Pink more than got the party started Sunday night at Ottawa’s Bluesfest. It seemed like every inch of the grounds was covered with fans as she walked onto the City Stage, which was decked out with a catwalk out front, pyro works on either side, and a gigantic backdrop that projected music videos and onstage antics.
Dressed in grey elephant pants and a gorgeous black leather jacket with shredded sleeves, she looked her fit and trim self as she wasted no time unleashing a string of her hits, beginning appropriately with “Get The Party Started,” from her biggest album to date, “Missundaztood” (2001). She was joined on stage with a team of dancers for most of the material as the band kicked into the bad-ass “U and Ur Hand.”
During “Just Like A Pill,” she wandered down into the barricaded aisle to immerse herself in the crowd. The heavy lights and mugginess were no doubt a magnet for the insects on stage, but nothing seemed to stand in her way of the sheer enjoyment she shared with her fans. “I’m gonna eat a lot of bugs tonight!” she laughed, then proceeded to spit over the side of the stage. She dug her teeth into another of her attitude-laden hits, “Trouble,” during which she laid on her stomach to reach out to the audience.
Her connection and attention to the crowd was genuine and she often came down to the edge of the stage to shake hands with her fans.
Some beautiful interpretive choreography performed by two female dancers expressed the theme of the song “Try,” and its powerful message of perseverance. Next came a very cool mashup between “Funhouse,” from her 2008 album of the same name, mixed cleverly with the double tempo of No Doubt’s “I’m Just A Girl.”
Her collaborating partner, Dallas Green, with whom she formed the duo You+Me joined her onstage carrying his acoustic guitar and, together, sang a couple of songs from their debut album, “rose ave.” (2014) named after the recording studio’s location. Both songs, “You and Me” and “Unbeliever” showcased Pink’s pure and clean vocals in perfect harmony with Green’s during this musical interlude of unplugged magic.
Pink brought her show to Ottawa for the first time. She headlined the City Stage on Sunday night at Bluesfest. Photo by Mark Horton.
By this time the rain began to pour down and Pink asked the crowd if she should continue, for which she received a roar of positive response. More acoustical chemistry this time between Pink and her guitarist, Justin Derrico, spiced up the night with a stripped down version of “Who Knew” followed by a heart-stopping version of Led Zeppelin’s “Babe I’m Gonna Leave You.” The band kicked in to add the song’s powerful throes and Pink’s voice took command of every note as if it was written for her. “Me and Bobby McGee” paid tribute to the iconic Janis Joplin just as Melissa Etheridge had done on the same stage with “Piece Of My Heart” only two nights before. And just like Etheridge, Pink knocked it out of the park.
“Raise Your Glass” another lively number that gives a toast to living life to the fullest, was perfectly timed after the rain had ceased and had the crowd dancing with drinks raised high in the air. The show ended with Pink being hoisted up on a cable and sent out flying over the crowd during the finale, “So What.” A final surge of fireworks came up from the front of the stage to put the icing on the cake of what had just been an electrifying and fully entertaining first time performance by Pink in Ottawa.
RBC Bluesfest runs from July 6–16, 2017 at LeBreton Flats. Visit ottawabluesfest.com for the lineup and schedule. Keep checking back for more Apt613 Bluesfest coverage and follow us on Instagram for the latest photos.
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