Having one of the biggest pop stars of the millennium play an arena show in your backyard is always a big deal. So imagine our delight (and internal conflict!) when we found out that two of the world’s most famous women are playing just down the street from one another on Wednesday (July 9) – the closest the two have been since their Telephone video?
At last, Lady Gaga brings her ArtRave: The Artpop Ball tour to the Air Canada Centre (40 Bay), the first time she’s performed here since February 2013.
Beyoncé, on the other hand, was in town twice in the last year for the Mrs. Carter Show world tour.
This time Bey’s actually bringing Mr. Carter along for the ride, which goes down at the Rogers Centre (1 Blue Jays Way).
Jay or nay, we all know who the star of the Beyoncé show is. And Gaga? Well, who knows what Mother Monster will do.
We asked four local experts to weigh in. Whaddya say? Gaga or Bey?
SONGWRITING PROWESS
“You can’t mess with that last Beyoncé record. The last Gaga record seems made for the stage. Nothing wrong with that, but the songs don’t sound like they’re gonna last. Magna Carta Holy Grail was so-so, but Heaven was deep.” Steve Jordan, founder and executive director, Polaris Music Prize
“Gaga will never truly be over, because she’s a songwriter first she could write another Just Dance in her sleep. Beyoncé slaps her name on tracks like they’re perfumes.” Ryan Porter, entertainment writer
DANCE SKILLS
“No contest! Beyoncé has the mad skills of a seasoned dancer. Gaga has the not so mad dance skills of an unseasoned rubber chicken.” Sharron Matthews, cabaret artist, producer, writer, actor. (Matthews plays the Soulpepper Cabaret Series at the Young Centre for the Performing Arts on Saturday, July 5.)
“When I see Gaga dancing in the Judas video, it reminds me of a Bible verse: ‘Jesus wept.'” RP
SHOWMANSHIP
“If I’m going to pay hundreds of dollars for a concert ticket, I want to watch something polished and professional, not some souped-up Muppets-on-acid freak show. Bey and Jay win this one.” Cameron Williamson, editor-in-chief, Flare Magazine
“Both of these chicks are awesome showmen, show women, showbitches… but the difference is Yoncé is Gaultier-style and Gaga is whatever-she-found-at-the-bottom-of-Dame-Edna’s-garbage-bin-style.” SM
FASHION AND STAGE MAKEUP
“I’m so over the whole pantless-onstage trend, so Jay Z aside, whoever rocks a pair of trousers while performing gets my full attention.” CW
“Beyoncé? Beautiful vintage fishy fierce drag queen! Gaga? Your drunk Aunt Mabel after a trip to the Walmart makeup sale section.” SM
OVERALL ARTISTIC MERIT
“Visually Gaga has consistently pushed boundaries in that Dadaist way, but musically the sum of Bey & Jay is just so powerful. Tie.” SJ
“Gaga stands on the shoulder pads of giants but modernizes her Bowie/Grace Jones/Leigh Bowery influences with her own pro-freak agenda.” RP
