Everyone knows that when the carnival rolls in to town, something special is about to happen. There is a palpable level of anticipation in the air as the promise of high-flying thrills, great music, and fun times with friends await all who plan to attend.
P!nk’s Summer Carnival Tour stop at Wrigley Field in Chicago on Aug. 12 obliterated the concept of a common carnival and presented an unforgettable night of amusement for fans of all ages. P!nk inspired the crowd to “Get the Party Started” from the very first moments of the show, kicking things off by performing the Missundaztood hit while bungee jumping – and flipping, spinning, and performing feats of flexibility – from great heights atop the stage. “Raise Your Glass,” “Who Knew” and “Just Like a Pill” soon followed with fans singing along to each and every lyric.
Carnivals aren’t just for fun and games. They conjure memories of the past and create tender moments to connect with your community, which in this case was over 40,000 of P!nk’s biggest fans. After performing a breathtakingly beautiful aerial stunt with one of her dancers during “Turbulence,” P!nk sat down at the piano to play a sweet rendition of Bob Dylan’s “Make You Feel My Love.” She later took time out to share a piece of candy with a young fan in the crowd, in what was just one of many instances of sincere connection with fans.
Elsewhere, “Please Don’t Leave Me” truly showcased all the beautiful shades of P!nk’s emotive voice.
Some of the most touching parts of the show occurred when P!nk talked about her loved ones – including her grandfather who played baseball with the Philadelphia Athletics – and explained the many ways her family connects to the heart of her songs.
“I keep saying that my family was big into baseball and I know that my dad would have flown in for this show. It would have been a really big deal for him and I miss him terribly,” she said introducing a tearful “When I Get There” in tribute to her father Jim Moore who passed away in 2021. “And, I think that love is tricky. It’s supposed to be. It’s complicated. It’s supposed to stretch you and losing someone that you love is like a suitcase that you never stop unpacking.”
“Cover Me in Sunshine” gave P!nk another opportunity to sing the praises of her family as her daughter, Willow Sage Hart, inspired a raucous round of applause when she stepped out on stage to join her mother to sing the duet.
Would a carnival even be a carnival without friends? Along with her band – Eva Gardner (bass), Adriana Balic (keys, vocals), Jason Chapman (keys), Nayanna Holley (vocals), Dani Moz (vocals), Stacy Campbell (vocals), Justin Derrico (guitar), and Brian Frasier-Moore (drums) – dancers, and DJ Kidcutup, P!nk invited Grouplove and Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo to join in on the fun.
Grouplove opened the night with a setlist full of their joyful hits including “Cheese,” “Tongue Tied,” and “Ways to Go.” Benatar and Giraldo also shared a collection of fan favorites like “We Belong,” “Love Is a Battlefield,” and “Heartbreaker,” complete with a “Ring of Fire” interlude and a killer guitar solo.
“We’re so happy to be here with our good buddy P!nk tonight,” said Benatar. “We’re happy to be out here singing and playing for all of you and we are gonna have some damn fun.”
Damn fun was had indeed. As the end of the night approached, P!nk once again took to the skies to literally fly from section to section of “The Friendly Confines” while singing her iconic hit, “So What.”
While fans may have wished for the evening to continue forever, that’s just not how carnivals work. P!nk and her band of merriment makers must move on to create new opportunities for revelers all over the world to enjoy a “Fuckin’ Perfect” night of their own.
Click here to pick-up tickets to P!nk’s Summer Carnival Tour and head over to Pinkspage for more information. A full list of upcoming concerts at Wrigley Field in Chicago can be found at MLB.com.
(Photos by Laurie Fanelli)
