Think Pink Rocks
Mizner Park Amphitheater, Boca Raton
Saturday, October 9, 2010
View a slideshow from the concert here.
There was enough pink attire to fill an entire synthetically designed shopping plaza in Boca Raton at the Mizner Park Amphitheater on Saturday for the Think Pink Rocks breast cancer awareness concert. Mostly families, and the occasional group of rogue teens, the crowd was far from what was expected. With a lineup that was supposed to include 50 Cent (he didn't show up), it was surprising to see an overabundance of strollers and small children yielding glow sticks.
As the sun set over the palm-tree-lined outdoor venue, local and
not-so-local celebrities strolled along the pink, not to be confused
with red, carpet. Pink-carpet attendees included Boca Raton Mayor Susan
Whelchel, New England Patriots safety Bret Lockett, and the long list
of artists to be performing -- Asher Roth, Melanie Fiona, Flo Rida, and
Akon, to name a few. The stars took this photographic opportunity to
flash their pearly whites on the plush carpet, and all for a good cause.
The first guest to take to the stage was the mayor, followed by a
Think Pink Rocks supporter and breast cancer survivor. Her sad yet
inspiring tale of winning her battle with cancer set a solemn mood that
was quickly changed with an upbeat array of up-and-coming R&B artists.
It was heartening to see that throughout the concert, the artists kept
the theme of breast cancer awareness alive. Chants of "When I say
think, you say pink!" followed by exceedingly louder responses from the
crowd were heard between every single set.
The first artist to perform
was Asher Roth, followed by Canadian-born Melanie Fiona and Bajan
(Barbados-born) superstar Shontelle. The first few sets were short but
sweet, allowing enough time to fit the long list of entertainers into
the evening's concert. Ray J performed next, followed by South
Florida's cleverly named Flo Rida. Flo Rida got a few of his big hits
in, such as "Right Round" and "In the Ayer," at which point the crowd
was becoming much more animated, flailing their hands into the air at
Flo Rida's command.
The last, and best-known, artist to perform
was Akon. His lively stage presence, which didn't involve throwing fans
into the crowd, ensured that even people sitting on the lawn would
stand up to dance. He set off the act with his more popular songs, like
"Right Now (Na Na Na)" and "Beautiful," and then another artist's top
hit, David Guetta's "Sexy Bitch." Akon knows what he's doing, and he
does it well -- he performed only five songs, but that was all the crowd
needed. The show came to an abrupt end, and I was left wondering where
50 Cent was.
Critic's Notebook
Better than: Going to Mizner Park on a Saturday evening to shop when there is no concert.
Personal bias: I was really looking forward to
seeing 50 Cent, but he didn't show. Maybe he and rumored girlfriend
Chelsea Handler had a late night in Miami on Friday?
The crowd: Families with lots of children. Teens who probably sneaked out of the house for the night.
