Image source, Getty Images
- Author, Rosie Mercer
- Role, BBC News
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Superstar US singer Pink has kicked off the European leg of her Summer Carnival Tour as she got the party started in front of a sell-out crowd in Wales.
Tens of thousands of fans arrived in Cardiff ahead of Tuesday’s gig, with authorities warning of travel disruption on the M4 motorway, while one railway line out of the city is shut.
The singer returned to Cardiff’s Principality Stadium for the first time in five years, with a full city centre road closure from mid-afternoon until midnight.
She began her European leg in the Welsh capital, then heads to London, Dublin, Liverpool and Glasgow before nine gigs on mainland Europe.
Image source, Getty Images
Pink opened her Cardiff show – and the European leg of her Summer Carnivals Tour- with Get This Party started, quickly followed by hits Raise Your Glass and Who Knew.
Partway through the concert, the US singer alerted the crowd that a couple had got engaged.
After spotting the proposal, Pink excitably said: “She said yes? Congratulations!”, before the camera panned to the couple embracing.
The American singer posted to Instagram on Tuesday evening to say she’d been unwell, but added: “Wales, freaking love it here… a little food poisoning can’t stop us.”
After tumbling towards the stage in what was just one part of her now famous elaborate circus routines, she said: “Thank you guys for coming to play with us, you look amazing.”
She later brought out her 13-year-old daughter Willow to sing Cover Me In Sunshine, the song they released together.
Daughter and mum Sinead, 34, and Justine, 52, travelled from Swindon to see Pink.
They have seen her several times live and have set up camp all afternoon outside the stadium with deckchairs and a picnic, hoping to be among the first in.
Ten years ago Sinead left a Pink concert with a special memento – a drumstick from the set.
She said: “I’m hoping this year I get the second one!”
Catherine Williams, her daughter Ellie, and Kelly Walters are particularly looking forward to seeing the singer, having failed to get tickets the last time Pink played in Cardiff in 2019.
“I do love her older songs like Just Like a Pill, So What – but we love them all,” Catherine said.
“I’ve never been to watch Pink so I can’t wait, really excited,” said Kelly.
Summer, 14, Emily, 18, Briony 17, Tori 22, and Rachel, 36, travelled from Birmingham to watch Pink in Cardiff.
Tori has been before, and said the show was “insane”, while Emily could not wait to see Pink live for the first time.
Friends Julie Jones, 58, from Carmarthen and Theresa Owen, 62, from St Clears will be watching Pink in concert for the first time.
Julie is looking forward to the acrobatics, and Theresa agrees.
“We’ve watched some clips of it already and it looks fantastic. We can’t wait to see her,” Julie said.
Lauren, 25, from Carmarthenshire, said: “I’m definitely looking forward to the swinging from the ceiling,” of the acrobatics in the show.
Another highlight, she added, will be to see The Script perform as one of the warm-up acts.
Triple Grammy Award winner Pink, 44, said she was excited to be back in Wales during the month that the Principality Stadium celebrates its quarter-century.
“It’s been way too long since I’ve been in Wales,” added Pink, whose hits include Get The Party Started, Just Give Me a Reason and So What.
The Summer Carnival tour is in support of the singer’s ninth studio album, Trustfall, which was released last year, and her first gig since her show in Queensland, Australia, in March.
Who are Pink’s supporting acts?
Irish rock band The Script, American singer songwriter Gayle, and the DJ KidCutUp were the warm-up acts for Pink.
Her Summer Carnival tour dates last year saw her singing beside a giant rainbow beach ball while dancers bounced on trampolines.
What are the road closures?
Image source, Getty Images
Scott Road and Park Street were closed from 07:00.
A full city centre road closure was then enforced from 15:00 until midnight.
The roads included in this are:
- Duke Street
- Castle St
- High Street
- St Mary Street
- Caroline Street
- Wood Street
- Central Square
- Westgate Street
- Quay Street
- Guildhall Place
- Golate
- Havelock Street
- Kingsway from its junction with North Road to its junction with Duke Street
- Cowbridge Road East from its junction with Cathedral Road to its junction with Westgate Street
- Tudor Street from its junction with Clare Road to its junction with Wood Street
- Plantagenet Street and Beauchamp Street from their junctions with Despenser Place to their junctions with Tudor Street
- Station Terrace and Guildford Street from the junction with Newport Road to the junction with Churchill Way will be access for buses only
- Penarth Road will be closed 30 minutes before the concert finishes and up to one hour after the concert ends
Trains, buses, parking, park and ride
Fans with tickets are being advised to walk, cycle or use public transport wherever possible.
There were delays of up to 40 minutes on the M4 motorway with drivers being urged to check the Traffic Wales website before setting off.
Event parking is available at Sophia Gardens and the civic centre for a fee.
A park and ride service is being operated by Cardiff council from the Cardiff City Stadium in Leckwith, with fans will be dropped off and picked up from Fitzhammon Embankment, opposite the stadium.
Transport for Wales provided extra capacity on trains in and out of Cardiff wherever possible.
Buses were diverted due to the road closures. Full details of Cardiff Bus diversions can be found here.
Where is Pink playing in the UK in 2024?
Pink’s Cardiff date is the first of her 18 shows in Europe, with nine in the UK and Ireland, before she returns to the United States in August.
So other than Cardiff, where else and when is Pink playing in UK and Ireland in 2024?
- 15 and 16 June, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London
- 20 and 21 June, Aviva Stadium, Dublin
- 24 and 25 June, Anfield, Liverpool
- 28 and 29 June, Hampden Park, Glasgow