Dwarfed by an enormous pink curtain covering the bulk of a sprawling stage, The Rubens receive a polite, if cool, welcome. Rod Laver Arena is close to being full already, and the band perform a solid set. Hallelujah is arena-sized and punchy, and Sam Margin's soulful vocals are a warm tonic on a cold night.

Duet Never Ever, performed tonight with a friend of the band, JANEVA, is a bittersweet standout, the delicate delivery of a lyrical sledgehammer finally grabbing the attention of the audience. Closing with Hoops, The Rubens leave this writer with a mental post-it note to catch their full show when they are in town next.

A quick whip to the refreshment stand delivers the double whammy of being charged $6 for a post-mix Pepsi and $5 for water, and then being told that it's Eftpos only for the entire stadium. Glancing at a sign spruiking small cups of frosé, frozen rosé for those unfamiliar, the decision not to drink seems a wise one. These stadium prices are out of control. 

KidCutUp pops up on DJ duty, spinning middle age-friendly pop and R&B with some Aussie rock staples thrown in, though isn't it time that we all agree that Daryl Braithwaite's The Horses be put out to pasture? The following mash-up of Blackstreet's No Diggity and Oasis' Wonderwall is the musical answer to a question nobody asked.

Being possibly the only person in Melbourne who has not seen Pink perform before, the anticipation to see how she opens her show is overwhelming. The curtain drops and it is immediate sensory overload. Everything is neon pink and chrome, and Pink herself swings wildly from an oversized chandelier as she belts out Get The Party Started. There are aerial acrobatics, dancers flipping off of any available flat surface, and indoor fireworks — we're barely five minutes in and punters are already panting.

Coming back down to earth (literally), Pink whips out Beautiful Trauma and perennial favourites Just Like A Pill and Who Knew. The brief break from all-out dancing and acrobatics allows us to appreciate just how powerful her voice is. For the next two or so hours, every single word she sings is live. This does not seem like a huge ask, but keep in mind that most of these songs are performed while flying, dancing, and occasionally while upside down. On top of all of this, Pink makes it look easy and barely pauses for breath. It's also empowering to see so many examples of strong women commanding the stage — whether it be singing, dancing, or playing the shit out of their instruments.

The show is broken up by interludes. The Revenge Land portion is hilarious and clever, featuring covers of No Doubt's Just A Girl and Nirvana's Smells Like Teen Spirit. Secrets from Beautiful Trauma is intense and sexy before we're taken somewhere darker, somewhere where love gives way to doubt. Try is an emotional wasteland, and Pink sings it with a scorched earth weariness. The choreography is phenomenal, dancers appear and disappear into the stage and the singer herself seems to delight in the more difficult moves.

Barbies sees the singer finally seated and performing without the bells and whistles seen so far. The song itself is a gentle plea for simpler times, but many in the crowd use it as a bathroom break. I Am Here is a thigh-slapping, almost gospel-tinged affirmation, and a move back towards up-tempo offerings. 

"I cursed a lot on this record, I think because I was home with my two children so when I got to the studio I said every word I could think of," laughs the singer, bantering with a mother and daughter in the crowd before launching into Fuckin' Perfect. Pink's own daughter, Willow, is a surprise addition to the show, in a sweet moment skipping onto the stage and into her mother's arms for a cuddle. 

As the set draws to a close, Pink shoots around the stadium on wires like a sequin-clad fireball, bringing home So What while flying above the heads of the assembled masses, never missing a beat even when plunging headfirst into the crowd. 

Tonight has been a journey beyond the love usually found in bubblegum pop, and Pink is unafraid to show the ugly parts, the hard parts, the parts that don't make it to Instagram, but also allows the joy of love in all of its forms to shine. Beautiful Trauma as an entire production is as empowering, honest, and awe-inspiring as the singer herself.