Even after more than a decade of pop rock stardom, Pink is still being compared to Britney Spears. Yes, she probably brought some of it on herself when she dropped the other singer’s name in "Just Like a Pill" ("Tired of being com-pared / to damn Brit-ney Spears"), but it began long before then and were never warranted for two very different singers who just happened to come along at more or less the same time.
Today, those comparisons only serve to highlight the mature, well-developed performer that Alecia Beth Moore has grown into (interpret that as you will for Ms. Spears).
Case in point: Saturday night's Pink show at the ACC, which was the second of her "Truth About Love" tour dates at the venue and the first of two during the current leg (the second takes place on Monday night). The show—which featured plenty of dancers, showy lighting effects and two stunning acrobatic components—was hardly light on spectacle. But the heart of the nearly two-hour long performance came through in her crowd interaction and rock solid connection with her fans.
At no point on Saturday night did Pink lose sight of the 16,500 fans in attendance. Upon reading one fan sign requesting that the sign-holder touch Pink's hair, she didn't hesitate to oblige by lying down on the stage to let her signature locks fall into the fan's waiting hands. She proudly showed off another fan's homemade Rice Krispies box (apparently Pink is a fan of the marshmallow treat), and read aloud another's proclamation of being five years cancer-free.
Although the concert was framed in the same manner as her prior “Truth About Love” tour visit in March (you can read about that performance here), the stage banter was completely fresh and tailored to her audience.
She performed a little bit, too.
Just as Pink incorporates both spectacle and heartfelt, personal touches into her stage show, she also infuses her performance with a mix of hard-hitting songs and intimate, toned-down tracks. As comfortable as she looked during her show-stopping "Raise Your Glass" finale in which she soared above the crowd while strapped into a harness, she appeared equally at home sharing an acoustic duet with her guitarist.
The show was certainly not devoid of fun, but contained a number of reflective and thoughtful moments that gave emotional heft to the night. It was those moments that truly highlighted Pink's growth from an angsty pop starlet who defined herself by what she wasn't (namely, Spears) into a fully formed adult performer with a clear appreciation for her fans.
