On Thursday, Claire and I went to see Pink’s Summer Carnival concert at Sofi. I’m not the biggest Pink fan. I still think her first album is my favorite, and that wasn’t music that was reflective of her voice, which is what her subsequent work would become.
That said, even without being the biggest fan of Pink’s later work, Pink puts on a great show. The Summer Carnival concept feels a little confusing. There are very few carnival elements in the show, and the “summer carnival” appears to be more of a vibrant, colorful, eclectic aesthetic. For instance, Pink opened the show with a video of her doing an impression of Max Headroom. The set and lighting was very neon 80s beach party with people zooming around on motorized pink flamingos. Honestly, that aesthetic often feels a little forced — a friend’s sister called it cheugy. But you don’t go to see Pink to see a fun set – you go to hear her sing, and in that regard, Pink more than delivers.
Pink began the show suspended above stage, tumbling down on bungee cords, belting Let’s Get It Started, which was a great way to start the show and a reminder that she can sing while doing anything. Over the next couple of hours, she’d run through all of her hits with at least a quarter of the show being deeper cuts (though nothing from the first album!). She brought out two guests. The first was Alanis Morisette who came out during Pink’s rendition of You Ought To Know and took over. Alanis Morisette sounded no different today than she did thirty years ago, so that was a real treat. The other guest was Pat Benatar, who opened for Pink. They performed Heartbreaker together, and, honestly, it was better than it had been during Pat’s set!
Claire and I saw the show at SoFi stadium, which has become one of my favorite places in Los Angeles. It’s a beautiful arena. Claire sometimes requires mobility assistance, and getting aid for her was quick and efficient! We called a number to request a wheelchair when we arrived, and five minutes later someone arrived to help Claire to our seats. The end of the show was another matter with hundreds of people requesting assistance simultaneously. We waited 45 minutes for assistance and then her aid dropped her off well before the parking lot, which was a disappointment since our trek took us beyond the Sofi parking lot to the Forum’s to wait for a ride share.
That last hiccup aside, Pink’s Summer Carnival at SoFi was a great experience, and I’d recommend the show to others!
