March 9, 2024

P!nk – Eden Park: March 8, 2023 (Concert Review)

P!nk brought her Summer Carnival Tour to Auckland’s Eden Park for the first of two massive shows, making 40,000 fans very, very happy.

P!nk (aka Alecia Moore) was last here in 2018 when she played 5 shows at Spark Arena. Having outgrown that venue, the 44-year-old mother of two proved that hard work, talent and charisma can really pay off as she led her band, her backing singers and her dancers through 22 song in just under two hours.

It had been a beautiful, sunny autumn day in Auckland, but a few dark clouds were beginning to gather as fans filled the venue and opening act Tones and I warmed up a crowd that was already sizzling in hot pink outfits.

Tones and I is Australian musician Toni Watson and she did an admiral job of keeping everyone from getting restless until our headliner appeared. A highlight of her set was Johnny Run Away, whch she told us was the first song she had both written and recorded.

Then DJ Kidcutup spun a few tunes and engaged the crowd with his banter. I generally am not a fan of DJs warming up big shows, but I admit he was entertaining and his song selection was perfect for the event.

Finally, as the sun set and a few more dark clouds gathered, a voice rang out…

“Welcome to the here and now!”

It came from a Max Headroom-styled computer-generated version of P!nk on the video screens.

“It’s a carnival, a cornucopia of pleasure” we hear…and then the real P!nk emerges to really get the party started.

And what a party.

The sights and sounds were more like a circus than a carnival as P!nk performed aerial acrobatics while singing and her band nail the tune, tossing in a bit of Eurythmic’s Sweet Dreams for good measure.

Raise Your Glass followed and then Who Knew from her fourth album, 2006’s I’m Not Dead. Fifteen minutes into the show and already we’ve been treated to an aerial trapeze show, beautifully choreographed dancers, a red-hot band and a bevy of backing singers, all with P!nk sounding loud and strong.

With all that going on, there is a danger that the songs themselves could get lost in the sheer spectacle of the show.

But they don’t because…they are excellent songs…and the fans seemed to know every lyric and are as connected to the tunes as P!nk is. And that is the secret to P!nk’s success, that bond she has built with her audience.

With all the flying, dancing and costumes this is obviously a very well-oiled, highly rehearsed show, yet it never feels like it is scripted. P!nk’s remarks all seem spontaneous and heartfelt.

For instance, going into Just Give Me A Reason, there is a false start with her longtime piano player, Jason Chapman that inspires a story about P!nk’s mum singing at bars “after a couple of gin and tonics”

Earlier she shouts out to a 15-year-old celebrating a birthday and then locates n 11-week old baby in the crowd. And despite some saucy lyrics, this felt like a very family friendly show and indeed, there were children everywhere…I can’t imagine what it would be like to have this as your first concert…it would be all downhill from here.

Speaking of kids, P!nk’s 12-year-old daughter, Willow, makes an appearance, singing Cover Me In Sunshine with mum.

And then there were the Twizzlers….

All these possible distractions only add to the show and to P!nk’s charm.

Music-wise, we get a couple of choice covers (I won’t spoil the surprise in case you plan to attend the show tonight or tomorrow) and a whole lotta hits.

The setlist is divided into four “Acts” that mostly serve to give the star a moment to catch her breath and us to take in what we are seeing and hearing.

Speaking of the setlist…it is a perfect mix of all phases of P!nk’s 20+ year career with new material from latest album Trustfall holding its own against now-classics such as Just Like A Pill and Don’t Let Me Get Me.

At the end of the evening, P!nk straps on her high wire harness one last time for a very long (and scary) roam around Eden Stadium high overhead still singing So What.

In the end, the rain held off, but the excitement never waivered.

I can’t imagine a bigger, better show coming to town this year. Treat yourself to some P!nk if you can.

Marty Duda

P!nk plays again tonight! Click here for tickets

Click on any image to view a photo gallery by Chris Zwaagdyk: