By Josh Bell
Mandalay Bay 7:30 p.m. Feb. 15, $59.50-$139.50 plus tax and fee. 800.745.3000 Ticketmaster
During the late 1990s, singer Pink stood out for breaking the mold of similar perky, blond-haired singers like Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera and Jessica Simpson, not only with her namesake pink hair, but also with her embrace of loud rock sounds and snarky lyrics on her breakthrough second album, 2001’s Missundaztood.
Since then, Pink’s contemporaries have gone through plenty of changes of their own, and she’s the one who’s remained consistent, sticking to her brash sound and outspoken lyrics on feel-good hits like “Get This Party Started,” “So What” and “Raise Your Glass,” as well as darker, more brooding (but still catchy) hits like “Don’t Let Me Get Me,” “Sober” and “Please Don’t Leave Me.” She’s become a huge star, performing elaborate stage shows in arenas around the world, without ever compromising her unique persona or taking a gig on reality TV.
Case in point: The opener for Pink’s current tour (and its Las Vegas stop) isn’t some flavor-of-the-moment pop singer being pushed by her record label, but Swedish garage-rock band The Hives, who are known for their 2002 hit “Hate to Say I Told You So” as well as their manic live performances. The band’s last appearance in Las Vegas, at The Cosmopolitan’s Boulevard Pool, involved the members, clad in their trademark tuxedos, all jumping in the pool along with the audience. The group, once dubbed by Spin magazine as “the best live band in the world,” should be a perfect complement to Pink’s energy and originality.
