For more than 20 years, the United Center has been dubbed the “house that [Michael] Jordan built” in honor of the NBA legends’ gravity-defying moves. After March 9, 2018, the venue will forever be known as the “house that P!nk brought down” as the pop superstar gave new meaning to the phrase “getting air” during her jaw-dropping, awe-inspiring performance.
Only six months ago, P!nk rocked the Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre, and her swift return to Chicago is a tribute to fans’ devotion to her uplifting music. The Friday evening concert – the first of a two-night stint – was a celebration of camaraderie from the moment ticket holders walked through the United Center doors, as mothers and daughters, couples in love and friends ready to sing their hearts out posed for selfies in front of a giant tour poster.
P!nk’s music – from her debut album “Can’t Take Me Home” to her platinum selling 2017 release “Beautiful Trauma” – gives people hope and inspiration, making it no surprise that so many fans used the show as a way to mark a special occasion. One fan named Maritza traveled with her 11-year-old daughter from Michigan for the performance, which was a Christmas present that the pair could enjoy together.
“P!nk is such a great role model for our young girls today,” said Maritza while her daughter mentioned that she was especially excited for “Beautiful Trauma” to be played.
Family friends Anne and Nora bought tickets to commemorate Nora’s upcoming Confirmation. “We are here because Nora – who is a sophomore in high school – asked me to be her Confirmation sponsor, which was a thrill, an honor and a privilege. So, I thought we needed to do some spiritual journeying together and I thought, ‘what a great spiritual field trip it would be to go see P!nk live,’” said Anne.
Nora added, “I want to hear some of her old songs, for sure, because that’s what I grew up listening to, but also ‘Beautiful Trauma.’ I love that song.”
She didn’t have to wait long to hear “Beautiful Trauma” as the track was the second of P!nk’s stacked set list, directly following the epic aerial opening number, “Get the Party Started.” The pop star effortlessly bungee jumped from stage to sky throughout the song, stopping only to swing from a chandelier high above the stage.
P!nk just may have spent more time in the air than on the ground during the almost two-hour-long concert. “Secrets” was among the most majestic segments as she engaged in a beautiful aerial silk duet with one of her male dancers, each move breaking another rule in the game of love. Later, a levitating bed floated the pop powerhouse overhead as she sang a heartbreaking rendition of “Just Give Me a Reason” into “I’m Not Dead.”
“Here’s your chance to lose your mind,” P!nk shouted to the crowd as the blistering sounds of guitarist Justin Derrico revealed the opening riff of Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” provoking headbanging throughout the packed venue. She further displayed her love of all things rock and roll by mashing up the No Doubt hit, “Just A Girl,” with her own chart-topper, “Funhouse.” “Just Like A Pill,” “Just Like Fire” and “So What” were additional highlights of the unforgettable set.
Superheros come in many forms, and with each performance, P!nk wields an otherworldly power to inspire generations to defy expectations and reach for their dreams. Chicago needs to invest in a P!nk Bat Signal to summon this heroine back to the Windy City every six months to fight negativity and wow fans with all her wonderful aerial toys.
For all things P!nk, head over to www.beautifultraumatour.com.
