REVIEW: Pink Bounces Back In Sydney With First Show After IIlness

There’s was a fair bit of drama leading up to iconic pop sensation Pink’s string of Sydney shows on the 33-date Australian leg of her Beautiful Trauma world tour. The singer, forced to postpone four shows due to sickness, was hospitalised, criticised on the front cover of newspapers and forced to defend herself on Instagram, receiving support from fans and friends alike (including Justin Timberlake). Needless to say all eyes were on the physical state of Pink post-gastric virus saga on her first show back.

The Rubens warmed up an already packed out Qudos Bank arena, the Menangle five-piece throwing it back with Lay It Down, My Gun and hit Hoops, and winning over some new fans with a bunch of tracks off of their new album LO LA RU. They brought Lauren Azar onstage to help them sing latest single Never Ever, lead singer Sam Margin requesting everyone get their phone lights out — “We’re gonna light this bitch up and it’s going to look bloody beautiful.”

Get The Party Started rang out around the arena as curtains dropped, revealing dancers, a full band, aerialists, fireworks and other pyrotechnics, big props and Pink, swinging from a huge suspended chandelier — a complete sensory overload.

Pink made the first reference to her week of sickness in song, changing the lyrics of Just Like A Pill to shout out the nurse, “who was wonderful”.

“I’m not contagious I promise, but if you do get sick you’ll be so skinny,” she joked in between songs, adding, “I hope I didn’t screw up anyone’s week.”

There was absolutely no sign that Pink was any less than a hundred percent as the concert/Cirque du Soleil hybrid, complete with insane sets, sound design and costumes, continued. She captivated with hit Who Knew, a mash-up of Funhouse and No Doubt’s Just A Girl, a cover of Nirvana’s Smells Like Teen Spirit, and Revenge, which saw the singer fly into a giant inflatable Eminem. Ballad Just Give Me A Reason, sung from a bed suspended over the stage showcased the singers impressive vocals that stand alone amongst a stage of theatrics.

A touching video montage, referencing Black Lives Matter, Me Too, feminism, global warming and LGBTIQ rights, and showcasing Pink speaking up about inclusion and change throughout her long career, was the perfect introduction to an impassioned rendition of What About Us. She then made her way into the crowd to take photos with fans, advising them, “None of you have to wash your hands, I used hand sanitiser.”

Her doctor and the "rad" St Vincent’s hospital got a shout out, before she sat on a stool in between a cello and double bass for emotive, stand-out performances of Barbies and I Am Here. Her famous and empowering VMA speech, where she tells the story of her daughter confronting her by saying, “I’m the ugliest girl I know,” played in between Perfect and Raise Your Glass, with seven year old Willow running on stage and into her mum’s arms during the latter.

Pink buckled up for encore So What, flying and flipping her way around the entire arena, whilst somehow managing to deliver flawless vocals, giving everyone the chance to see her up close no matter where they were sitting — not all heroes wear capes, but apparently some fly. The night ended relatively simply and understated, Pink trading glittery outfits for jeans and a white shirt for a beautiful performance of Glitter In The Air.

With its extensive choreography (most of it performed upside down or suspended mid air), anyone who’s seen Pink’s high energy live show could attest it is definitely not something anyone could perform under the weather. Despite being sick all week, Pink packed as much of her extensive catalogue into a two hour absolute spectacle, leaving the night's attendees (which included Katy Perry and Hugh Jackman) completely in awe.