Franch Toast's December Vegas experience

[Franch Toast 25,900]

[Note: I redacted some of the info in this that felt too personal/identifiable, so some of the post and responses might not make sense.] 

Finally, I am writing up parts of my Las Vegas trip from last month. I’m not including everything, as there are some parts I’d rather keep for myself. 

The TL;DR is that both shows were excellent; I found the M&G to be overrated and wouldn’t purchase one again in its current form; Brian Newman’s show is worth watching regardless of whether LG is there; and stay at the Park MGM or Nomad if you want to run into Haus folks. 

I understand that Vegas is a sore spot for many of you, especially those of you in other countries where maybe LG cancelled a tour. Your disappointment that she’s not touring internationally is valid, and I believe it’s possible to both acknowledge why Vegas is better for her at this point but also be disappointed that she’s not touring. I flew from within the US, and it was still an expensive trip, even without factoring in the costs of the concert. There are some ways to make it more affordable: using miles and points for flights and hotel costs; playing MyVegas slots to redeem rewards for lodging, food, activities, and local transportation; staying off the Strip; using a shuttle bus instead of taxi or Uber to get to and from the airport (shuttle is only $7). In spite of the costs, I still really enjoyed myself overall, and I liked having the Park MGM/Nomad as a home base. It felt like Gaga headquarters, in between the Park Theater and Haus of Gaga being there, plus they play Gaga music all the time throughout the casino and in the elevators. The Haus hangs out there a lot too, and you run into a lot of other Gaga fans. Whenever I ventured into other parts of Vegas, I'd find myself eager to return to the comfort of the Park & Nomad. 

This trip was planned as a celebration for my older sister’s milestone birthday. Originally, it was just the two of us, but then our other sister and her husband joined us for part of the time. It was built around two Gaga concerts – Enigma and J & P – but it evolved into more (we saw other shows, went off the Strip, etc.). 

We stayed at the Nomad, which is located within the Park MGM – the rooms are on the top few floors, but the lobby is on the main floor near the Nomad Restaurant and Nomad Bar. It’s much quieter compared to the Park MGM, and much darker (I think the Countess would love it). The rooms have hardwood floors and look more vintage. I enjoyed staying there. It’s also likely you may encounter some Haus members in the elevator, since most of them seem to stay at the Nomad. During my time there, I shared an elevator with Tim Stewart, Gaga’s assistant Kim, and someone from her crew.  I also saw Freddie in the lobby and bumped into Asia, Gustav, and Koji (with their dogwalker) while LG likely was rehearsing. My brother-in-law struck up a conversation with Tim, having no clue who he was, but he also plays guitar, so upon seeing Tim’s case, he started talking shop with him. I think Tim could tell right away my brother-in-law had no idea who he was, and they had a brief but pleasant exchange. On another occasion, I saw a man wearing a “Be Kind” shirt and asked him where he bought it, as I wanted to get one, and he sheepishly admitted that he was part of Gaga’s crew and it was given to him, but he encouraged me to check the shops for it (note: no “Be Kind” shirts to be found anywhere in the Park MGM). 

In terms of buying merchandise: stuff is sold at the shows, in the Haus of Gaga, and at the Park MGM Shoppe. The latter is where I found the pink Enigma sweatshirt that I'd coveted more than anything else. It is very warm and comfy, but it'll set you back around 70 bucks, like all the sweatshirts will. I also bought a Haus of Gaga hat, a pink Haus of Gaga T-shirt, and an Enigma T-shirt from the Haus of Gaga.

My sister and I arrived one day ahead of our other siblings, which also was the day before Enigma. We took a cab for a flat rate of $27 from the airport. Our room wasn’t ready, so we left our luggage and explored the area for a bit. Tip: since our room wasn’t ready on time, I asked how we’d be compensated, and the hotel clerk gave us a $50 meal credit. It pays to ask! We ended up the Park MGM casino portion and stumbled upon the Haus of Gaga. We went in, and “Speechless” was playing over the loudspeakers. Seeing so much of her clothing and paraphernalia there, I almost teared up. It was amazing! I would wander into Haus of Gaga every day of our trip just to visit with the objects there and hear the music. On show days, there tend to be longer lines, and they limit the number of people who can enter at one time, so it’s best to go on non-show days. Seeing items from different periods of her career showcased side-by-side was jarring in a way, as it was though different eras had all been compressed into one time and place, but it was super cool. I asked the salesclerk if they planned to stock Haus Labs, and she told me no. We both agreed it would be a smart move to have a Haus Labs store in the Park or as part of the Haus of Gaga, and she didn’t know why there were no plans to do so. 

After Haus of Gaga, we wandered over to New York New York, which is just across the street (so it’s definitely an option of somewhere stay that’s still near the theater). When we got the call that our room was ready, we headed back, and we bumped into Sarah Tanno leaving the Nomad, holding onto a men’s dress shirt. She was stunning in person – photos don’t do the woman justice. We didn’t stop to talk to her for a couple of reasons. One, I don’t like bothering people whom I don’t know. Two, I looked horrible after flying for almost five hours, and we hadn’t yet been able to freshen up – my face was greasy, I had no makeup on, I was wearing glasses, and worst of all, my shawl had shed all over my pants and coat, so I had big blobs of fuzzy lint attached to me. This was not the time I wanted to meet anyone – already, it felt sacrilegious to enter the Haus of Gaga in that condition. Three, Sarah looked like she was on a mission and had some place to be. 

That night, while my sister crashed due to jetlag, I went out to the CVS next door to buy water and snacks (the CVS next to the Park MGM is full of all sorts of treasures), and that’s when I met Gaga's fat Frenchies. Again, I must emphasize that they are so, so cute. When I saw them, it was just the three of them together and not Bo’s (or Kim’s?) pups. Had the dog walker not been talking to someone else I probably would've asked if I could play with them. 

The following day was our Enigma concert, and my sister and I both decided to avail ourselves of the resources of the Park MGM salon to help us with hair and nails. My stylist told me they love when Gaga is in town because business spikes. I learned that both Cynthia and Sarah had been in the salon the previous day – Cynthia to have her nails done, and Sarah her hair (perhaps I saw her right after) – and that both are extremely nice. When my sister had her nails done, the nail tech told her that sometimes Gaga comes in to have her nails painted there, and she likes to watch YouTube videos of ordinary people experimenting with Haus Labs. She gets very excited over the looks that people create. I think this is quite cute. 

We had a meet and greet, so we lined up at the VIP table shortly after 6 pm. This is the same table where you line up if you have a pre-show reception. It’s to the left of the MLife desk. Everyone I met in line was lovely, and I enjoyed meeting people from all over the world. We started off with a backstage tour, led by one of Gaga’s assistants Jen, who was very friendly and knowledgeable. @nozhoemi already has described the tour pretty well, including the swag bag contents. A Park MGM security guard, Clint, accompanied us to keep us in line and make sure we didn’t take any photos. Clint was awesome: he commanded authority but had a good sense of humor, and he was very kind. I love Clint! For me, the highlight of the tour was when Sloan walked by cradling her adorable puppy, Millie, who was wearing a hooded sweatshirt. Jen asked if we had any questions for Sloan, but I can’t recall what other people asked her. I asked her how old her dog was (1!) and if I could pet her (yes!). In hindsight, someone should’ve asked if she sterilizes her finger before Gaga licks it.  Jen also informed us that she met her husband on the Joanne World Tour and had us wave to him (I think he does something with lighting or sound). At the end of the tour, Jen told us we could give her any letters or gifts we had for Gaga, and she would place them in her dressing room. I think three of us gave her something for Gaga. What I gave her fit inside a small tote bag, and I wondered whether the bag would be too big to be approved by security; it made it through. 

After the tour, we were ushered into the pre-show reception. The food was decent and tasted better than I had anticipated. As I recall, there were meatballs, bruschetta, beef Wellington, breadsticks, cheese, and fruit. There also were drinks served in disco balls and concessions such as popcorn and chocolate-covered raisins that you could take to the show. They also have a photo booth where you can pose with props and then the picture is texted to you. Clint was with us at the reception, so we chatted with him, because he’s hilarious. He told us that if you see guards wearing yellow vests standing around an area in the theater, it means someone famous is sitting there. For some reason, it slipped our minds that we could’ve checked out the merchandise before the show, so we didn’t. 

We were seated two rows behind the VIP banquet seating. Cynthia, Joe, and I think Natali were in our same row but in a different section (we were off to the right, and they were at the end of the center row). Tom Cruise was sitting somewhere near them too, which we only learned later, and we didn’t see the yellow-vested guards Clint had mentioned. Maybe Mr. “I have one middle monotooth” was keeping a low profile. Joe spent a lot of time checking his phone during the concert, and he took off before the “Shallow” encore. 

I purposely avoided buying drinks during the show because I didn’t want to miss one second of the show. I paid close attention to LG’s vocals, since y’all like to drag her, and she sounded phenomenal! I’m no music expert, but I was impressed. I’m glad I was in a seat as I was able to take in the full view of the stage and the lasers and animation. I ended up standing and dancing the entire time, partly because my dress refused to be contained by one seat, and also because I wanted to dance. Fortunately, about six seats in our row were empty, so I had a lot of space. No one reprimanded me for standing up, and a lot of people in seats were standing and dancing. After all, LG does like to command people to get on their "motherf*cking feet" every other minute. The concert was a lot more rock than I’d anticipated, which I loved. I was surprised that my favorite performance probably was  “Yoü & I,” as it’s not my favorite song to listen to even from Born This Way. But she was so into it, as was her band, so I had to love it! However, everything was excellent! During "Shallow," when she got to the "hardcore" line, she did the cocaine gesture she does in the Grammys performance. I thought the wigs and costumes looked great in person, and the Enigma interludes weren’t as cheesy as they seem in video extracts, though to be honest, they’re also forgettable. The concert flew by way too fast, and I felt like I didn’t have time to process the experience and was ready for round 2. I should’ve gone again two nights later (but alas, we had tickets to a different show that night). The audience seemed to enjoy themselves – people were dancing (not just in GA) and shining their flashlights. Some of you had been asking about her saying she would stay in Vegas for two more years. What I recall her saying is something to the effect of: “I’m here for another year, two if I want.” In our concert, she read a letter from Kenny (Kenny, if you’re reading this, I have the video). I was thrilled that when she was picking which letter to read, she belted out “It’s raining mail” to the tune of “It’s Raining Men,” and now I want her to do a cover of the song, as it sounded amazing. Move over, Weather Girls!

After the show, we checked out the merchandise and used the bathroom before heading up to the meet and greet area, as we knew from Jen that Gaga would be taking her baths beforehand, so we had about a half an hour. (Jen is responsible for preparing her baths and making sure her dressing room is exactly how she wants it.) By the time we got up there, we were toward the back of the meet and greet line. I think there were about 20 people lined up. Some hadn’t been there for our backstage reception, such as Kenny, but there also were other newcomers. Jen instructed people who had a “C” on their wristband to come over to her. I’m not sure what that was about, but maybe “C” stands for “casino,” and they were MGM VIPs? We were instructed not to give Gaga anything during the meet and greet (Jen offered to take any gifts or notes and give them to her later, just as she’d done during the tour) and not to ask for autographs. I was surprised at how quickly the meet and greets whizzed by; before long, we were at the front. When we got closer, I realized just how quick these encounters were and that it was less about meeting and more about quick greetings and a photo. When my sister went up, I watched Gaga say something to her, she responded, then they posed for a photo, and it was over. I was shocked – I knew these things were short, but I didn’t realize they were that short. Somehow, one of our linemates ended up between my sister and me, and her M&G was equally brief. Then it was my turn. 

I should make the disclaimer that I am not the target audience for a M&G. I’m actually quite uncomfortable paying someone to talk to me, and I only did it for my sister’s sake (I could’ve let her do it without me, but then we would’ve been separated while she did the backstage tour and attended the reception). The whole set-up makes me uneasy: I felt as if we were being herded through like cattle, and as though LG were on display like a zoo animal. I’m also very private and shy (see the GGD “introvert thread”) and have trouble making small talk and distilling conversation into soundbites. I have the wrong kind of personality for M&Gs. 

It’s weird, because I was completely sober for the M&G (remember, I didn’t drink during the concert), and yet, while I clearly remember everything before I talked to LG and everything immediately after, those few seconds I was with her are a blur. It was surreal. I was so focused on what I wanted to say to her that I didn’t notice much else. I’d written the more meaningful things in my letter, and I’d decided to keep the M&G convo lighthearted. We have a mutual acquaintance (said person is my good friend who knew her before she’d ever conjured up Lady Gaga), and I wanted to take her on a quick trip down memory lane. I figured it would break up the routine of the M&Gs and be something a little different, and hopefully give her a chuckle.

It was a whirlwind, but I remember talking to her as though she were a regular friend, as though she were Stefani and not Lady Gaga, and I didn’t feel starstruck. I just felt really happy. I was smiling a lot and joking around with her as we talked, as evidenced by my M&G photo, which hands-down must be the worst M&G photo ever in existence. At least my sister’s photo is cute. She got a good photo, but no real interaction with LG; I had a few seconds of interaction with LG, but a horrible photo. I

I briefly chatted with Jen, who told me she liked my dress, and learned that she’d also been on tour with U2. I asked her what she majored in in order to land such a cool job but had never heard of such a major (it must be an LA thing). She was very nice. Some of us were milling around, and then Jen told us, “Good night, ladies,” in a kind but firm voice. Translation: time to leave. And so we left. I think there only were two people after us, and the last person who had her M&G wasn’t that far behind us. Like one of our linemates later said to me, the whole affair lasted the length of one song. 

Later, piecing together information gathered from two different sources, it sounds like LG may have been in a lot of pain after that show, so the M&Gs were extra rushed. (Sources = a member of her team and someone at my table at Brian Newman After Dark.) 

The following night, my birthday sister and I went to Brian Newman After Dark. We were unable to score NYE tickets, but the show we saw was still fantastic. We’d been at a show at the Mirage earlier that night and made it back to the Nomad around 10 pm (because, ahem, our other cheapskate sister insisted on walking from the Mirage to catch the free tram at the Bellagio, instead of taking a cab, and it was a LONG walk, and I walk slowly because I’m recovering from a broken leg). We’d been planning on changing and getting all decked out for Brian’s show, but already at 10 pm, people were lining up. We quickly freshened up in our room and then headed back down to wait in line. Even though we had tickets, seating is first come, first serve. We were in tier 1, but as it turned out, the venue is so small that tier 2 would’ve been perfectly fine, and if you’re okay standing, so would tier 3. We stood behind a man and woman who were local to Las Vegas and appeared to be very wealthy and important people, and they liked to outdo each other dropping names of famous people (they were friends who hadn’t seen each other in a while, and they were catching up). One of them mentioned she’d heard that Gaga had been in a lot of pain the previous night after Enigma, which is why she didn’t perform at Brian’s show after. Once they started seating us, the staff asked how many people were in our party, and then they assigned us the first booth from the stage, which could seat 8. (There was a table between us and the stage area.) The man and woman in front of us were seated with us, as were Sloan, her boyfriend, and their two friends. I didn’t realize Sloan was at our table until Brian singled her out later in the show, as her hair looked completely different. I’m shy, so I didn’t talk to her group much, but my sister, who is very outgoing, did, and they seemed very nice. I think her boyfriend dances for the Magic Mike show. During one of the intermissions, everyone left our table but Sloan and me, so we briefly chatted then. I told her that meeting her dog Millie was the highlight of the previous night, and then joked with her not to tell her boss that I said that. I’m not good at small talk and didn’t want to bother her, as she was messaging someone on her phone, so I didn’t talk to her that much. 

Anyway, as for Brian’s show, honestly, in a way I enjoyed it more than Enigma, though they’re very different animals. What I loved about it was that it felt very laid-back and homey, like it was a bunch of friends hanging out and performing, and it felt very genuine and unscripted. Before the show started, my sister needed to use the bathroom, and she asked a guy dressed in a vest (whom she assumed was a waiter) where it was. It turned out that the guy was not a waiter but was the comedian, Murray, who was going to perform later in the night, and he came over to us, put his arms around us, and asked if we were looking for the bathroom so we could go hook up. I cried out, “Ew! We’re sisters!” The guy next to Murray shrugged and said it’s Vegas, no judgment. Somehow, it made me think of that infamous incest thread on GGD a few weeks back. Later, when Murray performed his set, which was very interactive with the audience, I slunk down in my chair, hoping he wouldn’t make a joke about sisters getting it on in the bathroom. Thank God he did not, and in fact, after his set, my sister went up to him and thanked him for not doing so. Like I said, there was a very laid-back vibe to everything. Brian sang and played, and at one point he sang Kenny Rogers’ “The Gambler.” Another woman came and sang, and a burlesque dancer from the UK performed. We also were treated to a burlesque routine by Angie at two different points in the show, and Brian told us stories about their first date, their daughter, etc. It was a lot of fun. Toward the end, Brockett from LG’s band showed up and sang and played the keyboard. It was sweet to see Sloan cheer him on. I think the show ended shortly before 3 am, so it went on for almost 4 hours, minus the breaks. It was well worth the money. Note: the cocktails are delicious, but they are very, very pricey. The one I had was “Call Me Irresponsible.” It was a gingery take on a whiskey sour. The audience was a mix of people. It was clear that some were Little Monsters (probably hoping for a Gaga appearance), but there were also a lot of people who seemed very wealthy and older (like in their 60s or above) who might have been Little Monsters, but also might have been there since Brian’s show is the show to see in Vegas these days. 

The night after that, which was also the night before New Year’s Eve, after hanging out at Fremont Street in old Vegas (which was fun but chilly, as temps were 30-some degrees Fahrenheit), we went back to the Park MGM. While my siblings gambled, I sat at the bar in the center of the casino. So many people from the Haus were there, either playing what I think was blackjack, or hanging out at the bar. I saw Bobby, Freddie, Sarah, Tim, Richie, Kim (but I didn’t know who she was at the time, so I thought of her in my head as blue-haired Princess Leia), Bo, Natali, Phuong, and others. I didn’t talk to any of them because I didn’t want to bother them. They were hanging out and having fun after the December 30 Enigma show, and I didn’t want to interrupt that. I tried not to stare at them, and I didn’t take any covert photos, because that’s just creepy. I told myself that if I found myself sitting next to any of them, then I might say something, but otherwise, I wasn’t going to approach them. I did want to tell Sarah how much I love Glam Attacks and Haus Labs eyeliner, but I couldn’t work up the nerve to walk over and interrupt her. Instead, I got to deal with sleazy guys trying to get me into bed. A PSA to the straight guys here: sure, take a chance and try to hit on a woman whom you find attractive. However, if she’s not taking your bait, please leave her alone. Don’t keep bothering her when she’s let you know she’s not interested. Just don’t. And if you’re going to try to win her over, at least you could offer to buy her a drink – if she’s not interested, she’ll likely say no, but being a cheapskate isn’t going to win you any points. And if she laughs in your face at your lame pick-up lines, get some new ones. To Simon from Ethiopa who told me 2020 was going to be a lucky year for me because I was sitting next to him at the bar, don’t flatter yourself. To Dewey from Alabama who could’ve been my dad or possibly even grandpa: acting like a nice guy for the first hour, only to switch to creep mode thereafter, is even yuckier than Simon’s arrogance. Lamenting that if only we’d met at a different time when we were closer in age because you think I have “kissable lips” and you’re “physically attracted to my body” really creeped me out, especially when you kept repeating that. At this point, my siblings had all gone to bed, but I was finishing my drink and hoping that Gaga would come join her friends in the casino. Instead, I got Dewey. If any of the female Haus members would’ve still been awake by then, I would’ve gone up to them and asked them to pretend like they knew me to rescue me from Dewey, but only Bobby and a couple of guys were left, so I took my chances and sneaked off to the elevators, hoping that Dewey wasn’t following me. (My PSA might apply to all genders, but I only know the heterosexual dating world and don't want to make assumptions.) 

The next morning, our waiter at the Primrose (the onsite restaurant for breakfast) told us that Gaga doesn’t gamble in the casino much anymore because it’s too big of a production – when she plays, some of the tables nearby are closed off, and it creates too much trouble for everyone. He said she’s likelier to be found having a drink in the Nomad Bar or eating in the Nomad Restaurant where her presence is less intrusive. Little did I know then that she was probably hanging out with her new man Michael back at the Mansion. 

Our trip ended with my two sisters, brother-in-law, and I attending Jazz & Piano on New Year’s Eve. LG's vocals blew me out of the water, and I cried during the concert. It was so soulful. Some people stood for her the entire time, and she said something to the effect of, “As long as you keep standing for me, I’ll sing all night.” A lot of her schtick was the same as what we’ve heard in other performances. When she was doing her naughty bits during “Poker Face,” she remarked, “Dad, go eat an edible.” At a couple of different points, she made comments about people bringing kids to Vegas and to her shows. She said, “What part of ‘Las Vegas’ and ‘Lady Gaga’ makes you think, ‘I’ll bring my kids?'” (She made a similar remark during Enigma when reading Kenny’s letter, where he referenced singing about disco sticks as a kid but not understanding what that meant. Friends, I think she doesn't want you bringing your kids to her shows, and if you do, she wants you to know it's not her fault that they're going to hear some racy stuff.) I had thought that maybe Tony or a different special guest might make an appearance since it was NYE, but nope, it was the same show, but still a top-notch one. Before J&P, I saw my pal Clint of Park MGM security fame, and I expressed to him my shock at how quick the Enigma M&G had been. He said that all of the M&Gs at the Park Theater have been like that, with the exception of Bruno Mars – apparently, Bruno doesn’t monetize his M&Gs, meaning, you can’t buy them; you have to have a connection to his team to get one, or be recognized somehow as a special fan, but the trade-off is he really spends quality time with each person. Oh, and @nozhoemialready said what’s in the Enigma swag bags, but the J&P swag bags include a tote bag, a necklace with the “LG” initials, some sort of key chain, and a strongly scented candle with LGs J&P “nostril shot” on it. 

Other stuff: I learned that LG has been known to hang out in random places at the Nomad. The concierge told me that once she hung out in valet parking, and guests mistook her for a Gaga impersonator and were critiquing her Gaga impersonation.  She then gleefully informed them she was Gaga! Food-wise, I highly recommend Best Friend in the Park MGM, which is a Korean fusion joint started by Roy Choi of the kogi truck fame – the food is excellent, though it's expensive. I found Lala Noodles, also in the Park, to be disgusting, but maybe I ordered the wrong things. I didn't try Eataly. Primrose served a great breakfast (best eggs Benedict of my life) but isn't cheap – if you stay in the Park MGM or Nomad, try to get a deal with breakfast credit. Also, plan on it taking a lot longer than you anticipate to get around. Things are not as close as they appear, and paths constantly are blocked by tourists stopping to take photos. 

Edited to add: I forgot to spill the tea from the guy who came to our hotel room to do our hair and makeup before Jazz & Piano. Apparently, one of the stars of this year's Super Bowl show is a real diva, and I'm not talking about Shakira. On the other end, Celine Dion is one of the nicest celebrities with whom he's ever worked. Also, he knows one of Gaga's former dancers (Alex? James? the one who is of Japanese ancestry) and said he's heard only the best things about LG from him. 

[Guest]

Wow, this is super in-depth, thanks for putting in so much effort into it. You're a great writer and beyond hilarious. I loved reading about your experience and really appreciate it that you shared it with us!

[Jenina 14,950]

12 minutes ago, Franch Toast said:

while I clearly remember everything before I talked to LG and everything immediately after, those few seconds I was with her are a blur. It was surreal.

I didn't meet her but I feel the same way about both of my shows. I was at Enigma and Jazz and Piano on December 30 and 31 and I can't remember most of it. I have videos though which is good and I can remember her pointing me out during Paparazzi(best moment of my life btw). I really enjoyed reading about your experience and thank you for sharing it.

[Franch Toast 25,900]

3 minutes ago, Jenina said:

I didn't meet her but I feel the same way about both of my shows. I was at Enigma and Jazz and Piano on December 30 and 31 and I can't remember most of it. I have videos though which is good and I can remember her pointing me out during Paparazzi(best moment of my life btw). I really enjoyed reading about your experience and thank you for sharing it.

Isn't it odd how memory works? Like how can I not remember hugging Lady Gaga?! I feel so cheated! Stupid memory! 

I wasn't at the December 30 Enigma (if only!), but that's so cool that she pointed  you out during "Paparazzi"! 

[Jenina 14,950]

1 minute ago, Franch Toast said:

Isn't it odd how memory works? Like how can I not remember hugging Lady Gaga?! I feel so cheated! Stupid memory! 

I wasn't at the December 30 Enigma (if only!), but that's so cool that she pointed  you out during "Paparazzi"! 

I think I was so obsessed with trying to remember the whole moment that my brain just shut down  Here's the video of her saying something to me though. It's not a very good video though I was too excited

 

 

[Ally Campana 15,284]

I know she’s going through a lot but I wish she would just drop the M&G if it’s that short. It’s way too pricey and not worth it honestly. Glad to hear you had fun though! 

[Magui 2,623]

I want to read all of this carefully 🙂... But it's late and i have to get up early. So i will give it my fully attention tomorrow. Thanks for sharing. 

[mad magic 26]

43 minutes ago, Franch Toast said:

The concierge told me that once she hung out in valet parking, and guests mistook her for a Gaga impersonator and were critiquing her Gaga impersonation.

imagine their reaction 

[LaLa 19,040]

Wow, amazing review, thanks for writing it all up!

I'm like you, shy and easily starstruck, I don't know if I could handle staying at MGM or Nomad if the Haus is around that much, I'd be in a perpetual state of panic I think  Very cool to hear all the little tidbits from people working there though! I bet they have even better stories they can't tell 

[Glamourpuss 29,062]

This is incredible, thanks so much for writing this and for sharing it with us. You made Vegas sound like it would be a fun place for a Gaga fan. I love that you gave us so many tips on where the best places to go are. I really want to go to a Brian Newman show now. 

 

What does this bit in bold mean?  ...

 the J&P swag bags include a tote bag, a necklace with the “LG” initials, some sort of key chain, and a strongly scented candle with LGs J&P “nostril shot” on it. 

[Edonis 28,588]

I still want to see both shows so bad  

I really need to clear my schedule and convince my boyfriend to take me! All in all it seemed like you had a blast!

[Franch Toast 25,900]

1 hour ago, Jenina said:

I think I was so obsessed with trying to remember the whole moment that my brain just shut down  Here's the video of her saying something to me though. It's not a very good video though I was too excited

 

 

That is amazing!!  You must've really made an impression. I know what you mean about your "brain shutting down." I feel like that happened to me too. Had I not taken videos during both shows, I probably wouldn't remember anything. 

1 hour ago, Ally Campana said:

I know she’s going through a lot but I wish she would just drop the M&G if it’s that short. It’s way too pricey and not worth it honestly. Glad to hear you had fun though! 

To be fair, some people have had meaningful, even life-changing, M&Gs, as we can see on this site. (One even occurred on my night!) I think the key is to be the last person, and also you need to have a moving story about something very personal, because then they bend the rules. I think it would be more accurate to rename them "Photo Ops" however and to price them accordingly so that people are aware of what they're getting into – there would be less disappointment that way. $2000 is a large sum of money to me, and I assume to most people, and in many ways, it did feel like a waste. If I were a more bitter person, I'd be pissed about the photo, but I just have to laugh because it perfectly encapsulates the experience. I actually feel bad for Gaga because I think it'd be better for her body to be taking baths then or using her compression machine to alleviate her pain during that time. I know she loves meeting fans, but there isn't that much meeting happening, and it has to be a blur to her as well, maybe even more than it is to us. 

59 minutes ago, mad magic said:

imagine their reaction 

She must've been so amused as well that they were telling her how to improve her Gaga impression. 

59 minutes ago, LaLa said:

Wow, amazing review, thanks for writing it all up!

I'm like you, shy and easily starstruck, I don't know if I could handle staying at MGM or Nomad if the Haus is around that much, I'd be in a perpetual state of panic I think  Very cool to hear all the little tidbits from people working there though! I bet they have even better stories they can't tell 

I'm shy, but actually not easily starstruck, so for me, I wasn't panicking seeing those people all around, but I also wasn't fangirling. It was as though I was content to see that they indeed existed in the flesh, but I didn't dare interact with them, both because I didn't want to disturb them (I figure they get sick of fans only talking to them because of their proximity to Gaga), but also because I didn't have any reason to talk to them, except for maybe Sarah. It actually felt comforting to see them in a way, and I was glad that they were relaxing and having fun (but it makes me sad that Gaga can't join them so easily because her presence creates such a disturbance). You're right – I'm sure the staff have tons of stories!! 

56 minutes ago, Glamourpuss said:

This is incredible, thanks so much for writing this and for sharing it with us. You made Vegas sound like it would be a fun place for a Gaga fan. I love that you gave us so many tips on where the best places to go are. I really want to go to a Brian Newman show now. 

 

What does this bit in bold mean?  ...

 the J&P swag bags include a tote bag, a necklace with the “LG” initials, some sort of key chain, and a strongly scented candle with LGs J&P “nostril shot” on it. 

Ha, by "nostril shot," I'm talking about that standard J&P black and white photo that's taken from a low angle so we see up her nose. And the candle smells nasty (to me), but probably not as nasty as Gwyneth's vagina candle.

51 minutes ago, Edonis said:

I still want to see both shows so bad  

I really need to clear my schedule and convince my boyfriend to take me! All in all it seemed like you had a blast!

Yes, I think they're both worth attending! There's so much to do and see in Vegas beyond her shows as well, so it becomes like a destination concert, which of course is pricier than just going to a concert in one's own city, but it's a lot of fun. There were some downsides to the trip, but we did have a lot of fun overall. I didn't get enough sleep though, not only because we had a full schedule, but also because of jet lag, which would wake me up at 6 am no matter when I went to sleep. By the last day (New Year's Eve), I was something of a zombie. I hope you're able to make the trip, and if you do, that you have so much fun!! 

[nozhoemi 234]

Hey! I thoroughly enjoyed reading your post! It’s so cool to hear someone else’s perspective  And you described everything so well and super in depth!  

Brian’s show sounds so good! I really want to go this year if he still is performing since I’ll be 21  

And omg @ the new yorker flipping off the m&g area  I think I have a feeling I know who you’re talking about hahaha. 

Ngl the j&p swag bags don’t sound too bad haha, i would like the necklace and atleast the candle can be used if i have a power outage 

[Franch Toast 25,900]

7 hours ago, nozhoemi said:

Hey! I thoroughly enjoyed reading your post! It’s so cool to hear someone else’s perspective  And you described everything so well and super in depth!  

Brian’s show sounds so good! I really want to go this year if he still is performing since I’ll be 21  

And omg @ the new yorker flipping off the m&g area  I think I have a feeling I know who you’re talking about hahaha. 

Ngl the j&p swag bags don’t sound too bad haha, i would like the necklace and atleast the candle can be used if i have a power outage 

I hope you have a chance to check out Brian's show! It's a lot of fun. 

I forget – were you with Vanessa in the M&G line? We were just in front of her, and the New Yorker was with us. She'd been strategizing what to say to Gaga while we waited in line and had decided she would bring up their shared Catholic girls' school background, only to be frustrated when she didn't get to say anything to her except basic greetings. I'm surprised no one came after her for screaming and flipping off the M&G area – I'm guessing they didn't see. 

My other sister & brother-in-law went to the pre-show reception for J&P, which is how I know about the swag bags. I like the Enigma ones better because they have useful stuff – water bottle, pins, even the face mask – but the J&P tote bag is cute. The other stuff is just "meh" to me, and the necklace looks like it might turn your neck green (hopefully it won't!). At least there are two different swag bags though! 

[dsc 26]

Thank you to both Franch Toast and Nozhoemi for the well written and detailed reports. It is interesting to see the two perspectives.

I would like to know more about the audience interaction at the two shows. I have tickets for the J&P show in May and was thinking if the wife was impressed maybe doing the Enigma show at a later date. I wouldn’t be doing the GA floor but probably balcony seating, same as I currently have for J&P. How much standing is normal for the shows? I know LG is quite encouraging it at Enigma but I thought it would be considerably less at the jazz show. I will be honest in saying we are not in the under 30 crowd anymore.