The larger-than-life pop powerhouse burst onstage, quite literally via a cavity in the catwalk, belting out a cover of AC/DC’s ‘Highway to Hell’, before launching into one of her own hits, ‘Bad Influence’. Taking its inspiration from the title of Pink’s latest album, ‘Funhouse’, the carnival-themed stage design included slippery slides, funhouse mirrors and giant blow-up clowns as well as a seven-piece band and several kooky back-up dancers.
The first third of Pink’s two-hour long show was arguably her strongest, featuring hits such as ‘So What’, ‘Leave Me Alone’ and ‘U and Ur Hand’ as well as a rather sexy, yet tongue-in-check cover of The Divinyls ‘I Touch Myself’, which proved this cheeky US popstar wasn’t afraid to poke fun at herself.
Pink’s skimpy get-ups and ability to sing live while dancing vigorously had audiences gaping at just how fit this daredevil was. What was more impressive, however, was Pink’s daring choice to sing ballad ‘Sober’ live while, no joke, doing back flips mid-air with the aid of some sort of trapeze apparatus.
The middle section of the show broke away from the ‘Funhouse’ concept as Pink came out in baggy jeans and a white t-shirt to sing a string of ballads, some of which were penned last year when she “had a lot of time to cry” - presumably during the separation from hubby, Carey Hart.
It wasn’t long before the show reverted back to its party antics, with a few old favourites and a couple more covers thrown into the mix. While the covers were fun at first, it got to the point were you wondered just why Pink, having sold almost 600,000 tickets for this Australian tour, felt she couldn’t get the crowd pumped up enough on her own songs?
It was a further shame that she choose to do these covers instead of performing some of her biggest (and arguably breakthrough) hits, such as ‘Stupid Girls’ and ‘Dear Mr President’.
Regardless, from the eight-year-old next to me to the grandpa dancing up a storm in the isle, not a single person attending the first of Pink's over 50 Australian shows was disappointed with this electrifying performance.
Copyright : MTV Australia
