Sting, an Englishman In Luxembourg...

Returning to Luxembourg, Sting brought his enviable vocal tones to Rockhal on Saturday night.

After disbanding The Police at the height of their success in the 80s, Sting went onto just as much success with his solo work, accumulating over 16 Grammy Awards over the years. Last year saw him release his first rock record in over a decade and his 12th studio album overall, with “57th & 9th”.

Taking to the stage at five minutes to nine, with his son Joe Sumner and the support band The Last Bandoleros on backing vocals, Sting managed to catch many of the crowd by surprise. 

Kicking off with The Police songs Synchronicity II and Spirits In the Material World they must have relieved any worries there might not be many Police songs through the night. 

This was followed by the bass heavy classic Englishman in New York which brought the first sing along of the evening.

Sting delved into the new record with I Can’t Stop Thinking About You and One Fine Day which were a bit workmanlike and never really hit the heights of any of his earlier hits. 

However, there was a good proportion of Police songs along with his classic solo repertoire to keep the audiences transfixed as he had everyone mesmerised once more with his rich vocal tones on Fields of Gold. 

As Sting is touring this new record there were a few more from “57th & 9th” with Down, Down, Down and Petrol Head but the second half of the show was full of classic Police tracks. 

The driving bass and guitar intro of Message in a Bottle drew cheers from the crowd before the band halted halfway through leaving just Sting’s vocals to cut through the rapturous applause.

While some songs brought raucous cheers from the crowd, Shape of my Heart drew a hush through the Rockhal as couples embraced and swayed as they were serenaded by his warm vocals once more.

The unmistakable strum of the electric followed by the bouncing bass of Walking On The Moon saw Sting continue with The Police back catalogue. 

The hit laden set was not to stop there as they finished with Roxanne which brought more cheers and singing from the crowd before it morphed into a cover of Bill Withers Ain’t No Sunshine.

All evening there looked to be a party atmosphere on stage as the band laughed and interacted with each other and on Next to You it was no different, before finishing on the more down tempo Every Breath You Take and the crisp Spanish guitar driven Fragile which highlighted those warm vocal tones one last time.

Having played a best of set, Sting thrilled the Rockhal audience from start to finish and with his voice sounding a rich and warm today as ever, there are no signs of Newcastle’s favourite export slowing down anytime soon. 

(c) Luxemburger Wort by Patrick Cameron

Sting performed one hit after another this Saturday at the Rockhal...

The Luxembourg audience has been waiting for Sting's return to the stage for almost five years. They were delighted Saturday evening with the performance of his "57th & 9th Tour" at the Rockhal in Esch-Belval.

The evening was sold out and opened by the son of former Police frontman Joe Sumner. Sting himself didn't take the stage for another hour, just long enough for The Last Bandoleros to liven things up. Then everything moved very quickly. Too quickly?

Sting and his musicians played new and old hits: "One Fine Day," "I Can't Stop Thinking About You," "Down, Down, Down," and "Pretty Young Soldier," were excerpts from the Wallsend native's latest album, "57th & 9th," released last November. Englishman in New York, She's Too Good For Me, I Hung My Head, Fields of Gold, and Desert Rose are testaments to his successful solo career, without neglecting his roots, those of the Police with Spirits in the Material World, Message in a Bottle, Walking on the Moon, So Lonely, and Every Breath You Take.

In other words, songs of today and others, which he recalls on stage, that he wrote "about forty years ago when his only audience was a cat."
 

So, yes, of course, the playlist has something to excite fans of Sting, The Police, and pop in general, but the evening is ultimately quite disappointing. Aside from his anecdote about his feline being his only audience member, the singer is sparing with words. He communicates little with the audience. His voice hasn't changed an inch despite the passing years, but he doesn't move an inch on stage either.

Throughout the hour and a half performance, he remained motionless, with his bass guitar, in front of his microphone. As a result, the whole thing is, to say the least, static and flat. And the band seems rushed; they barely let the audience start applauding one song before the musicians are already moving on to another. As a result, while the songs are still as beautiful and his voice as strong as ever, from a stage perspective, the show is disappointing.

And if it weren't for his astonishing version of Roxanne or his cover, as a second encore, on acoustic guitar, of Shape Of My Heart, the rest lacks life, risk-taking; we could almost have been content to play the CDs again at home. Afterwards, of course, the pleasure of listening to all these great hits again remains intact. And that's what the evening's 7,000 or so spectators should remember.

(c) Le Quotidien by Pablo Chimienti

The timeless Sting played his rock ballads...

The former Police singer delivered a dynamic show Saturday night at the Rockhal, alternating between old and new hits.

Sting delivered a healthy dose of rock on Saturday night. The timeless English singer, still dashing at 65, covered several periods of his career in front of a packed Rockhal, from his early years to his latest album, "57th & 9th Tour," released at the end of 2016.

Far from his highly personal, even experimental, hits of the 2000s, the star, imperturbable in a tight gray T-shirt, delivered a truly rock 'n' roll show. With ballads like the very sentimental "I Hung My Head" and "Shape of My Head," as well as the very dynamic "Petrol Head" and "Englishman in New York."

But it was with the old songs of his former band The Police that Sting most resonated with the 6,000-strong audience. A sign that references span generations. The most famous songs were played towards the end of the concert, including "Message in the Bottle," "So Lonely," and "Roxanne." The iconic "Every Breath You Take" was even played after the encore. Those who left early to avoid the traffic even missed it!

The Newcastle native, who barely interacted with the audience, paid tribute to David Bowie. But indirectly, since it was his son Joe Sumner who took the spotlight with the moving acoustic cover of "Ashes to Ashes." Sting's offspring had already opened for the show. Another story of music spanning generations...

(c) l'Essential by Joseph Gaulier