Cork’s cabaret cover band The Soulmasters had an emergency call, and kindly loaned their in-ear monitor to P!nk pre-show, allowing her to gambol confidently on stage in tiny black tasselled shorts, black trilby with gold trimming, a corset-tight top and a leather whip. Well-behaved lesbians were far from alone at the Marquee; beleaguered mothers held tight to tweeny daughters and triumphant girlfriends gripped shuffling shrinking-violet men who were easily outnumbered 10 to one by the ‘ol dolls.
Straight out of the Madonna school of performance, Pink pranced provocatively to opening number ‘Ice Cream’ and barracked the crowd with Top 10 hit, after hit. ‘Trouble’, ‘Just Like a Pill’ and ‘Who Knew’ had the thong throng shrieking and they sang every word of ‘I’m Not Dead’. There is no doubting the power of her voice, and she delivered note perfect studio hits that got the fervent crowd going. Justin Derrico grinding out guitar solos like he was a Guitar Hero world finalist and the impressive piano intro for ‘Family Portrait’ were two highlights.
P!nk songs err on the side of generic, and after seven or so she was sitting in a circle with her excellent backing singers covering Kris Kristofferson’s ‘Me And Bobby McGee’ and Janis’s ‘Piece Of My Heart’, making a genuine effort to show some soul. An Ella Fitzgerald-like version of ‘Summertime’ failed to cool a couple of drunken-spirited Corkwomen who were throwing shapes and playing elbows-up on the dancefloor. P!nk only managed to restore order with ‘My Vietnam’, followed by ‘U And Ur Hand’.
The ‘play every hit exactly as it says on the tin’ strategy seemed to satisfy the crowd, but anyone looking for sparks of invention would have been gone home empty handed.