Who doesn’t like a carnival? Toronto’s Rogers Centre played host to an epic one, as powerhouse singer, Pink brought her band of creative misfits to town. Each act brought a unique musical experience to the spectacle.
Show-openers, The Script kicked it all off with a short set that included some of their best-known tunes. Their 2008 breakout hit, Breakeven, had the audience happily lending their voices. The early millennial pop-rock vibes evoked a time before social media, when bands ruled the charts – something that doesn’t happen much these days. Front man, Danny O’Donoghue, worked the stage and sang his heart out, flashing his winning smile to charm the crowd. Before leaving the stage, now among new friends, O’Donoghue took a moment to plug the band’s new album Satellites.
The intervals between the acts were filled with retro music hype, courtesy of a DJ who had the throng of pink-clad fans singing and dancing in their seats. Before long, the lights dimmed and Sheryl Crow appeared, ready to rock the house. Crow’s brand of country-flavoured rock played well to the multi-generational crowd. The veteran rocker owned the stage with an easy confidence that comes from over thirty years of headlining big shows. It’s easy to lose track of how many hits she has – but the sheer number of familiar tunes was remarkable. Crow started with A Change Would Do You Good and didn’t let up until the last notes of Everyday is a Winding Road.
The Summer Carnival hit its height with the main attraction. After a brief Max Headroom inspired video clip, Pink emerged from high above, as she tumbled from within the clutches of a giant, glittery, smiling mouth to Get the Party Started. The first few songs delivered on everything her audience has come to expect – high energy, dancing, acrobatics, pyrotechnics and, of course, stunning vocals. Again, the crowd was treated to a series of hits. Pink has been churning out hits since the beginning of the millennium – that’s almost a quarter-century of building a very loyal fanbase. In fact, it’s her ability to connect with her fans that provides her magic. She makes eye contact with the fans in her sight-lines, waves at the little kids in the front rows, compliments fans on their awesome hair, and accepts handmade offerings with genuine interest. And when fans see this warmth writ large on giant digital screens, Pink’s authenticity reaches every corner of the stadium.
In many ways a Pink show is a tale of two artists. Yes, she excels at over-the-top showmanship (I mean, she flies up to the fans in the nosebleeds), but she also carves out space for more intimate moments where she can show off her vocal prowess unencumbered by flash and artifice. This was clearly on display when she sat at the piano, alone, to sing a beautiful rendition of Bob Dylan’s Make You Feel My Love. And it was also evident when she invited Dallas Green to the stage to do You and Me with her – a tune from a side project collaboration from a few years ago. And then, the heartbreaking lyrics of When I Get There, tugged at heartstrings. Pink has a voice that can carry great vulnerability, or great strength, as needed. That strength was front and centre during Just Like Fire – which she complemented with a roaring take on Pat Benatar’s Heartbreaker.
The hit songs kept coming – and she never faltered. With no real break from the stage, the encore blended into the rest of the show. By ending on Never Gonna Not Dance Again and So What, Pink summed up the night nicely – a battle cry for all to be themselves and find joy in the carnival of life.
Connect with Pink: Website || Twitter/X || Facebook || Instagram
Connect with Sheryl Crow: Website || Twitter/X || Facebook || Instagram
Connect with The Script: Website || Twitter/X || Facebook || Instagram
Be sure to check out Live Nation Ontario to see all of the other great acts that they will be bringing to Toronto this year.
