Big Ticket Showdown: Gaga vs. Prince

Rumour has it, Prince is set to announce a nationwide tour in Australia for later this year. With two international superstars down under - that’s The Artist Formerly Known As (or, did he move on from that one already?) and the Lady herself - Concrete Playground is here to help consider your chances of actually getting to see them performing live. And, just for fun, seeing which of the two will leave the biggest impression.

Ding ding!

Round One: getting a ticket

The odds are pretty slim for getting a ticket for Gaga now. If you’ve only just found out she’s touring, you’re already too late. Her ‘Born This Way Ball’ tour was an instant sell-out, even with the additional shows announced earlier this month.

Unless you already have a ticket, fancy creating a flash mob of ‘Monsters’ to convince the promoters to stick on a few extra dates, or you don’t mind risking other (illegal/stupid/unlikely) methods of getting into an arena, you’re better off flexing your index finger ready for the online ticket-booking mayhem once dates are confirmed for Prince. His Australia tour will be announced this week.

Round Two: who are you going to tell your grandkids about?

One is a flamboyant singer-songwriter, known for their unconventional performances, controversial fashion style, and a larger-than-life stage persona. And the other... well, you get the picture. There have been comparisons before, even ones that delve deep into the penis/no-penis debate - for both musicians.

But what we want to know, is which one will still make the ‘When I was a young hipster...’ bedtime stories that you’ll still be bragging about when you’re 80? Will it be Telephone Head? Or Raspberry Beret?

Round Three: who will deliver the KO (gig)?

Purple Rain, Kiss, U Got the Look, 1999... it’s likely that you can expect them all from the legendary 53-year-old singer who’s had decades to perfect his shows. Last year, Prince’s US tour, at which tickets sold for as little as US$25, was a beginning-to-end greatest hits mega show.

Gaga’s worldwide ‘Monster Ball Tour’, on the other hand, was the highest grossing tour of all time - so, it’s fair to say she knows what she’s doing by now. But, after all that, we have to draw you back to the facts. Lady Gaga is coming, she’ll be here in June with zillions of supporters and, probably an amazing show. And Prince is coming (finger’s crossed), and - now that you’re prepared, you may actually get your hands on a ticket or two. So, we say, let Gaga have her Monsters - we’ll be rockin’ out with Prince.