A must-buy at any concert in Japan: マフラータオル (scarf towel)

Several weeks ago, I found out that Lady Gaga would begin The Born This Way Ball tour and that she would be touring in Asia and Australia first. There was only one date posted for Japan: a Thursday afternoon in Tokyo (at the Saitama Super Arena). I figured it would be impossible to go since it would be in the middle of the work week. As expected, the concert sold out instantly.

In line for official goods

Two more dates were announced: Saturday and Sunday, May 12-13, but the tickets would go on pre-sale first via lottery. So I entered the lottery, thinking I wouldn’t hit but it didn’t cost me anything to enter, so why not? I was allowed four types of ticket requests, so I worked my way up from the cheapest tickets (9,000 yen or roughly $100 US). Actually, I would’ve preferred the cheapest tickets because these were designated seats in the stadium area. She would be tiny, but visible at least from most angles. I ended up winning on my fourth choice: 14,000 yen tickets in the Arena Standing area. I was much closer than I expected to be, but still in the back. It was my first time to also attend a large-scale concert in the standing area. I didn’t realize my height would be such a disadvantage!! I couldn’t even see the TV screens for the most part, but luckily my husband is surprisingly strong and he was able to lift me up occasionally during my favorite songs so I could catch a glimpse of Lady Gaga, the stage, or the screens. I nearly cried the first time I finally got to see something.

Act I – Escaping

To put it simply, because words could never do it justice: The Born This Way Ball was AMAZING. And I definitely am going to try and go again when I’m back in the US, but I have to wait until the tour dates are announced. It probably won’t be until 2013 because she’s touring through Asia, Austria, and Europe first.

Pouring out of the arena at the end of the show