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"Raise Your Glass" to a full-throttled
night of pop, rock and punk

Pink/The Hives
United Center
Chicago, IL
March 9, 2013

Pink

The Hives

Review and Hives Photos By Andy Argyrakis
Pink photos by by Kevin Mazur/Wire Image

Ever since her debut as the anti-Britney in 2000, Pink's always marched to the beat of her own drum, though such distinctiveness has also allowed her to achieve impressive longevity on the pop charts. But just because the assertive singer/songwriter's a staple of the Top 40 doesn't mean she can't rock, as demonstrated during the Chicago tour stop supporting her sixth studio album "The Truth About Love," which is by far her most colossal display to date.

Besides show opener "Raise Your Glass" resounding with plenty of dirty guitars and shuddering drums, the instantaneous party-starter found Pink suspended sky high in the embrace of a few muscle-clad aerial stunt men. Even though she was completely upside down (an acrobatic feat in of itself) her arena-filling vocals were still fully live and the most mighty of any wannabe divas of today. In fact, Pink's potpourri of scene changes, giant dance routines and several more flying segments easily out-glitzed any major tour in recent memory (though she couldn't skipped an extremely annoying game show-styled host who offered pointless filler during her many costume changes).

Nonetheless, Pink shined through multiple moods across nearly two hours, serving up some inspiration for the underdog with the oldie "Just Like A Pill" one moment and turning in a jazzy cover of Chris Isaak's enchanting "Wicked Game" the next. The hits kept coming with full-throttled renditions of "Try" and "Sober" (both accompanied by more mid-air performance art), though a stripped down set showed off even more of Pink's singing strengths, especially during the self-esteem affirming power ballad "F**** Perfect." However, it's clear the 33-year-old ball of energy doesn't like to sit too long, as she soon picked up the pace for the sleazy rocker "Slut Rock You" and the textbook pop confection "Blow Me (One Last Kiss)."

Though it was certainly enough to send fans home fulfilled, an encore found Pink defiantly shouting out her anti-conformity anthem "So What," accompanied by plenty more production marvels. Not only did the all around entertainer pop up in the air over the stage, but she briskly bungee jumped her way to the very back of the crowd, paid a visit to each of the sides at balcony level and then returned to" amidst all the virtual flying, Pink was able to maintain strict vocal control, which coupled with such an empowered personality, suggested the star won't have any trouble continuing to rule today or transcending future generations.

Openers The Hives might not possess the same immediate pop sensibility as the headliner, but its punk-centered fury was certainly in the same spirit as Pink's ferocious side. While the Swedish band led by the veritable firecracker Howlin' Pelle Almqvist is a fixture of the indie scene, chances are this outing introduced sweaty rockers from its fifth studio album "Lex Hives" to an entirely new audience. Moreover the group even passed the unenviable task of engaging those shuffling to their seats and the generally indifferent, especially during the growling "Hate to Say I Told You So" and "Tick Tick Boom," which remain the best examples of the group's explosive ethos.