Lady Gaga�s�artRAVE: The ARTPOP Ball�is coming to Dubai � but it will be censored. The contentious pop star is known for her oft-outrageous stage antics, but organisers confirmed to�tabloid!�that her UAE show on September 10 at the Meydan Racecourse will be edited down for cultural reasons.
�There will be some edits for Dubai,� said Marco Rios, the chairman and CEO of AMI Live, one of three companies involved with bringing Gaga to the UAE. �It cannot be the full show, because it wouldn�t be allowed. So it�s a special show for Dubai and for the culture.�
The Dubai date, which will �respect the local law�, was officially announced at a Monday morning press conference at the RIRA Gallery in DIFC.
Becky Artmonsky, CEO of ATW Live � the executive producers and promoters partially responsible for Jennifer Lopez at the Dubai World Cup � said that Gaga is willing to play nice to avoid cancellations. She doesn�t want a repeat of the ban that has been imposed on her live shows in Indonesia.
�She�s a wonderful, ground-breaking artist and that�s why we all love her. She�s very, very excited to be playing for her fans for the first time in the Middle East, and that�s really, always for her, the absolute most important thing,� said Artmonksy.
�We�re working very closely with her and her team to ensure all cultural sensitivities are managed very well. It�s her first time here, and she knows she has a lot of Little Monsters here � and some Big Monsters, as well, actually � so that�s the focus for her.�
Despite a censored version of Gaga�s show, her UAE fans may be able to meet their idol in the flesh.
�There�s a few meet-and-greets � there will be a very nice meet-and-greet,� said Rios. �Gaga is not an artist who likes to meet-and-greet, but I think so, we might [have one].�
�It all depends on the artist,� added Vincent Guo, COO of AMI Live. �As promoters, we love to have meet-and-greets � it�s whether the artist wants to do that. Some love it, some don�t.�
China welcomes Gaga?
Alongside the announcement, the press conference served as an introduction to Guo and Rios� Latin American company, AMI Live. Gaga�s concert is their first effort in the UAE. They plan to produce more live shows (they told us they have five big names already planned), sports programming and children�s programming. They have been the dominant Latin American events organiser for over 10 years, with more than 4,000 shows held and millions of tickets sold.
The conference also marked a strategic merger between AMI Live and Long Legacy Cultural Group, a Chinese organisation with experience in commercial stage performances. By joining forces, and through a somewhat ideal geographical proximity, they hope to bring more artists to Asia, Latin America and the Middle East.
artRAVE: The ARTPOP Ball�is Gaga�s fourth concert tour, and features, like many of her concerts, crazy costumes and elaborate productions. The tour so far has received positive reviews, with many praising the singer�s energy and enthusiasm.
Gaga�s last tour, the�Born This Way Ball, had to be abruptly cut short in 2013 following a hip injury the singer sustained while performing. She later underwent surgery. Trade publication�Pollstar�named it the fifth highest grossing tour in 2012 behind Madonna, Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band, Roger Waters and Coldplay.
Tickets for the Dubai show are priced at Dh495 (General Admission), Dh750 (Grandstand Seating) and Dh1,295 (Golden Circle). VIP tables and air-conditioned suites will also be available, starting at Dh2,000. Tickets can be bought from noon on May 15 on ticketmaster.ae. Gaga�s fan club members will have access to a presale on May 13-14, with a promoter presale occurring on May 13. A special website dedicated to the concert has also been created: ladygaga.ae.