ADVERTISEMENTMore than two million Lady Gaga fans rocked up at the Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro on Saturday night to join the singer in what was the largest show of her career as of yet, and it was free.
The Mother Monster, as she is known, kicked off the concert at around 10:10 pm local time with her 2011 song “Bloody Mary.” Cries of joy rose from the tightly packed fans who sang and danced shoulder to shoulder on the vast stretch of sand.
Lady Gaga performed her classic hits, including “Poker Face” and “Alejandro,” switching between an array of dresses, including one with the colours of the Brazilian flag.
Madonna also turned Copacabana Beach into a massive dance floor last year. The large-scale performances are part of an effort led by City Hall to boost economic activity after Carnival and New Years’ Eve festivities and the upcoming month-long Saint John’s Day celebrations in June.
Rio’s City Hall said in a recent report that around 1.6 million people were expected to attend Lady Gaga’s concert and that the show should inject at least 600 million reais (some €93.8 million) into Rio’s economy.
Similar concerts are scheduled to take place every year in May at least until 2028.
Video editor • Rory Elliott Armstrong
