P!nk, Hampden Park, Glasgow review

There was a moment at this stadium extravaganza when P!nk gave her fans two options. They could either “make out with their partners or get in line for a beer,” she suggested before one of the first slow numbers of the night, but the latter choice was dangerous. Few shows, even among the major pop festivals, pack as much action as Alecia Moore’s current foray into the summer carnival.

The stunts, choreography and pyrotechnics were relentless, to the point where my friend wondered if every single number would be accompanied by fireworks. It wasn’t far off, and the overall result was an often thrilling show that took full advantage of Moore’s dynamism as a performer. It began with her emerging from lips high above the stage, then engaging in acrobatics as “Get the Party Started” blared, and then demonstrated her aerial skills on multiple occasions.

At its best, it was great fun, like an early ‘Raise Your Glass’ that had the pink-hatted hordes of Hampden Park listening as the dancers zipped around the stage on scooters designed to look like flamingos. The slick ‘Turbulence’ had her running up the ramp into the crowd and then twisting on a tightrope above the audience, and the main set’s closing song ‘Never Gonna Not Dance Again’ combined infectiously catchy pop with a full West End dance routine, giving every single dancer a moment in the spotlight.

Despite all the pop gimmicks, there was still time for her band and Moore’s impressive voice to shine. The evening achieved a good balance between spectacle and showcasing both her band and Moore’s prowess as a live singer, something not all pop stars manage. A run-through of early hit “Just Like A Pill” was powerful, and the guitar-driven “Just Like Fire” segued with verve (and literal flames) into a cover of Pat Benetar’s AOR favorite “Heartbreaker.”

Moore’s performance was boisterous, waving and jumping and at one point throwing a few small Milky Ways into the crowd. This audience interaction sometimes went too far, with a section where she chatted with fans and signed things going on so long that it became a convincing argument for paid meet-and-greets. This may have been well-intentioned, but combined with a few stripped-down numbers like “Please Don’t Leave Me,” the set’s tempo slowed dramatically before a big sing-along cover of 4 Non Blondes’ “What’s Up” veered too far toward karaoke.

Moore is much more fun when she’s being snarky and witty, like when she joked that keyboardist Jason Chapman couldn’t hear her and “looked at me like Joe Biden during the debate.” She quickly added that she would vote for the incumbent president on the alternative, too, presumably to the relief of the many LGBT fans in attendance.

Several of these couples appeared on the giant screens during her piano cover of Bob Dylan’s “Make You Feel My Love,” culminating in one woman visibly excitedly shouting to her better half, “That’s us!” The song itself was a tender note amidst the bombast, and a reminder that Moore’s longevity in a career that has now spanned over two decades has helped her build an emotional connection with her followers, and many a tearful hug exchanged between them.

But directness is still what she does best, from the rousing “Fuckin Perfect” to a lengthy, rocking “Blow Me (One Last Kiss)” to the stomping finale of “So What,” which saw her fly across the stadium on a zip line for a truly impressive finale.