijn 2,203]

Well i hate song remixes so glad she didnt 

[AndrewGr 6,022]

That's the best post I've seen about Enigma. I agree with every single point mentioned 

[OMonster 14,664]

4 minutes ago, AndrewGr said:

That's the best post I've seen about Enigma. I agree with every single point mentioned 

Thank you - appreciate you taking the time to read it all, and not reducing it to 'another hate thread', which it absolutely is not intended to be. 

[Glamourpuss 29,062]

It's an odyssey of her hits. Some of the songs you mentioned like the ARTPOP tracks are ones that casual fans may not know. I agree that some of the setlist seems to be out of place in the show but to change the songs to lesser known ones that the gp may not know wouldn't be right for a Vegas show. The fans may love ARTPOP but it's a fact that it wasn't a well received album by the gp and Gaga was smart to snub it.  

[Bio 23,538]

Girl the beginning of the show is a nod to the Fame Ball. Look closely to it, the costumes, very few dancers, just them and choreography with few props. It's supposed to be the beginning of her career.

And y'all need to accept the fact that this is VEGAS. People going to these shows are not hardcore fans. They're going there to have a good time and listen to known hits. There's no use in filling it up with obscure songs. Scheisse, Dance In The Dark, The Fame and Government Hooker are already nice gifts to the fans. 

[OMonster 14,664]

1 minute ago, Glamourpuss said:

It's an odyssey of her hits. Some of the songs you mentioned are ones that casual fans may not know. I agree that some of them seem to be out of place in the show but to change them to lesser known ones that the gp may not know wouldn't be right for a Vegas show. 

As I said, though, I'm not saying don't include the hits.

I'm saying it would've been interesting, and wise, to have had some of the hits re-mixed, and to have had some of her less-known, recent tracks included. 

Personally, I find it a great shame that Gaga (as best represented by the Enigma show) doesn't ever give a platform to her full discography. This woman is an incredible, varied and complex artist who's output is beyond eclectic. To only ever present the vision of Lady Gaga as one reduced to 'hits' is, in my opinion, totally regressive. I love the classics, but they are not her best works. 

Enigma - an artist residency, not an album project - was and is the perfect time for an odyssey of her discography. The time for constant hit-saturation is a tour where audiences can be more casual - not an incredibly expensive residency where the majority are knowledgeable fans. Attending a Vegas show is an investment... you don't book into one if you only know a few hits of an artist. 

 

 

 

[Whispering 18,865]

22 minutes ago, Sanne Godijn said:

Well i hate song remixes so glad she didnt 

I feel the same.

The majority of people who attend these shows don’t want to hear the mariachi version of Bad Romance. They want to hear original versions so they can sing along. 

[gagzus 15,654]

honestly i like it 99% she just needs to get rid of that HATEFUL 1 ply wig and change the outfits and it'd be perfect

[monster4life231 4,304]

The only remix I'd like is back to the Love Game remix from the Monster Ball. 

[gagarox 1,495]

Yall gays are really some entitled bastards... i really hope she keeps the same setlist to the T until 2020. And why tf are yall watching the same show on periscope everyday... that is such a loser thing to do. Like do something better with ur time. If u didnt pay to go watch enigma then u dont get to complain.