Marianne Gunn's verdict: five stars
Some of Lady Gaga's Little Monsters queued for more than 20 hours to be within striking distance of the New York born superstar (Yonkers, NY, to be precise).
Yonkers by birth, and bonkers by nature, she emerged via hidden trapdoor to a veritable Bacchanalia of excess for her ArtRave vision.
Shedding her arachnid-like golden wings at the keyboard of her piano she shrieked "Glasgow!" and "Scotland!" as she "popped her Hydro cherry" after opening song Artpop.
In bejewelled leotard with embedded (and Jeff Koons inspired) blue gazing ball, she performed album track G.U.Y which was followed by her rebirth as a potty-mouthed Venus as phallic foliage appeared on the translucent catwalks.
"We will celebrate your future art, let your most dangerous dreams become reality," Gaga cried before channeling Aphrodite herself, this time in Barbarella wig and Swarovski-encrusted scallop-shell bikini. So far, so beautifully crazy.
Her manifesto of creative freedom followed: that pop music can exist in an intelligent space; all you need is a canvas and paintbrush and you are an artist.
Although she chastised those who were "there for the hits", Just Dance, Poker Face and Telephone followed in quick and fantastic succession before her 'child of Ursula the sea witch' costume for Paparazzi. Do What U Want was delivered from the clutches of a well-manicured metallic monster claw as the Hydro throngs sang along.
An Americana and rock section (with soaring live vocals), and crazy costume changes including a tartan scarf, bunnet and mini bagpipes completed her eclectic look (and led to some very emotive audience interaction during Born This Way).
The Edge of Glory, Judas, Alejandro and an electric neon Bad Romance brought proceedings to the final Applause.
With liberalism, latex and a litany of profanities, she also gave her ArtRavers a taste of her Tony Bennett album with bonus track Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down) before her luminous rave came to a close.
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