Walking toward the Tacoma Dome Saturday evening for one of Lady Gaga’s shows on The Monster Ball Tour, her tour bus stands out in a sea of fans.

Her costumed fans take turns posing for pictures in front of the bus, which is painted black with the words Lady Gaga and The Monster Ball painted in white, capital letters on it. Her bus being in front of the venue is more than a great backdrop for a photo; it is a symbol of Gaga’s love of her fans. By putting the tour bus in front, she’s not merely saying she loves her fans enough to let them take pictures by the bus, but rather she loves them enough to share it with them. She’s the biggest star in the world and one of the perks is her name on her own vehicle, but she includes her fans in the excitement.

Inclusion is an ongoing theme of The Monster Ball and Gaga makes it felt throughout her more than two-hour extravaganza. There is already camaraderie among her fans, known as Little Monsters, as evidenced by the friendliness among them and the ease with which conversations are started, often by complimenting a fellow monster on their outfit. What Gaga does is invite fans into her world for the evening, free of judgment and any inkling of inequality.

“I created it so that my fans would have a place to go,” she said during the evening. “It doesn’t matter who you are or where you come from or how much money you have in your pocket.”

It’s hard to say what Little Monsters love her for more, her collection of danceable songs or her message of acceptance.

“She gives you the ability to be yourself,” said Brittany Siva, wearing a hair bow, dressed in a black leather jacket and lacy tights.

Opening the show with “Dance in the Dark,” Gaga was silhouetted behind a giant screen which eventually revealed her in a purple, leopard-print ensemble complete with matching sunglasses and a two-toned blond wig.

She then walked over to a car parked on the stage, opened the hood to reveal a keyboard inside and began playing “Just Dance.” Almost everyone did.

Her production is large scale and there is a lot onstage, including a car, a subway train, a flaming piano and a giant fish, which Gaga battles during “Paparazzi.” It felt like the biggest, most exciting, most over-the-top party of the year, which is the point.

While performing “The Fame” she encouraged concertgoers to accompany her by doing one of the dance moves, a rapid hand shuffle. Dancing to Gaga is always a must, but to be asked to dance with her by her was almost too much.

Her performance of “Teeth” gets better every time, with her hips thrusting and her arms flailing in an energetic dance routine.

Between songs, Gaga addressed the crowd, but she doesn’t work entirely from a script. Her show is a polished, well-oiled machine, but she gives each stop on her tour special attention. In true Gaga style, she goes far beyond saying, “How are you feeling, Tacoma?”

When she opened for New Kids on the Block two years ago, Tacoma was the last stop before her song “Just Dance” went to No. 1.

“This is a very special place for me,” she said.

Gaga dedicated her song “Speechless” to the city. She later told the crowd, “Take my picture, I want to be a Tacoma Dome star!”

A few times during costume or set changes, images of Gaga appeared on a large video screen and the way she holds herself on the screen is the way a star does.

She takes time to turn the spotlight from herself to her fans. Holding a scepter with a glowing tip, she shines it on people in the crowd, complimenting them on what they’re wearing and wishing happy birthday to a couple of people.

Gaga is a brilliant entertainer and her show is a hotbed of glitz and glamor, but she offers more than just a great time; she works for social progress.

“Time” magazine called Lady Gaga one of the 100 most influential people in the world and she’s not letting her celebrity go to waste. Before the show, a special message from Gaga played onscreen and she told the crowd about the RE*Generation program, which assists homeless youth. Later she told the crowd many of the homeless youth are members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender community and some “were kicked out of the house because their parents didn’t understand they were born that way.”

Gaga is no stranger to putting herself in the political and social fight. She spoke passionately at the National Equality March in Washington, D.C., in October and at a recent stop in Arizona spoke out against the immigration legislation SB 1070.

For anyone tired of bigotry and intolerance being on the ballot, Gaga gives a glimpse of a more harmonious future.

It’s Gaga’s world and we all just live in it, but she welcomes everyone with open arms. She stopped during a piano performance to recognize the translator who was signing for the hearing impaired.

“I wish I spoke your language,” she said to the group. “Let’s do something you can all see,” she said, asking the entire dome audience wave their hands back and forth along with her.

“See, everybody speaks the language of love,” she said.

Her music is outstanding and her style is eye-catching, but the essence of The Monster Ball is community and acceptance. Nobody is second-rate at a Gaga show and nobody is left out. Everyone is a superstar in their own right, yet everyone is equal.