Jill Castle's verdict: five stars

Never one to shy away from the limelight, Lady Gaga's show at the Hydro features all the pomp, extravagance and specacle you'd expect from an artist named after a Queen track.

Videos of futuristic, Metropolis style robot versions of the lady herself fill the arena as her little monsters, the name given to her fans, wait for her to grace the stage.

As the curtain drops, Gaga shows she knows how to make an entrance, appearing on a stage that resembles a futuristic arctic spaceport dressed as an angel with semi-naked dancers holding brightly coloured balls and glow sticks.

With a shout of "Glasgow, let's go" it's time to begin as the opening bars for ArtPop reverberate around the Hydro.

The expletive laden set is not afraid of pushing boundaries, something which will no doubt have caused problems for younger fans who probably had many questions after G.U.Y's rather explicit dance routine.

This is the first of two dates for the pop icon's ArtRAVE tour in Glasgow, with the show returning in November, and Gaga seems determined to ensure the gigs celebrate her music, art, fans and individuality.

Appearing in a silver scallop bikini, Gaga proclaims tonight is about celebrating our mutual love for each other before a series of inflatable plants erupt from the Hydro floor and the opening for Venus fills the arena.

Chants of "here we f***ing go" litter the set, with one lucky fan who'd been at the show previously being asked by Gaga to come backstage for a kiss after throwing their jacket onstage.

The ArtPOP album itself has not had the impact of her debut in the charts but it's clear from tonight that its tracks can stand up with any of her big hits.

The set seamlessly mixes Gaga's new material with classic hits like Poker Face, Paparazzi and Bad Romance.

Gaga is the consummate performer, lapping up every ounce of adulation from the fans, telling them "you're all artists. You don't need a manager to be an artist, all you need is a canvas and a paint brush."

She's also quick to tell those who've come to see the hits to "get a drink and f***ing leave". However, the big tracks are still there, with Just Dance, Alejandro and Poker Face getting some of the best reactions of the night.

Her stage show is the perfect combination of live music, dance and drama and it's performed on one of the most phenomenal stage set ups I've seen at the Hydro. If this is what's possible then it bodes very well for the MTV EMAs next month.

Comparisons to Madonna are well founded, with Gaga exhibiting all the style, musicality and controversy needed to take over the mantle of the Queen of Pop.

A PVC clad rendition of Judas has fans on their feet, while Bad Romance gets the crowd singing along.

The show also has more than a touch of the surreal about it, with Gaga donning an octopus costume, wearing a chair as a hat and surrounding herself briefly with dancers dressed as psychedelic snails. There's even a very unexpected costume change on stage which leaves some coyer audience members blushing.

However, there's much more to the star than mere pop tracks and PVC. Songs like Do What You Want give her the chance to show off her phenomenal vocal range, while jazz track Dope and a cover of Bang Bang prove she's more than comfortable taking on different musical styles.

She even has a dig at her pop rivals, saying "I know it's rare to hear a pop star sing live."

Her devotion to her fans is also never far from view. Putting on a tartan scarf, she reads a letter from a fan who lost his mum aged 16 which says his favourite memory is of her singing Judas, his favourite Gaga song, while taking him to school. Gaga then invites the star-struck youngster on stage before dedicating Born This Way to him and his mum.

She finishes with Applause and an energetic version of Swine, surrounded by dancers wearing pig masks, before returning in a white and silver ensemble for an emotional rendition of Gypsy where she thanks fans for sharing this time together "painting faces and calling each other monsters".

Lady Gaga shows that she is one of music's most interesting and unique artists and her little monsters will definitely be counting the days till she returns.