Lady Gaga Concert Review: A Theatrical Mayhem Ball in Sydney

This blog post is all about my Lady Gaga concert review of her show at the Accor Stadium in Sydney.

There are some concerts that are fun. Some that are loud. Some that are emotional.

And then there are concerts that feel like events. The kind you know you’ll be talking about for years, the kind that become part of your personal timeline.

Lady Gaga’s The Mayhem Ball tour stop at Accor Stadium in Sydney was firmly the latter.

On Saturday 13th December 2025, Lady Gaga returned to Sydney for the first time in 11 years, playing the second of two sold-out nights at Accor Stadium.

It was also her final show of 2025, her final show in Australia, and, as it turned out, one of the most chaotic, theatrical and rain-drenched concerts I’ve ever attended.

From technical difficulties to a dancer even slipping off the stage, to a stadium standing in the pouring rain for nearly three hours, this show truly lived up to its name.

The Mayhem Ball came with actual mayhem. And somehow, that only made it more unforgettable.

RELATED Lady Gaga Concert Review blog posts to read:

• Luke Combs Concert Review: Accor Stadium, Sydney, Australia
• Oasis Sydney Concert Review: It’s Good to Be Back
• Emotional Lewis Capaldi Concert Review: Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney
• Powerful Jelly Roll Concert Review: Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney
• Ridin’ Hearts Festival Review: Megan Moroney Rocks Sydney

This blog post is all about my Lady Gaga concert review in Sydney.

---

A First-Time Gaga Experience, 11 Years in the Making

This was my first time ever seeing Lady Gaga live, which still feels wild to say.

I’m not a die-hard “Little Monster” in the traditional sense, but I have always been a huge admirer of her talent. I was 11 years old when Just Dance was released, and like most people my age, I grew up watching Lady Gaga constantly reinvent herself.

From The Fame era to the meat dress, from stripping everything back for Joanne to her powerhouse performances in A Star Is Born and House of Gucci, Gaga has always existed slightly outside the normal rules of pop stardom.

You might not love every song, but it’s impossible not to respect her artistry.

There are certain songs of hers that I’ve always loved. Alejandro, You and I, much of the Joanne album.

And of course, the now-iconic tracks from A Star Is Born.

So while I wouldn’t call myself a super-fan, I went into this night knowing two things for certain: she can sing, and she knows how to put on a show.

I went to the concert with my boyfriend, and while I only moved to Australia in February this year, it was still incredibly special to be surrounded by Australians who had waited over a decade to see her live again.

You could feel that sense of release and anticipation in the crowd. This wasn’t just another tour date for many people. This was something they’d been holding onto for years.

---

Arriving at Accor Stadium, Anticipation in the Air

We took the train to Accor Stadium, which was refreshingly easy. The concert ticket included free public transport, something Sydney does really well for major events and something that immediately puts you in a better mood before you’ve even arrived.

Outside the stadium, the atmosphere was buzzing. Food vendors, bars, music playing, long queues for merchandise tents dotted around the concourse.

The crowd was beautifully mixed: groups of women, couples, mothers and daughters, members of the LGBTQIA+ community, longtime fans and casual concert-goers all mingling together.

The outfits were incredible. While there weren’t as many fully committed costumes as I expected, there were still plenty of standout looks: blonde wigs, Just Dance-inspired leotards, veils, dramatic gowns, towering platform boots and headpieces that I personally would not want to be standing behind.

A lot of people were also dressed in club-style outfits, black heeled boots and Gaga merch, which felt very on-brand for a modern stadium show.

We were standing for the night, positioned about three-quarters of the way back from the stage in the rear standing area.

I didn’t realise at the time just how soaked we were about to get.

---

No Support Act, Just Suspense

There was no support act for Lady Gaga on this tour, which created a very different kind of anticipation.

Everyone knew we were there for one thing and one thing only.

The stage was already visible, set up like something straight out of an opera house or dark theatre production, and you could sense the excitement building as the stadium slowly filled.

In the lead-up to the show, messages from fans played across the screens. You could visit Lady Gaga’s website and submit a message, which would then appear inside the stadium.

It was a really nice touch and added to the feeling that this night was about connection, not just performance.

At 7:45pm, Lady Gaga herself appeared on the screen in a pre-recorded video. For 30 minutes, a looping visual played of her dressed in deep red, writing a long letter with a quill.

It was eerie, slow-burning and theatrical. And just as the rain began to fall, you could feel the tension building.

The rain started lightly at first, just before she was due on stage. Then it slowly intensified.

By the time the show was about to begin, we were already wet.

---

The Opening… And the First Dose of Mayhem

The opening video was unlike anything I’ve seen at a concert before.

Two versions of Gaga appeared on screen, one angelic and one devilish, reciting a poem simultaneously. It was ominous, unsettling and completely captivating.

It set the tone instantly: this wasn’t going to be a pop concert, it was going to be a performance.

The band took to the stage. Dancers followed. The energy was electric.

And then, just as Gaga was about to emerge inside a large electronic ball, the house lights came up.

At first, there was confusion. Then groans. Then an announcement: technical difficulties.

For ten minutes, the stadium waited. The rain continued to fall.

You could feel people getting restless, especially knowing there was no support act and we were already deep into the night.

Then suddenly, the lights went down again, and we started from the top.

---

When the Show Finally Began

When Lady Gaga finally emerged, she looked exactly as you’d expect: eccentric, dramatic, larger than life.

The costumes throughout the night were nothing short of extraordinary. Wild wigs, exaggerated silhouettes, bold makeup, dramatic reveals.

Every detail felt intentional.

The staging was on another level entirely. Massive screens ensured you never lost sight of her, even from the back.

A long catwalk extended into the crowd, and one of my favourite production elements was the light-up wristbands given to everyone on entry. These lit up in different colours throughout the night, synchronised with the music, making the entire stadium feel like part of the show.

The concert was divided into five acts, each with its own title, colour palette and mood, displayed clearly on the screens.

Each act came with a costume change and a shift in tone, and by the time the Finale credits rolled at the end, it genuinely felt like we’d watched a fully realised theatrical production.

---

A Slippery Stage and a Moment of Silence

About 20 minutes into the show, during Garden of Eden, one of Gaga’s dancers slipped and slid completely off the stage.

Without hesitation, Gaga said, “Stop the music.”

You could hear her repeatedly asking the dancer if he was okay. The stadium fell quiet, concern rippling through the crowd. When she confirmed he was fine, there was a huge cheer of relief.

The show paused again as grips were added to the dancers’ shoes to ensure everyone’s safety. Given the rain, the stage had become dangerously slippery.

The pause felt long, especially following the earlier technical delay, and there was a brief moment where I think everyone wondered if the show might be postponed entirely.

Thankfully, it wasn’t.

The show resumed, and from that point on, despite the rain continuing non-stop, nothing else went wrong.

---

The Music: Rain, Emotion and Powerhouse Vocals

Lady Gaga’s voice was incredible all night, even in the rain.

Songs like Applause, Abracadabra and Just Dance worked brilliantly in the wet conditions, with the rain almost adding to the drama of the choreography and lighting.

But where the night truly shone was during the stripped-back moments.

When Gaga sat at the piano and sang, the stadium felt completely still. Hearing Shallow live is something I’ll never forget. It’s one of the defining songs of the last decade, and hearing it sung live, in the rain, in a stadium full of people, was genuinely moving.

I’ll Always Remember Us This Way was another standout.

Those were the moments where her voice took centre stage, where you were reminded that beyond the costumes, the choreography and the chaos, Lady Gaga is an extraordinary singer.

If I had one wish, it would be that we’d had more of those moments.

I would love to see her do a fully stripped-back tour one day, because when it’s just her and a piano, she’s breathtaking.

---

Crowd Energy and Iconic Singalongs

Despite the rain, the crowd energy was strong, especially towards the end of the night.

Born This Way and Bad Romance had the entire stadium screaming every lyric. The light-up wristbands pulsed in unison, creating one of the most visually striking moments of the show.

Gaga didn’t talk excessively between songs, but when she did, she spoke directly to her “little monsters”, thanking fans who had been with her for 20 years and asking if we’d come back and see her in another 20.

The response was a resounding yes.

She acknowledged the rain, mentioned Sydney several times, and promised it wouldn’t be another 11 years before she returned.

---

“Rain On Me” and the Perfect Ending

Of course, the ultimate irony of the night came during Rain On Me.

As the song played, the rain finally stopped.

The timing was almost comedic, and the crowd definitely noticed. There were plenty of laughs and comments of “of course it stops now.”

For the final bow, Gaga returned to the stage with her dancers dressed down, wigs removed, makeup wiped away.

After all the spectacle, it was a grounding, human ending. Emotional, triumphant and exhausting in the best way.

---

Final Lady Gaga Concert Review

In terms of production, length of show, number of songs and sheer theatrical ambition, this was the best stadium concert I’ve ever seen.

And that’s saying something.

Over the years, I’ve seen Fleetwood Mac, Oasis, One Direction, Luke Combs and more in stadium settings.

None of them came close to the level of production Lady Gaga delivered. I imagine Taylor Swift and Coldplay might operate on a similar scale, but outside of that, this felt unmatched.

The rain dampened things physically, but it didn’t ruin the experience.

If anything, it added to the story of the night. It made it memorable. It made it chaotic. It made it very Gaga.

Three words to describe the night?

Mayhem. Theatrical. Energetic.

And honestly, I wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.