The 10 Songs We NEED To Hear At P!nk's Summer Carnival Shows
Tuesday, 11 June 2024
Written by Jack Butler-Terry
Almost 25 years on from the release of her debut album, P!nk has become a multi-hyphenate. As well as being a stadium-filling songwriter and performer, she’s also now an acrobat, daredevil and human cannonball thanks to the high-flying exploits that drive her stage show.
Given she’s about to bring her Summer Carnival Tour back to the UK and Ireland with a string of high-octane shows — kicking off at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium before heading to London, Dublin, Liverpool and Glasgow — we’ve gone through her vast back catalogue to pick 10 songs we absolutely NEED to hear on the setlist.
Raise Your Glass
After a decade of topping charts around the world, P!nk compiled her greatest hits and recorded some new cuts that signalled a continuation of everything she does so well. Raise Your Glass is an anthem for the people that don’t fit into the cookie cutter expectations of life, the outcasts that “are wrong in all the right ways” and that’s a beautiful thing.
So What
P!nk has never shied away from the troubles that plagued her relationship with husband Carey Hart and So What was the pinnacle of having fun amid the turbulence. Self-deprecating and invigorating in equal measure, So What brings the sort of scream-along energy that her shows thrive on and provides a unifying outlet for anybody that has gone through similar struggles.
Don’t Let Me Get Me
When P!nk broke into the mainstream with 2001’s ‘M!ssundaztood’, she did so with a raft of catchy and powerful tracks. Just Like A Pill, Get The Party Started and Family Portrait all enjoyed huge success around the world but it’s the brutally honest Don’t Let Me Get Me that stands out as one of P!nk’s best early cuts and a clear sign of her ability to tackle tough subjects through tender acoustic pop.
U + Ur Hand
There’s always been a thread of empowerment and fun in P!nk’s music and 2006’s U + Ur Hand is the epitome of that. A song about being out with girlfriends, shaking off the boys and avoiding any drama, it’s super catchy, incredible fun and carries an edge that makes it clear she means business. That it’s also from her best album (‘I'm Not Dead’) is just a bonus at this point.
What About Us
Released in 2017, ‘Beautiful Trauma’ was a mixed bag of an album, but lead single What About Us was a political EDM anthem that centred on the American people being failed by their government. As heavy as the subject matter may be, it’s pulsing, entrancing proof once again that P!nk is not afraid to try new sounds.
When I Get There
Taking a break from galvanising anthems, our next pick is the tender When I Get There, taken from P!nk’s latest album ‘Trustfall’. Dedicated to her late father and all the ways in which he raised and inspired her, it is a terrific way for P!nk and her fans to remember loved ones we’ve lost, all in the company of friends.
Blow Me (One Last Kiss)
When Blow Me (One Last Kiss) leaked onto the internet in 2012, the track was hurriedly released officially and would become the lead single for sixth album ‘The Truth About Love’. Fortunately, the song went down a treat among fans and the electro-pop rager has been a mainstay on her setlists ever since.
Never Not Gonna Dance Again
You can never say that P!nk doesn’t know how to do a lead single. Ahead of ‘Trustfall’, she dropped Never Gonna Not Dance Again. which took from disco and funk to provide a slice of carefree fun and a track that is impossible not to dance to. The lyrics reflect that, too, focusing on dancing through the tough times and that’s the kind of positivity we can always do with.
Cover Me In Sunshine
When you’re as talented as P!nk is, there’s a good chance those skills will pass down through the family and so it is with this sweet tearjerker that features a wonderful performance by her daughter, Willow Sage Hart. Released with the express purpose of spreading positivity, it seems a perfect fit for this upcoming tour.
Just Like Fire
P!nk has contributed to a fair few movie soundtracks throughout her near 30 year career, but it’s Just Like Fire - taken from Alice In Wonderland sequel Through The Looking Glass - that stands out as one of her very best. Undeniably P!nk but once again dabbling in new realms (this time there’s a rap breakdown), it’s yet another triumphant chapter in the career of one of pop’s very best.
Pink Upcoming Tour Dates are as follows:
Tue June 11 2024 - CARDIFF Principality Stadium
Sat June 15 2024 - LONDON Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
Sun June 16 2024 - LONDON Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
Thu June 20 2024 - DUBLIN Aviva Stadium
Fri June 21 2024 - DUBLIN Aviva Stadium
Mon June 24 2024 - LIVERPOOL Anfield Stadium
Tue June 25 2024 - LIVERPOOL Anfield Stadium
Fri June 28 2024 - GLASGOW Hampden Park
Sat June 29 2024 - GLASGOW Hampden Park
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