Pink’s tour manager, a Syracuse native: ‘No one matches’ her high-flying concerts

Nick Cua has been around musicians his entire life. He’s worked on tours for Pink, Cher, Kiss, Ozzy Osbourne, Bon Jovi, Metallica, Smashing Pumpkins, Tina Turner, Tim McGraw, Shakira, and Motley Crue — so to say he’s seen it all would be an understatement.

But one music moment he’ll never forget is when he was 13 years old, playing the drums alongside his father, the late guitar teacher Basilio “Buz” Cua, as they entertained residents at a Syracuse nursing home. An elderly woman started convulsing along with the music, worrying young Nick, and then she dropped to the floor. Nick couldn’t see what was happening until she stood up again, twirling underwear around that she removed while on the floor, and threw her underwear. It landed on the shoulder of a man in a wheelchair, who must have felt like he was Tom Jones or Elvis Presley.