Back to Bass Tour: 2011/12

Sting goes back to basics in HMH...

After his orchestral adventure half a years ago (in the Netherlands as part of the Symphonica In Rosso show) during his new tour Sting goes back to a stripped down band and a sound that pleases him best.

His tour is called Back To Bass, showing the British singer the necessary humor and perspective to have. A side that we do not know so well from Sting, but during his concert Tuesday night in a sold HMH be addressed, as well as the necessary background information.

When Sting starts his concert with the songs 'All This Time' and 'Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic', it seems it will be a typical Greatest Hits show. But instead of a steaming show of hits instead Sting delivers mainly fan favourites, sometimes going deeper into the meaning of the songs.

So he talks about his marriage as an introduction of the song Inside. "She patched me when I was broken," he says affectionately about his wife. "But she can also destroy me." It is this kind entertaining introductions for the fans extra fun to their hero his favorite album tracks to hear them play.

"My two favorite subjects are sex and religion," says Sting before 'Sacred Love'. "I wonder why these two are so far apart." Sting has announced that winter weather, that the Netherlands is currently in its grip, reminds him of his deceased father, which he sings in the breathtaking 'Ghost Story'.

What is not played are his big hits like 'Englishman In New York', 'Love Is The Seventh Wave', 'Moon Over Bourbon Street' and 'If I Ever Lose My Faith In You'. Sting preferred to opt for his album material and lesser-known singles like 'Stolen Car (Take Me Dancing)', 'I'm So Happy I Can't Stop Crying' and 'Heavy Cloud No Rain'.

Only in the encore again were some of Sting's most famous songs heard, starting with a strong performance of the Arabian style 'Desert Rose'. This was followed by the Police numbers 'Every Breath You Take' and 'Next To You'. Finally, the audience was treated to a solo acoustic version of 'Message In A Bottle'.

While the pace of the show is relatively low and some classics are woefully lacking, there is nothing else to complain about. Sting and his band are in top shape and making music with a lot of fun. Despite his sometimes tough discs in recent years, it seems that for Sting the most enjoyment, is with a band, back to basics.

(c) Nu.nl

Concert Report: Sting...

Last year, Sting made a triumphant debut with his so-called 'Back to Bass Tour'. A tour with a relatively small lineup and a focus on older solo material. Last night, the Newcastle native performed to a packed Heineken Music Hall.

For the Back to Bass Tour, the Englishman is utilizing two mainstays who have reappeared in his lineup for the past 20 years, both on album and tour: guitarist Dominic Miller and drummer Vinnie Colaiuta. The latter, in particular, has given Sting that touch of venom, sharpness, and virtuosity ever since the successful 1998 album Ten Sumnomers Tales. Just before the concert, Sting indicated in an interview that omitting a keyboardist in favor of two violinists and an additional guitarist, Miller's son Rufus Miller, is intended to challenge his musicians. "I'm curious to see what they'll do with it when that tapestry of keyboard parts is suddenly gone." It proved to be a brilliant choice. The virtuosity of violinist Peter Tickell, who regularly replaces both keyboard arrangements and solos with his sharp playing, makes Sting's old songs breathe.

He opened with his hit "All This Time" and immediately followed it up with The Police smash "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic." It seemed like the beginning of a greatest hits show, but it wasn't. Back To Bass primarily drew on album repertoire from the aforementioned Ten Sumnomers Tales, the masterpiece Mercury Falling, and his last true pop album, "Sacred Love." The first musical highlight arrived with the third song, "Seven Days." Colaiuta demonstrated why he remains a master of technique and dynamics. The drummer, who recently played on albums by Michael Buble and Paul McCartney, among others, is one of those musicians who can single-handedly elevate any band, whether it's Jeff Beck, Herbie Hancock, or Sting. He was, however, supported by a head coach who apparently still manages to extract the high notes of yesteryear with the greatest of ease from his sixty-year-old body. Sting also took on the role of conversationalist, attempting to explain his lyrics. Sting isn't exactly a star in that department, by the way. His monologues to the audience lack humor and finesse. No, just let Sting enjoy making music. With a performance of the Police song "Driven To Tears," he manages to slip in the old vocal parts with playful ease, and the whole thing is only made more exciting by a lightning-fast violin solo from Tickell.

In the middle section, the band eased off the pace a bit with, among other things, a beautiful rendition of "Ghost Story" from the album "Brand New Day," where Miller once again demonstrated why Sting has kept this guitarist for so long. It was also one of the few moments where singer Jo Lawry's second vocals really came into their own. Towards the end, Sting cranked up both the tempo and the volume. Colauita played a breathtakingly rumbling intro to "Mercury Falling," and the B-side "The End Of The Game" proved once again to be one of Sting's best songs. Things really got going with a powerful version of "Desert Rose," which naturally drew comparisons to the Dave Matthews Band. Sting closed with, among other things, a slightly faster version of "Every Breath You Take" and the sharply played Police hit "Next To You." Conclusion: Sting's tour is particularly engaging fans of his solo work, and he's proving to be quite the master at mentoring top musicians. The thrill of a few years back during The Police reunion is certainly lacking. But musically, this Back To Bass Tour is truly a feast for the eyes.

(c) Muziek.nl by Jean-Paul Heck 

Sting at the Heineken Music Hall - Concert Review...

After venturing into folk and medieval music in recent years, embarking on a symphonic adventure, and completing the reunion tour with The Police, Sting played a sold-out Heineken Music Hall yesterday as part of his Back To Bass tour. With this concert series, the Briton celebrates his 25th anniversary as a solo artist.

Besides the fact that Sting has once again strapped on a bass, the title of this tour can also be interpreted as 'back to basics'. The frontman performed solely with a five-piece band, consisting of Dominic Miller and his son Rufus on guitar, Peter Tickell on mandolin and violin, Jo Lawry on backing vocals, percussion, and violin, and finally, the incomparable Vinnie Colaiuta on drums. This basic line-up allowed Sting's qualities as a composer, instrumentalist and modern troubadour to be showcased in all their glory.

During the two-hour concert, listeners were treated to a cross-section of Sting's extensive repertoire, pushing every boundary of pop music he ever explored. Of the more than twenty pieces he performed, Police classics were in the minority. And even if they were played, they were adapted for the occasion. This meant that the die-hard Police fan was somewhat less satisfied this evening. Although the second song of the evening, "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic," had the first oooh-ooohs chanted throughout the concert hall, and the worst could be feared, Sting didn't fall into the trap of an evening of obligatory Police renditions.

Violinist Peter Tickell, who was visibly enjoying himself on stage, made a particularly big impression. Drummer Colaiuta, who doesn't shy away from unusual time signatures and syncopation, has been the perfect match for the frontman for years. Otherwise, the show at the Heineken Music Hall relied heavily on its content. The atmosphere, created primarily with modest white lighting and therefore without a large light show, lacked the intimacy of a theatre, making it all feel somewhat detached. There was some audience participation during "Stolen Car" and "Love Is Stronger Than Justice," but the spark didn't really ignite until the encores.

The show wasn't particularly spontaneous. The anecdotes Sting shared between songs dealt with songwriting, divorce, his wife, his father, and his predilections for sex and religion. True Sting fans, however, recognized these stories from the first concerts last year. Spontaneity was therefore lacking, and the audience reacted rather calmly. Until, of course, the final encore, when Sting appeared with an acoustic guitar and played a stripped-down version of "Message in a Bottle." Then everything turned out alright.

(c) Lust For Life by Willem Huetink