Pink definitely got the party started Wednesday night as she kicked of the Atlantic City BeachFest Concert Series.
The pop star brought her signature strong vocals, no-fuss attitude and — of course — an aerial encore to Atlantic City, where an estimated 40,000 fans began packing the beach late morning.
It was a homecoming of sorts for the Doylestown, Pa., native. Her mom, Judith Kugel Moore, grew up in Atlantic City and graduated from the old high school. Her family cheered from the VIP section as she pointed them out.
The star even did the Janis Joplin classic “Me and Bobby McGee” “for you Momma.” It also proved a fitting tribute to the legend who made it famous.
About halfway into her 17-song set, Pink and guitarist Justin Derrico on the stage runway to do a few songs. She mesmerized fans, who seemed to forget for a while that they were nearly piled on top of one another in the sand.
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Even the flubs were “Perfect,” as the artist used the first strains of her 2010 hit to check her vocals.
“Don’t turn me up until I sound good,” she said.
“He’s really good, though,” she said pointing to Derrico. “So we got that going.”
While the headset feedback had her “giving myself a headache,” it wasn’t noticeable in her performance.
When she temporarily forgot the words to “Who Knew?” the crowd helped out.
“You’ve got my back,” she said. “I promise, I’m going to get it together real soon.”
Rather than putting a damper on the show, the hiccups only made her more endearing.
“I have the best everything in the world,” she said.
“I have the best you guys. I have the best them guys,” she added, pointing to her band and dancers.
She ended the performance with “Raise Your Glass,” complete with fireworks.
But a true Pink performance can’t end without her taking to the air. And she did just that for her encore, “So What.”
At one point, she was to stand on a prop tower, but couldn’t quite get balanced.
“It’s that kind of night, right?” she asked the crowd with a shrug before spinning airborne again and singing the title line, as if in response.
Because, so what, she still is a rock star.
She ended the night with a police escort off the Boardwalk, and straight to Tony’s Baltimore Grill for an after-concert meal with her family and friends. Just like any Atlantic City native — or the musical star daughter of one — would do.
Lynda Cohen founded BreakingAC after working as a local newspaper reporter for more than two decades. She is an NJPA award-winner and was a Stories of Atlantic City fellow.
