First time visiting 10 Things?

Rather than a "review," each post features a collection of observations, intended primarily for people who've already seen the show. Check out the introduction post for more context.

P!nk, Beautiful Trauma World Tour

• I never imagined writing a 10 Things About post for a concert, but if P!nk’s Beautiful Trauma World Tour doesn’t qualify as a “show,” then I’m no longer sure how to suitably categorize many forms of contemporary performance.

• For context, I am not a P!nk fan, per se, though I probably know most of the words to a dozen of her songs, many of which have received steady radio play over the last 18 years. (I attended the show as part of a present for someone who loves P!nk).

• On many tours, musical artists switch up the setlist on a nightly basis; in some cases, a few songs get swapped in for each other, and with some musicians (e.g., the Grateful Dead and Van Morrison), each live performance is completely different. In contrast, the Beautiful Trauma tour follows what appears to be a predetermined order, with specific costumes, choreography, videos, and (maybe?) a narrative and thematic flow. Aside from a guest appearance by City and Colour, the March 20, 2018 Toronto show unfolded in the exact same order as other dates on the tour. (Side note 1: the collection and sharing of tour set lists used to be the arcane domain of hard-core fans; the internet has simplified the process and set lists for modern shows are readily available, even as the show is being performed). (Side note 2: P!nk and City and Colour released a 2014 album — You + Me — under their given (names, Alecia Moore and Dallas Green).

Sample set list from a Pearl Jam concert

• Speaking of duets, two of P!nk’s biggest hits feature collaborations: “Just Give Me A Reason” with Fun.’s Nate Ruess, as well as “Revenge” with rapper Eminem. How to perform a recorded track in a live environment? When faced with that question, musicians commonly decide between three options: 1) don’t perform the song, 2) perform the song with a backup vocalist instead of the original, or 3) perform the song by editing out the guest artist’s section. P!nk, in keeping with her reputation as a contrarian, opted for other solutions. In “Just Give Me A Reason,” videos of Nate Ruess played (in very small televisions rather than the giant screens attached to the stage). “Revenge” received a far more theatrical interpretation, featuring a 30-foot inflatable Eminem puppet.

• The Beautiful Trauma World Tour features costume changes, character-based choreography, video segments, circus acts, storytelling, and extensive aerial performances. I’m curious how (if at all), fans distinguish between these sorts of performance-based concerts and Broadway’s spectacle musicals (e.g. The Lion King and Wicked).

• An extended video segment flashed images of Hillary, Black Lives Matter, #MeToo, Parkland students, and many other people/groups invested in social justice. The audience responded with screams of support. Yet Donald Trump is still President and Doug Ford is on track to become Premier. Surely, a crowd of 20, 000 is not a monolithic bloc of people with similar political views. I’m fascinated by how that video might be received in different parts of America and the world. And what goes through the mind of a conservative-minded P!nk fan during the video. And if there are comparable videos at concerts with right-leaning artists (country music?)…

• Why do concertgoers take photos and videos of concerts? That’s a genuine question, not a “get off my lawn” criticism. Between the stage lighting and the size of the arena, capturing visual moments from a concert is notoriously difficult, even for professional photographers. As such, I can’t imagine (m)any people print and frame their blurry images. Are the photos simply part of a social media postcard to say “I was there” (or “aren’t I lucky” or “you weren’t there”)?

• The evening ended with a running scroll of artistic credits, projected on a massive screen. There were clear acknowledgements of directors, designers, choreographers, performers, and technicians (further cementing the perception of the concert as a “show”). Lots of solo artists take a moment to identify the members of the band, but I can’t recall any concert that explicitly highlighted the artistic and technical personnel.

• P!nk is probably the most adventurous live performer in pop music — who else spends 20% of their concert suspended above the stage and crowd?! That said, the Beautiful Trauma World Tour isn’t the first concert to feature theatrical elements. As one example, I’m reminded of J. Kelly Nestruck’s insightful commentary about Lady Gaga’s Monster Ball tour back in 2009.

• As I wrote in the 10 Things About Jerusalem: “If you drop things on the audience, they will smile. Always.”

—Nick Hanson