The next best thing to GAGA

FANS OF LADY GAGA would perhaps appreciate it if science could find a way to clone the thrillingly eccentric American pop sensation to spread her presence around a little thicker, but, failing that, “The Fame Monster” – almost an exact replica of her stage show – is coming to Thailand next month.
Celebrated impersonator Dale Lapointe is the Gaga-lookalike star of “The Fame Monster”, a tribute revue that originated in Milan in 2009 and has been called the best European “cover” of Lady Gaga on tour.
The tribute show will be part of Bangkok’s 17th International Festival of Music and Dance in mid-September, matching Gaga’s stage productions step for step and song for song, complete with a live band and professional dancers.
“Mega-stars are very costly and cancel shows quite often, and that’s a big problem for concert promoters,” says Peter Neuhaus of United Show Productions, which is bringing “The Fame Monster” to Thailand. He sounds like he’s speaking from experience.
“Impersonators and tribute acts can present shows similar to the original and they’re in high demand in the international entertainment market because the style of the show, the costumes and the special effects are pretty much the same as the original and can give the audience the same thrilling experience.”
United specialises in “tribute shows of first-class theatrical quality”. It’s previously given the Bangkok dance festival “The Michael Jackson Memory Concert Show” and “Abba”, both hailed as successes.
“We could see that the audience in Bangkok likes this kind of entertainment very much, even if the artist has passed away,” Neuhaus says, “so for this festival we’re presenting another musical performance that gives the audience that same 1-to-1 perfect illusion. In a performance as meticulous as this, you forget that it’s a tribute show and not the original.”
Dale Lapointe is said to deliver impeccable renditions of Lady Gaga’s hits including “Poker Face”, “Bad Romance”, “Paparazzi”, “Just Dance” and “Edge of Glory”. Among those saying so is Gaga herself, who had Lapointe onstage with her in Zurich during her recent Art Pop Ball Tour. Gaga the real one had nothing but praise for the talent and attention to detail demonstrated by Gaga the fake one.
Adding to the sense of authenticity, Lapointe is of Italian and Canadian ancestry, as is Lady Gaga, and resembles her closely in height, weight, skin tone and certainly the voice.
And of course Lapointe will be dressing exactly the same as Gaga – an outrageous wardrobe that includes the “Pyro Bra” shooting out bursts of fire, the notorious “meat suit”, and other iconic outfits faithfully replicated for the tribute.
Among Lapointe’s army of dancers is Michael Silas, the choreographer, who was in Lady Gaga’s company of hoofers, so he ought to know which kick and turn comes next. Add to this a talented band, loads of fireworks |and confetti and full-tilt lighting and sound, and you’ve got the next best thing to reality.


 “The Fame Monster”, the Lady Gaga tribute |concert, takes place at the Thailand Cultural Centre on September 14 starting at 7.30pm.
Seats cost Bt800 to Bt2,500 at Thai Ticket Major outlets and www.ThaiTicketMajor.com
Find out more at www.Facebook.com/LadyGagaTributeBand.