Concert Review: P!NK – Summer Carnival Tour Live In Perth Australia
1 March 2024 at Optus Stadium in Perth Western Australia
Review by Sheldon Ang
Photography by Sheldon Ang Photography
P!NK has been the allegory of performing artists for over two decades, known for her scintillating acrobatics and carnival-like dexterity. She may have been overshadowed by another Pennsylvanian in the last couple of weeks – but the pop icon has always been about the fans, which is reflected on her touring schedule that includes all major cities in Australia and the smaller ones in Newcastle and Townsville – a solidifying gesture of gratitude to her loyal fans.
In the past, she chose to strut at “intimate” arenas rather than stadiums, totalling 60 performances in her last tour of 2018 in Australia. By the end of the Summer Carnival Tour in Australia, the three-time Grammy Award winner will end up with 18 shows in Australia, marking the first stadium tour in her “second home”.
After 80 coverage in under 2 years, we’ve noticed the correlation between the adoration for an artist and the level of effort placed in the attire of the fans. There was a sea of pink, with glitters on the arms, faces and chest of thousands of fans. Even the Venue West’s representative (who manages Optus Stadium, RAC Arena, HBF Stadium) were showcasing her support through glitters on her arms.
The show is divided into four acts – with each act is demarcated by unique synergy, vibe and choreography.
The introduction of P!NK appeared on the digital screen – a teaser of a futuristic, carnival style video…as she finally screamed, “let’s get this party started”. A giant mouth opened 20 metres above the mega stage of the colossal Optus Stadium in Perth – and there she was, standing high before a 70,000-strong crowd. The roar was piercingly beautiful as fans went bananas, sparking P!NK with (surprise surprise) “Get The Party Started”. She sat on a trapeze, then hanging upside down and bungee jumped. She flipped in several revolutions and freewheeling up and down, summersaulting in the air with the ease of a circus acrobat, and landing softly before being flanked by a troupe of dancers, singing and dancing in a fun-filled stage of colourful glitters. As if that wasn’t enough, she tied herself again to the slingshot and off she went to the roof of the stage, somersaulting several times – all within the opening track. The benchmark has been set for the rest of the show, if not for other touring acts.
Pink would’ve been in the circus if it wasn’t for music. Her dexterous ability to weave through the air and sing in tune is masterclass, although most would have been satisfied to pay for P!NK to sing without the death defying stuns. The insurance would’ve been massive for 44 year old, and the trust she puts on her staff is undeniably tight knitted.
The party momentum continued with an absolute carnival show bag with Raise Your Glass. She put on a pink jumper, shaking her hips, and much more. We don’t intend to sieve through every track but Who Knew is too massive to ignore. The pop trappings so far of her first three tracks were highly accessible, as the crowd sang along with punky P!NK – the duality of pop and funky rocker that’s as unique as P!NK herself. At this point, the vibe resonated a culmination point akin to an encore – given the first three tracks are some of her biggest with the stage filled with vegas-esque extravagance that included mini trojan horses and colourful dancers. That was Act I. Three to go.
One of the many highlights was the performance of Turbulence in Act II – when P!NK entangled herself to a silky rope, guided by dancer Khasan Brallsford in a beautiful duet of poetry in motion, as he weaved her like water through meandering pipes in a mix of contemporary ballet and dance, before spinning and whirling across the air – without any safety contact, while singing in tune. She later transitioned next to a piano in an evening gown in Just Give Me A Reason, sparking a series of ballads and slow numbers such as Fu**in’ Perfect.
So it’s not all fast paced, as Act III also highlights her poised elegance, as she was draped in an evening black dress, singing next to a piano akin to an intimate bar setting. We see P!NK’s emotional side in When I Get There – a track dedicated to her late father.
“My dad was very proud of me. But he always said that I don’t have that one signature song. Yeah, he’d like call me, ‘Babe, you’re doing good…you’re doing really good, I like you…but I’m just waiting for that one signature song…you know like Don’t It Make My Brown Eyes Blue. Ironically this would have been one of his favourite song…and this is for all the people we loved the most…”
She also performed Cover Me In Sunshine with her 12 year old daughter, Willow. Without the distraction of dance choreography and pop sensibilities – fans were immersed in the beautiful vocals of the acoustic rendition and ballads, before completing the Act with the 4 Non-Blondes’ cover, What’s Up – where the 70,000 fans listed themselves as backup vocalists in a true stadium-like echoes of a mega concert with the synergies of the Live Aid concert in 1985.
The final act saw P!NK back to the fast paced pop, filling the stage with dancers like in Solid Gold with TRUSTFALL, and added sporting aerobics zest in Blow Me (One Last Kiss) with shots of fireworks and confetti.
The most extravagant performance was saved for the final track in So What, performed with gusto and power of a rockstar that she is. She was lifted over the main stage, moving above the runway and thrusted across the entirety of the mighty Optus Stadium at thirty metres high, and occasionally landing at several rendezvous points to greet her fans. The scene was a mix of Tinkle Bell and Superman as the euphoria was raised to another level of celebration through the superimposed resonance from the fans – undoubtedly singing about themselves of being a “rockstar”. For those who didn’t flex their vocals, their mouths were wide opened, awed by the spectacle that is P!NK as she trail blazed across the sky.
Seeing P!NK live for the first time gave us an understanding of Australia’s obsession with the performing artist. She’s pretty much an Australian – super chill, she says it as it is, progressive, caring, all about mateship and she oozes the vibe that anyone could approach her and say hello without getting star struck and ushered away by security. She regularly spoke to the audience – unscripted, signing t-shirts, bears, sweaty shoes and hats. Oh yes, she couldn’t get into a Manly club because she didn’t have her ID (c’mon guys – her face is her ID!) – in other words, she’s relatable. Perhaps those are the formula to an almost sold out 18 stadium shows in Australia.
Sheldon Ang Media would like to thanks Revolutions Per Minute, Live Nation Australia and P!NK for the media accreditation. Also thank you to Venue West for the friendly accommodation. P!NK is travelling across the country – tickets are still available in some cities.
About the Writer/Photographer: Sheldon Ang Media (est. May 2022) have been accredited to over 80 of the hottest acts in Perth including Taylor Swift (ERAS Tour in Sydney), Coldplay, KISS, Fridayz Live, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Blink 182 and Lizzo with reviews shared by the likes of UB40, Delta Goodrem and Toni Childs on social media. He has interviewed rockers Ace Frehley (KISS), John Steel (The Animals), Frank Ferrer (Guns N Roses), Phil X (Bon Jovi), Andrew Farris (INXS) and over forty legends.
