There are few international artists that command as much hype and respect in Australia as P!nk. From her larrikin sense of humour to her emotive songwriting to her gravity-defying stunts, she possesses everything that could embody the Australian spirit – she might as well call herself an “honorary Aussie.”

But nothing proves the love P!nk feels in Australia more than the roar she received when she entered the stage in front of a capacity crowd in Sydney’s Allianz Stadium who had braved the unexpectedly pouring rain to catch a glimpse of the American songstress. 

“Did you not know it was going to rain,” she joked as she looked over the scores of soaking wet fans. “You all look so unprepared!”

Yet the persistent showers did nothing to dampen the mood of the concert as P!nk took the audience through a journey of hit after hit, showcasing the incredible breadth of her discography. 

What is immediately striking about P!nk’s performances is her stagecraft. Often, performers use acrobatics and choreography as a way of disguising vocal deficiencies. This is certainly not the case for P!nk. Her now world-famous acrobatics were jaw-dropping as usual but her voice was equally, if not, even more spectacular.

She started the show with an apt opener in “Get This Party Started” which got the crowd going from the outset. As she moved into “Who Knew” and “Try”, the strength of her voice really began to shine through, pulsating through the stadium. 

This is not to suggest that P!nk’s performance was safe, in fact, it was far from it. She took a few risks such as performing a dance remix version of “What About Us” but they paid off as the audience absolutely loved the reimagination of some of her biggest hits. 

What made P!nk’s performance endearing was that she was unafraid to own her imperfections, even when the quality of the show was so high. She struggled to grip the keys of the piano when she sat down to play Bob Dylan’s “Make You Feel My Love” and gave up mid-song.

“Was that right?” she yelled to backstage while she played. 

If it were anyone else, it might have seemed a little out of place but for P!nk, it just spoke to the relaxed (but extraordinary) nature of her show. The ballads continued to flow as she stunned the audience with a jaw-dropping performance of “Our Song.” Her belt was so clean, especially in the upper register which made the song an absolute pleasure to listen to. 

Interestingly, the song had to actually be performed three times as a fan apparently went into labour during the song. The situation was handled incredibly well by P!nk, who alerted staff who could obtain medical attention before proceeding with the show.

“Just Give Me A Reason” was an apt conclusion to the ballads part of the show, although I thought that singing with an old video of Nate Ruess was a little odd. Given the incredible talent of her backing vocalists, it would have felt more natural if she had performed with one of them, and failing that, there would have been a plethora of Australian performers who would have wanted to perform with her. The performance of the song was still strong but it was slightly disconnected. 

What was perfectly in sync was the stunts. I’m still amazed at how someone can sing while flying upside down (which is exactly what P!nk did during “Turbulence” – she did backflips as well!) It truly puts her in the very upper echelons of the best performers in the world. 

As the rain continued to pour down, some of the energy was lost when the new songs were played but the audience was still raring to go for the final few songs and the encore. In typical P!nk style, the best was truly saved for last as the ultimate performer sung her biggest hit “So What” as she flew around the entire stadium. Not only did it show incredible skill, but it also felt like a ‘thank you’ to all the fans who came out to support her at the show and the love was incredibly well-received in response. 

Ultimately, this was a show of the highest quality in every way. P!nk is one of the best performers on the planet and her voice is right up there with the best too. Almost no-one can put on a show like her and, in front of a capacity adoring Australian crowd, she lived up to the lofty expectations placed upon her. If there was ever a pop concert to see, this was most certainly be the one to recommend. 

Rating: ★★★★★

P!nk – Allianz Stadium – Summer Carnival Tour – 9^th Feb, 2024

Photo credit: Jordan Pannowitz, Allianz Stadium