P!nk, Auckland NZ, 2024

P!nk

8th March 2024
Eden Park, Auckland, New Zealand

Review by Sarah Kidd with photography by Doug Peters.

How appropriate it was that the first of P!nk’s two Tāmaki Makaurau shows fell on International Women’s Day. Not only has she broken records for the most stadium concerts by any artist touring Australasia, but she has unequivocally proved that as a performer and a mother with a career spanning almost thirty years, she is also a human being that utterly understands the subtleties of life and love.

Eden Park was unsurprisingly a tidal wave of pink last night, from glitter, feather boas, cowboy hats and sequins right down to the socks as fans of all ages poured into the stadium, their excitement palpable.

To keep them all entertained as they waited for the first act of the night, LA Dj KidCutUp did a stellar job of mixing tracks; Miley Cyrus rubbed shoulders with Bruno Mars before The Fresh Prince of Bel Air had the audience showing off their skills at remembering the verses. Making sure everyone felt included, a little of the eighties slipped in, before classics from Sir Dave Dobbyn danced through the air alongside Guns n Roses and AC/DC, KidCutUp expertly remixing to deliver each song with a renewed sense of self.

Toni Watson better known as Tones and I may have started out as a busker on the street, but she is easily a household name now. Appearing on stage accompanied by a three-piece band, Watson was the epitome of casual chic as she cruised about the stage demonstrating just why she was accompanying an artist as big as Pink on this leg of the tour.

Beginning with a cover of the Alphaville song ‘Forever Young’ Watson floored the audience with her vocals which were on point throughout. Shifting seamlessly through her set of both originals such as latest single (due out on the 12th of March) ‘I Get High’ and covers – her rendition of Rihanna’s ‘Diamonds’ instantly won everyone over – Watson gave it everything she had at one point thanking the audience for the energy that they gave her. Sure, they had arrived early to claim their spots, but the fact that they gave her their attention was not lost on her and she wanted everyone to know, not only did she appreciate it but that it only made her set better.

Closing with ‘Fly Away’, Tones and I was an excellent choice of opening act and just solidified how talented the up-and-coming female pop stars really are.

A roar that undoubtedly would have been heard suburbs away arose from the stadium as giant screens lit up and there was P!nk in a rather Max Headroom like setting talking about what was about to befall the Auckland audience. Lights dropped and the huge ‘Summer Carnival’ sign above the stage lit up; between said words a pair of bright red lips slowly began to part. While the stage suddenly exploded with lights, dancers and band members, P!nk appeared, climbing out from between said lips and trapezing her way down to the stage with a smile that positively beamed.

What an opening, sure many would have known it was coming if they had been following the reports of the tour, but it was something else altogether to witness it. What better way to get the party started, which is exactly what P!nk opened with.

Continuing the momentum, ‘Raise Your Glass’, ‘Who Knew’ and ‘Just Like a Pill’ followed in quick succession as dancers raced around on giant inflatable flamingo scooters, P!nk sparkling in a shimmering leotard with breathtaking platform heels to match.

But it was the little touches, the subtleties within some of these tracks where Pinks true beauty was expressed; the two male dancers of different ethnicity that intertwined with such grace during ‘Who Knew’, one dancer swapping out for a female halfway through, demonstrating that the trials and tribulations of love and relationships is something experienced by all whether that relationship is same sex, hetero or mixed race.

P!nk has stated across the tour that her show is a “cornucopia of pleasures” and she wasn’t kidding, it is also one hell of a slick production, the fans barely getting time to catch their breath as P!nk moved with ease between aerial artist, popstar and rock goddess, each costume change and shift in gear from blockbuster production to singing atop a piano accompanied by the wonderful Jason Chapman while barefoot in her ‘Princess Dress’ giving everyone an insight into who Pink truly is. “I don’t write love songs, I write warnings” she tells the audience, after regaling them with another story about her husband and his attempt to kill her on a go kart track when she first visited New Zealand.

The connection that P!nk has with her fans was genuine and heartwarming, throwing her beloved Twizzlers into the crowd, she paused to speak to a young woman who was turning fifteen, exclaiming what a great age it was to be, before trying to convince a mum to hand over her baby who was just too cute to ignore.

This connection was even more evident with her band; touring is never an easy thing, but there was such joy and friendship emanating from the stage, as P!nk shared moments with her guitarist Justin Derrico during more intimate tracks such as ‘When I Get There’ a song about losing her father, that for a moment the stadium stood still.

Covers of Bob Dylan’s ‘Make You Feel My Love’ were delivered with the reverence they deserve, her rendition of 4 Non Blondes ‘What’s Up’ a nod to Linda Perry who co-wrote and produced a sizeable portion of one of Pink’s biggest albums Missunaztood.

There were trampolines, and fireworks, incredible choreography, and a finale that will be replayed in peoples’ heads for days. But again, it was the little things that really made this show. One of the biggest and more than likely missed by many was the line change in ‘Don’t Let Me Get Me’, one of Pinks earlier big hits in her career. The line ‘Damn Britney Spears’ being replaced with a heartfelt ‘Sweet Britney Spears’.

Pink is not only a global superstar, but a mother, (her daughter Willow at one point joining her on stage for ‘Cover Me in Sunshine’). Through the years she has evolved and come to understand that the industry machine – as well as the world in general at times – is a beast that can swallow you whole and spit out your remains without a care.

Love, understanding, and acceptance is the way to hold yourself and the ones around you together. Rather than tearing each other down, seeing others – especially fellow women – as competition, we should be instead embracing and supporting one another, regardless of age, status, sexuality, or colour.

P!nks Summer Carnival Tour is two hours of spectacular sound and visual delights, but it is also an important message that is threaded throughout its tapestry; a message that hopefully everyone – especially the younger generation in attendance – hear and hold in their hearts for years to come.

Were you there at Eden Park for this spectacular stadium-pop gig? Or have you seen P!nk perform live somewhere else before? Tell us about it in the comments below!

Setlist:

1. Get the Party Started
2. Raise Your Glass
3. Who Knew
4. Just Like a Pill
5. Try
6. What About Us [dance remix]
7. Turbulence
8. Lost Cause
9. Make You Feel My Love [Bob Dylan cover]
10. Just Give Me a Reason
11. Fuckin’ Perfect
12. Just Like Fire / Heartbreaker
13. Please Don’t Leave Me [Acoustic]
14. Cover Me in Sunshine [Feat. Willow Sage Hart]
15. Don’t Let Me Get Me [Acoustic]
16. When I Get There
17. I Am Here
18. What’s Up? [4 Non Blondes cover]
19. TRUSTFALL
20. Blow Me (One Last Kiss)
21. Never Gonna Not Dance Again
22. So What [encore]

_{Note: Ambient Light was provided passes to review and photograph this concert. As always, this has not influenced the review in any way and the opinions expressed are those of Ambient Light’s only. This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase a product using an affiliate link, Ambient Light will automatically receive a small commission at no cost to you.}

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