'It's kindda disturbing, doing that in front of your parents'

So said Pink after performing a cover of 'I Touch Myself' and writhing around on a sofa wearing very little at the Wachovia Center last night. It was a homecoming of sorts for the 30 year old star, who was born in a small town 50km from Philadelphia. The moment was not lost on her, as she declared that she'd 'waited 30 years of this day'. And what a day it was. The audience was introduced to her mum, who was seated a surprising distance from the stage, wearing a red cape with a t-shirt that said 'I'm the mom'.

Pink has been in the business for nearly a decade now, and apart from debut RnB tinged debut 'Can't Take Me Home', she mined her extensive - and solid - catalog throughout the show. Even 'Trouble', the less than successful lead single from the commercial disappointment 'Try This', enjoyed stage time. From the dark, relentless 'Just Like A Pill' to the cheeky, irresistible 'U + Ur Hand' to the rousing "screw you" anthem 'So What', there was no shortage of jump-in-the-air pop-rock.

But it was her performance of 'Dear Mr President' that - in the opinion of this reviewer - stole the show. Set against a screen flashing images of the Iraq War, scenes from Katrina, 'God Hates Fags' signs and a liberal sprinkling of George W (the first sight of which illicited an almost universal jeer from the audience), Pink sung with an intensity and depth that was, frankly, surprising, even to someone who has followed her career and been awed by her talent for many years.

Other highlights included the heart-wrenching 'Family Portrait', the pure pop joy of 'Leave Me Alone (I'm Lonely)' and the soaring 'Sober', which featured a thrilling acrobatic performance that Pink would surely have taken on herself had she not injured her shoulder socket.

The 'Funhouse' tour was a timely reminder of the amazing talent of this sometimes underrated artist, who has an incredible richness and color in her whisky-drenched vocal, bucket loads of charisma (which she flaunted throughout the night, with plenty of engaging banter with the audience) and who can even bust a few moves. Nothing short of an electrifying.