It’s heartwarming how proprietary Philly feels about Pink. She’s a Doylestown gal, after all — so she’s not really from here.
But the Bucks County native, born Alecia Beth Moore, did hang at Philly clubs as a young teen. (Holla at Chestnut Street’s Club Fever!) She also did a year at Moore College of Art before dropping out.
And as A-list as her career is, the badass singer still remembers her roots.
At 38 years old, Pink is flirting with rockstar royalty status. She’s sold more than 40 million albums and 50 million singles worldwide. But in a mega-produced, balls-to-the-wall show on Friday at the Wells Fargo Center to support her 2017 album, Beautiful Trauma, Pink’s Philly pride was on full display.
Cheesesteak chowdown
It started with her pre-performance sustenance — which she tweeted was from South Street chicken cheesesteak icon Ishkabibble’s.
Mentors in the audience
About an hour into the show, Pink gave an earnest shoutout to her junior high guidance counselor from Lenape Middle School in Doylestown.
After telling fans her whole family was at the show, Pink said to her guidance counselor: “I love you. You were the only adult who every stuck up for me in school. I love you more than you can know.” After finally spotting her in the crowd, Pink continued, “I wish every dysfunctional asshole kid would have someone like that. You’re the best! I love you.”
Super Bowl shouts
Pink couldn’t resist giving props to the world champion Eagles. She gave the football team its due with a simple: “So, the Eagles.” That kicked off a lusty burst of Eagles chants.
High school rivalry
The audience came ready to make the local connections, and Pink didn’t shy away.
“C.B. East is better than C.B. West,” Pink recited with incredulity, reading someone’s handmade poster about the Central Bucks rival schools. “What!”
She followed up by noting she couldn’t really take sides: “I went there [C.B. West] for only three months, so I wouldn’t know.”
Finale frenzy
Pink is always a solid show woman, so this stunt wasn’t necessarily a locals-only perk, but the frenzy she created with her final act was a gift to the pumped up crowd.
Mouths were agape as the star buzzed them from overhead or flew up to the cheaper seats for an unexpected close-up as she zoomed around the arena on wires while belting out “So What.”
That’s just how this (almost) Philly girl rolls.
