I've already given up on seeing P!nk live, but on the very day of the concert, I could get a ticket after all...so the day was spent in excitement. That, and in rush - and no, I wasn't given any last minute discount. xD
About the special guests, well, I've always thought it's a two-way dead-end thingy. If it's some star DJ, with their own set - u might know them or might not, even if u do it's not sure u like them too. If it's a noname upcoming band, prolly noone knows them, noone knows what to expect. So, the warm-up purpose is kinda lost in the attempts to listen intently because of the unfamiliarity, or lost simply in the attempts to stay awake. Anyway, let's do the compulsory laps: www.myspace.com/raygunofficial ...there. I won't comment, simply cuz I've nothing to say, really. Actually, mixes of popular top40 tracks might be a good mid-way, but that's just my guess.
To start with, I've been quite skeptic about the tour. First of all, because, for me anyways, the album almost totally failed to deliver a "funhouse-feeling". So What is an incredibly strong opening, even from P!nk, but nothing funhouse-y about it; actually the only two songs that sort of reminds me of any carnival, are Funhouse and Crystal Ball. And that's the other problem there, apart from So What, Bad Influence, Funhouse and maybe Ave Mary A (and an either-get-it-or-not-get-it bonus This Is How It Goes Down), the whole album is quite...well, flat. Melancholic, serious, lamenting...and at best, downtempo. That ain't really a funhouse-type of fun imo. Of course it's all understandable if you know the background, the things happened to her life, and really, all her albums were sorta split between wild and sorrowful, but well, it still doesn't explain the title-choice then. Then there's also the case of a certain other female whose concept of candies goes down the sink with the album art and the opening song of the album; and sorta the same happens with Britney's Circus, except there not even the album cover supports the concept... so yeah. I had my doubts.
But it turned out to be a disappointment of the most pleasant kind. I mean, the concept was so solidly built up in every single detail that I was just gaping at it in awe, and can't tell anything else but congrats. The theme, the props, the costumes, the backdrops - everything was made to add to the atmosphere of a bit surreal, bit mad, bit twisted carnival. And really, the analogy is easy to comprehend, I mean, you can act tough all the time, but a broken marriage is sure a lot to process, and if it doesn't shake you at all, you're surely an insensitive bastard - that's just something I can't imagine of Alecia tho. Technically...at first it seemed like she didn't really know what to do with herself, walking left and right then kneeling down and standing up again is just not really...um, creative, right? But then she got in the mood and was really okay. Seeing all the acrobatics, um I'm not gonna buy that "I'm newly afraid of heights" as she claims it in the tourbook. xD Really. I just don't. xD Reaching out to the audience and collecting all the stuffed animals thrown up to the stage for her (even named a bunny, Edward xD) was sweet and really adorable - I'm not believing her wild and tough persona anymore either. :P One thing I was really missing though, well it's two actually, but...where were pyrotechnics and smoke??? O_O Really! Such a concept surely REQUIRES those, real life flames on stage for the "lets rock out!" parts, and smoke for the painful, reminiscing songs. O_O And the displays. Idk, but even two hrs after the show ended, when I was actually thrashing about in my bed already, my head was aching and spinning like hell. Whenever I looked at the display, I felt like I'm gonna fall outta my chair, my head started swinging left and right that much. Idk if it's just my position, or something with the tech background of it, but should be looked into cuz it did spoil the mood sometimes a bit.
As for the songs... Highway To Hell was a really good intro, sets the mood and the little video is wicked too. xD Though, I was expecting a countdown-to-funn for the very beginning. ;) The rest of the cover songs were risky tho, sorta similar to special guests: even the audience knows the original, it's not sure they like it as well. And can easily make the party-mood go away if we have to think about what on earth we're hearing actually and why it is here. But, really nicely shaped to fit into the theme, didn't at all have a feeling they don't belong there. Though, I could have done without Gnarls Barkley's Crazy, but that's just personal - the original version makes me cringe too, so... U_U on the other hand tho, I Touch Myself was a total bull's eye: haven't FELT such heated lust since Spice Girls' performance of Naked, which I've only seen in the TV btw. O_O The acoustic parts were AWESOME, mainly Trouble, for a few minutes I wasn't sure if I'm really seeing P!nk up on the stage, or someone else took it over from her...just so totally different! I swear, she could do an acoustic/unplugged compilation thingy. Quite many songs that are sorta like that by default anyway, and even more that could work well that way too. What really gave me the creeps tho (in that sort of masochistic-love-it-creeps way), was Family Portrait. I've always loved pianos, mainly if a piano is the only thing to accompany the voice, so... *_* totally special, and the violin added to it wasn't obtrusive either. About piano and violin: she makes quite different music than Gackt, but I was amazed at how the piano and violin additions were almost of the same level as Gackt's. And that's quite much, cuz I love Gackt-san, he's actually one of two ppl I call Artists. So P!nk: *bows deep* congrats. And what's with putting a song titled Get The Party Started in the Encore??? X3 Totally mindless! But being a bit different than the rest of the show, and adding some new colors (as well as finally RADIATING off some colors, which was sorta not there in the rest), 'twas great of course. ^.^ Glitter In The Air...breathtaking. Actually felt a bit like I did when Kylie performed No More Rain: somehow releasing, lifting off weight, and just looking into the future with hope, even if that doesn't exactly agrees with the lyrics. But nice nevertheless. (PS: girl, are you completely off your rocker??? No wonder u get sick if you finish ur shows being dipped into water...tis still a bit cold for that, don't u think??? xD)
All in all: if you haven't yet done so, and still can, GO GRAB A TICKET. And go like you were going to a carnival really. You'll have a "HELL of a time [...] in a nice yummy, positive way". ;)
Remember, remember, never forget: all of your life has all been a test, you will find the gate that's open...
The generous truly know what will be given, even if it does stop, the gates of Heaven are always open.
Believe firmly that your passing is only a sign of that you've completed your task and thus you were allowed to advance. Know that we'll meet again, and 'til then, remember only the joy and smiles you brought to our lives.
