An ex-policeman with a bite...

The pose suits him: Sting at work. The instrument also suits the 65-year-old: Since the mid-nineties, Sting has relied on a 1953 Fender Precision Bass, which is probably already worth a fortune. The strain of many tours is certainly evident.

From the very first notes, Sting and his fantastic backing band had their approximately 10,000 fans on the sold-out third day of the Würth Open Air Festival under their control on Sunday. The 65-year-old bassist and singer also has a program that is worth seeing and, above all, hearing. Songs from almost all of the Brit's creative periods resonate with a crystal-clear sound. After exploring classical music in recent years, Sting must have been itching to finally get rocking again. And the likeable musician proves this not only with his current album “57th & 9th”, but above all live, such as on the expansive stage in Künzelsau-Gaisbach.
 

Beaming faces in the audience and loud sing-alongs demonstrate that this is a man with a loyal following. "This is the soundtrack of my youth," one audience member says to his companion, closing his eyes dreamily during The Police classic "Walking on the Moon." A large portion of the audience seems to have long been fans of Sting and The Police anyway. The 40-plus generation clearly dominates.

Speaking of the Police: Sting gives plenty of space to the songs of his first famous band. Whether "So lonely," "Message in an bottle," "Roxanne," or "Synchronicity II," Sting knows what he owes his fans. Of course, "Every little thing she does is magic" and the indestructible "Every breath you take" are also included.

The stage is tidy, with no showmanship to distract from the main thing: the music. And it is performed competently, but also with a minimalist approach. There are no keyboards like on previous tours, and the only splash of colour comes from an accordion.
 

The powerful overall sound is primarily created from the ingredients that have always been essential to rock 'n' roll: guitars, drums, and bass. Sting's long-time guitarist Domenic Miller brought his son Rufus (also on guitar) along for support, while drummer Josh Freese brings everything together from behind. Sting also relies on family support: His son Joe Sumner, who also performed in the opening act, provides backing vocals with another singer and also gets a solo spot with the David Bowie classic "Ashes to Ashes," which skilfully leads into Sting's "50 000." This is fitting, as he wrote this song as a tribute to the late Bowie, Prince, and Lemmy. Sting's unmistakable bass sounds reign supreme. Never intrusive, but always serving the song and subtly directing his band.

Vocally, he no longer reaches the heights that he masterfully mastered at the beginning of his career, but his timbre has become warmer over the years.
 

The joy of playing is literally written all over the face of the evening's star. Even fans who didn't make it to the front rows can see this for themselves on giant screens. Sting appears in top shape and wide awake. "Good evening, ladies and gentlemen in Künzelsau," he says with an English accent during one of his sparse announcements, drawing enthusiastic applause. But why does a global star like him need announcements? Most songs are recognized and celebrated after the first few notes. Sometimes the performance comes across as a bit too routine, but that's okay: Sting simply wants to deliver quality, and that's exactly what he does.

"Mad about you" and "Englishman in New York" - and songs from his solo career - are also included. During the latter, it seems as though thousands of smartphones are pulled out, and everything is filmed.
 

In the first encore, Sting once again artfully brings a unique career to a close. "Next to You" from The Police's first album, "Outlandos d'Amour" from 1978, kicks things off and gets the crowd pumping. Then comes "Can't Stop Thinking About You," the opener of the 2016 comeback album, "57th & 9th." But Sting's fans aren't satisfied with just one encore. Gordon Matthew Thomas Sumner - Sting's full real name - returns with only a brief invitation, returns with his acoustic guitar, and, after an unfortunately short hour and a half, sends his audience off into the Hohenlohe night with an emotional "Fragile."

(c) Haller Tagblatt  by Norbert Acker