Music icon P!nk gave Sunderland a night they'll never forget as she brought her electrifying Summer Carnival tour to the Stadium of Light.
The American songstress returned to the UK after 13 years away and it was clear to see that her fans had missed her. The stadium was jam-packed with passionate fans having the time of their lives.
P!nk is a performer like no other putting on a show-stopping display complete with aerial acrobatics (do not try this at home!). It is a complete spectacle.
Read more: Pink rocks Sunderland's Stadium of Light with first of two Summer Carnival tour gigs
Being a 90s baby, P!nk was a huge part of my childhood in the early 2000s and it's incredible to see her selling out stadiums with such a devoted fan base so many years after she first burst onto the scene as a rebellious alternative to other icons such as Britney and Christina.
But what truly sets her apart from anyone else is her unique skills and breathtaking performances. It truly is a sight to see. Who else do you know that can sing hanging upside down?
But to backtrack slightly, P!nk was supported by young American artist Gayle and Irish band The Script. Gayle was full of energy - as she should be when it was her 19th birthday! She got emotional as she thanked fans for their support and for making it the best birthday ever before belting out her TikTok hit sensation ABCDEFU.
The Script arrived through a tunnel on the pitch and walked through the crowd before frontman Danny began chucking Haribo sweets into the crowd. I wouldn't have believed it either if one didn't land in my lap. But his antics didn't end there and he even Facetimed someone's ex while singing their song Nothing.
The Script were fantastic and warmed the crowd up nicely with hit after hit and their undeniable Irish charm. In a heartfelt moment, Danny paid tribute to their band member Mark Sheehan who died in April after a brief illness before dedicating the song If You Could See Me Now to him.
When P!nk finally arrived on stage just before 9pm, the atmosphere was palpable. Bursting onto the stage with giant flamingos, disco balls and fireworks, she knows how to make quite the entrance. It didn't take long for her to pull out her signature moves and start bungee jumping around without missing a note of the opening song Get the Party Started.
P!nk's vocal prowess has always been enviable but seeing her in the flesh effortlessly belting out powerhouse vocals while being suspended upside down is an experience to behold. Her energy is unmatched and she almost seems like an excited child at times. Maybe she had some of Danny's Haribos!
The crowd was bouncing the whole night and many dedicated fans brought gifts which she happily took, including teddy bears and Maltesers. Also a huge shout out to the fan with the sign proclaiming; "I had a c section 11 days ago but I couldn't miss this". A couple even got engaged during her piano cover of Make You Feel My Love which she thankfully noticed and congratulated them - must have made their night!
She belted out hit after hit including Raise Your Glass, Who Knew, Just Like a Pill, What About Us and Just Give Me a Reason before softening the tone for a few acoustics. The most touching moment of the night was when P!nk was joined on stage by her 12-year-old daughter Willow to sing Cover Me in Sunshine. There was quite a few teary eyes.
P!nk raised the roof once more when she bounced around to Blow Me One Last Kiss and one of her latest songs Never Gonna Not Dance Again. She saved the showstopper for last as she once again got strapped into a harness and flew around the whole stadium for her last song So What. Incredible.
And she'll be back tomorrow to do it all again!
It's clear to see that P!nk is not slowing down any time soon and will continue to bring her world-class shows to stadiums across the globe for years to come - much to her fans' delight.
Read next:
