As the sun lowers itself towards the horizon invisible behind a blanket of light grey cloud that gently showers Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium, at the same time as tens of thousands of punters are arriving.
While live music is the perfect end to any day, it's so much sweeter this Friday (16 February) when you'll be experiencingt the P!NK Summer Carnival Tour, the first of two to be held in Brisbane. Plus, it's my very first P!NK concert.With my ears filled with a raucous buzz from the all-ages crowd, everywhere I look the colour pink can be seen – I mean everywhere. Besides the many pink clothing items, there is pink: dyed hair, wigs, leis, bags, LED headbands, and bracelets – you name it, I reckon you'll find one of whatever it is in some shade of pink here tonight. Except anything on me!
As I locate my seat, the stage is designed as a colourful and elaborate masterpiece. That's even without any lights currently illuminating it. There are giant, white teeth between huge, parted luscious lips shaped in an Elvis/ Billy Idol lip sneer. These lips are centred at the top of the stage, smack bang between the words 'Summer' and 'Carnival'.
DJ KidCutUp from Milwaukee entertains the early arrivals, dropping the needle on a fun packed variety of '80s tunes. Hooking us up first with 'Let's Get Physical' (Olivia Newton-John) and some choice scratching, he moves on to celebrate other songs with partial edits and mix-ups from artists such as Tina Turner, Savage Garden, Prince, INXS, Tracy Chapman, Adele, Regurgitator and many more.
Punters who are cloaked in jackets and rain ponchos on the arena floor or on uncovered seating are singing and dancing along to these classics in the rain, just as merrily as the sheltered punters.
DJ KidCutUp is given a round of applause as he leaves us to be further entertained by Aussie singer, songwriter and producer, Toni Watson, better known to the music world as Tones and I.
I cannot imagine how exciting it is for Tones to support P!NK and the stage includes what are likely to be the 'Welcome To The Madhouse' – Tones and I tour props, including the Burtonesque tiny homes.
Tones and I is met with a roar from a heck of a lot of fans in the crowd. It is super cool to see how she has no issues getting her set going with a little rain around. Confidently, she sings her way through fan favourites, including 'Never Seen The Rain' (how apt), 'Bad Child', 'Cloudy Day', 'Ur So F...ing Cool', 'Dreaming', 'Fly Away' and 'Dance Monkey'.
Highlights of the set was hearing her vocals as she ripped into 'Bad Child'; when mobile phone lights lit-up the stadium shining like bright jewels during 'Diamonds'; and her recitation of her new single, not yet released. I believe she said it's called 'I Get High'.
Tones and I reflected on her beginnings giving fans insight into Brisbane's Fortitude Valley being the birthing place of her career rather than Byron Bay and her progression from Buskers By The Creek win on the Gold Coast.
Concluding her set, she leaves fans basking in her matured and still evolving musical energy and diverse vocal abilities that has drawn in a big swag of new fans tonight, if the level of decibels put out from the applause given for her awesome performance is anything to go by.
A stage crew is busy mopping the wet floor and changing the set for our headliner during a short interval – and what do ya know? The clouds have finally run dry – unlike Sydney there'll be no raining on P!NK's carnival parade tonight! Fingers crossed there's no unexpected labour either.
With the cessation of rain ponchos and spray jackets are removed. Although, the 'just in case crew' opt to leave theirs on. . . for now. All stage lighting is dimming, causing the crowd to gush cheers.
Before long, their enthusiastic burble is met with an AI/CGI animated P!NK character welcoming us to "the here and now" on the big screens. Instantly, I'm reminded of '80s TV character Max Headroom and those blipverts (kids, Google it!).
The glitchy P!NK simulation is speaking to us, her underdogs in remnants of her own lyrics and asks us to "scream!" – and scream bloody loudly, we do! The simulation anime announces we've wasted enough time, declaring tonight "is a carnival. A cornucopia of pleasures. A celebration!" Before we're told: "Let's! Get! This! Party! Started!" Simultaneously, the sneering mouth and tour name at the top of the stage flicker to life.
As a collective body, we can sense P!NK is somewhere in the shadows and we let loose our welcoming roar as the mouth at the top of the stage opens revealing P!NK, and even larger than life, on the digital screens on each side of the stage. We have claimed our first visual of the real P!NK (Alecia Moore) who is confidently and gleefully yelling out and waving to us.
Image © Simone Gorman-Clark
The stage lights flash, the music builds and shivers run down my spine. The crowd's roar is turning into a mixture of screams, cheers and gasps, as P!NK falls, from a split pose on her high perch, hurtling headfirst toward the stage floor as at the same time sparks erupt skyward in columns under each screen on either side of the stage!
Fan tensions ease when P!NK's aerial rig is attached to bungee ropes that gracefully counteract the force of gravity, lifting her upwards. I'd say if those ropes were any longer, P!NK's own mouth would be kissing the stage floor. Breathtaking – and yes, the party is only just starting!
A few more tumbles and swings are performed high above the stage, P!NK now screaming at us "Are you ready?!" as we hear a snippet of C+C Music Factory's 'Gonna Make You Sweat', lyrics "Everybody dance now. . ." mashed into 'Get The Party Started'.
Two of P!NK's troupe are dangling on two huge P!NK diamond rings as she starts flipping head over heels on the aerial swing only to stop right on cue to deliver the final "... party started!" over the underlying tune of Eurythmics' 'Sweet Dreams' just as P!NK makes her feet-first landing on the floor.
Two of her crew are right there to unclasp the aerial rig from her waist, freeing her to roam the stage in her bejewelled leotard and silvery platform boots. Singing into a headset mic, P!NK dances with a definite gleam of razzle dazzle and little wiggle which is all part of her first choreographed routine with this opener and her entourage.
Image © Simone Gorman-Clark
We get a moment to assess the stage. I see an outline of a large pink flamingo, coconut trees, a giant disco ball, a huge ice-cream cone lavished with pearls that is up-ended with the ice cream on the floor, and behind it a very high drum riser.
The two masculine figures that look a lot like the ones that helped to dangle P!NK from the dual diamond rings, are assisting her again as she rides on a black rope with them. In the twinkling of her bejewelled costume (that now includes a festal bright pink crop jacket), the music itself gets very festive –– if only I had a pair of maracas!
The crowd choir erupts into song for P!NK's big banger from 2010, 'Raise Your Glass'. P!NK dances up a storm with her energetic troupe, who are bounding around the stage with her.
Huge, bouncing balls are thrown around the stage. Some of her troupe are riding scooters that have been transformed into pink flamingos. They take them up the centre catwalk for fans to get a closer look. This scene is beautifully framed with the digital backdrop displaying festive images, including dressed cocktail drinks. It makes me want to do flamenco moves!
The band kick in with a hip-swaying tempo with P!NK at a mic stand, this time donning a silver jacket with shoulder spikes and it screams rock & roll! The tune is easily identified as the oldie, but goodie, 'Who Knew' which had two releases. I'm unsure why, as it is a soft pop-rock song that truly demonstrates P!NK's emotive vocals – an innate ability to pull at our hearts, as she sings of loss.
At the end of the song, P!NK says: "Hi beautiful people! This place is humongous!" and repeatedly gives thanks to us for coming tonight. She then asks us if we are prepared to get wet with her and if "Y'all ready to have a good time?" – we respond with deafening roars.
Image © Simone Gorman-Clark
The music starts, but P!NK continues to interact with a fan and is commenting how she likes his strawberry shirt. As she is wandering along the catwalk, she showers attention to other fans and on the opposite side of the stage as she comes across another man wearing a replica strawberry shirt. A dialogue ensues and she discovers he is the son of the other man!
After having some more fun with her fans and wishing one a happy birthday, she continues to sing 'Just Like A Pill' from her second studio album. The stadium joins loudly in, but level it up to the max when the chorus kicks in.
You can really tell from this live performance how P!NK's pipe prowess has carried this tune into the charts. Her vocals being the strongest audible element and this, combined with the relatable and personal lyrics = beautiful.
Feeling a little steamy up there, P!NK removes her rockstar jacket to cool down a little and is back at the mic stand for 'Try'. The music starts. There are yelps heard from the crowd. I feel this one is reaching the adults with similar lived experiences hitting hard, making its mark both on the holes and hope in our hearts.
It's not long before one of those strawberry shirts find its way to P!NK who gladly puts it on. I have to say she wears it well. Of course. It's pink! Meanwhile, a fake flower once identified as such, is gifted back to the crowd with a chuckle from our idol and the punter.
The adults and the littlies nearby are singing out real loud and wiggling their booties with a grin bearing confidence while we chime in to a dance version of 'What About Us' – it has a kind of upbeat tribal rhythm happening.
Image © Simone Gorman-Clark
A taped video intro heralds 'Heartbeat' accompanied by another mesmerising dance sequence that leads us to the song 'Turbulence' where P!NK starts an intimate dance routine with one of her troupe. The feels hit watching their interaction, before once again in a heart-stopping display of extreme aerial acrobatics, P!NK takes flight.
She is as graceful as a soaring eagle while also being as audacious as a daredevil. Suspended high above us on the bungee ropes that are her lifelines, she stretches recoiling them with breathtaking manoeuvres coming to rest on towers on either side of the venue briefly to interact with fans below them before performing a few special tricks before bouncing off into the air again.
It's time for P!NK to play 'name that tune game' that she plays with her pianist. Tonight, she wins! The song is 'Walk Me Home' and we only get a short section of it. Her prize is three mini chocolates or as P!NK calls them, candy, which she throws to fans in the crowd.
Commandeering the piano, P!NK performs one of her favourite songs 'To Make You Feel My Love' (Bob Dylan) – the ambiance in the stadium mellows some more, but it's a welcome change of pace as we hear an almost stationary, barefoot P!NK singing into a static microphone. Her glorious voice the sole focus of our attention, fans letting her know their joy at its conclusion with a huge applause.
P!NK shares a little regret about waiting so long to visit her father's grave in a veteran's cemetery, yet we end up laughing with her as she tells us he was buried beside a person named Fred Krueger. That is so funny, in a dark way.
'Family Portrait' which has not been sung in full in nearly ten years is the next track embraced by fans. From the moment she starts crooning, I'm completely captivated as it highlights how powerful and raw her live voice is. It sends chills down my spine with every note and inflection her vocals emit. The energy in the stadium is electric.
'Just Give Me A Reason' comes before the uplifting vibe of 'F...in' Perfect' with its reassuring lyrics: "Pretty, pretty please, if you ever, ever feel like you're nothing. You're f...in' perfect, to me!" 'Just Like Fire / Heartbreaker' medley turns up the rock leaving a good deal of fire in the belly before P!NK teams with her guitarist for a couple of acoustic numbers: 'Please Don't Leave Me' and 'Don't Let Me Get Me'.
Image © Simone Gorman-Clark
Fans are kept enthralled with 'When I Get There' and 'I Am Here' before the entire stadium becomes a choir as P!NK insists we join her for one of her favourite songs, 'What's Up?', a 4 Non Blondes cover. It's a moving moment. . . I have wet lashes.
A spoken-word intro: "Are you going to fall? Is someone supposed to catch you? There will be something worth falling for." The sweet yearning strains of P!NK's voice is singing 'TRUSTFALL' – as the dancers behind her are trustingly letting themselves fall from high towers in the middle of the stage.
Anticipation hangs in the air like a tangible force, and then, with a breathtaking display of timing and coordination, they make contact with the waiting trampolines below just as shockwaves travel through fans in the stadium.
With muscles flexed and tensed, they absorb the force of the landing before springing back into action using the pads to propel them skyward in a smooth action. It's a mesmerising exhibition, watching them soar through the air with effortless grace – it's testament to the boundless spirit and the unyielding pursuit of strength and agility that each performer must possess.
Phew! No rest for the underdogs as 'Blow Me (One Last Kiss)' gets us bananas! Die-hard fans go even wilder when the troupe come out dressed as walking lips.
P!NK has another wardrobe change up, and is now sporting a black leather/ vinyl jacket with lips on the shoulders. She also takes time to introduce her band members, who she clearly has strong and deep connections with even as she jokes with Justin on guitar telling him playfully he's cute when he's proud of himself after playing us his solo.
'Runaway' with its '80s 'Flashdance' vibes kicks in, as we're bopping in our seats while entranced by the choreographed dancing – it's a great lead into 'Never Gonna Not Dance Again', which is simply the right song to introduce her troupe to us.
We all know that P!NK often declares how she loves to dance and this song ensures we don't forget. There are fans in the standing area letting loose dancing to this song, perhaps sensing we are close to the end of the show. Those punters would not be wrong.
The finale is here and 'So What' – the 'what' in this case is P!NK and her 'rock moves' as she launches herself high into the abyss of the night, gathering momentum to take herself traversing to all corners of the stadium to come as close to each and every one of us as possible. She executes this with such precision and poise, twisting and somersaulting through the night sky above us, defying the pull of gravity with mid-air tumbles and kicks.
As this spectacular scene unfolds, there's no denying P!NK's insane level of fitness and skill, plus mastery of aerial manoeuvres! She's gliding across the open expanse of Suncorp Stadium with the finesse of a seasoned acrobat aerialist, but I guess she is. Isn't she?!
Image © Simone Gorman-Clark
I get goosebumps as I tap into a sense of elation she must be feeling as she is singing to us with a fierce confidence while flying through the air like a pop-rock superhero. P!NK wins the prize for the most exhilarating aerial display by a music artist seen by me to date – up until tonight Paul Stanley held that place!
P!NK is simply demonstrating how unstoppable she is at this point in her career – I totally get why this annual show is a sellout! P!NK don't you dare think of leaving muso life yet to be a full-time vino maker – the live music world is not done with your talent or your rock-star flying shenanigans lady!
With each note, P!NK's voice seems to possess an otherworldly quality, captivating fans and transporting us to ethereal dimensions through the portal of her vocal dynamics and expression. It is simply unparalleled and has evoked emotions that resonate personally.
Truly, P!NK's performance tonight is indescribably sublime, touching upon something beyond the tangible, something noumenal. P!NK taps into an energy I have no name for – it allows her to orchestrate a symphony of sights and sounds that transport fans to magical music realms.
More photos from the concert.
