Back to Bass Tour: 2011/12

Back to the roots and the bass...

After his career with the Police, Sting has been touring as a solo artist for 25 years. He congratulated himself on the anniversary at the Jahrhunderthalle.

A strong male hand nimbly plucks chords on the strings of an acoustic guitar: 'Message In A Bottle' is the title of the last song in the rapturously applauded finale, which served as an anthem for the baby boomer generation in 1979. Without the band that had accompanied him for more than two hours, the wiry, athletic guy performs on an austere stage in the white light. Skinny jeans, a T-shirt, sneakers, and millimetre-short hair make the wearer appear years younger. Global star Sting has once again redefined himself.

Gordon Matthew Sumner has never been short of ideas: From the Newcastle jazz-rock band Last Exit, the former English and sports teacher switched to the London band The Police in 1977 under the nickname Sting. The passionate rainforest rescuer, yoga expert, vegetarian, animal breeder, occasional actor and Amnesty International strategist, who went solo in 1985, now draws on that pre-police era when he dynamically blends jazz, rock, pop and country.

More recently, the 60-year-old father of six, now in his second marriage, has attracted attention with further escapades: eccentric lute interpretations of Renaissance musician John Dowland were followed by a Police reunion, an introspective song cycle on the theme of winter, and a foray into classical music led by the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra. Time, then, to slow down.

The opening with the rapid-fire interpretation of "All This Time" made it clear that Sting's head voice has gained even more volume and range. In the packed Frankfurt Jahrhunderthalle, he finds his way back to his roots – without any of the usual high-tech gimmicks. Under the motto "Back To Bass," Sting congratulates himself on his 25th anniversary as a soloist. That could get a bit irritating in the long run. Therefore, various Police classics, from 'Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic' to 'Demolition Man', from 'Driven To Tears' to 'Next To You', spice up Sting's solo fare in rather hearty versions. Of course, the crowd favourite 'Every Breath You Take' is also included.

With expertise, tact, and detailed announcements in almost accent-free German, the singer, who usually remains static in the centre of the stage in front of the microphone with an antique, chipped Fender bass, plays the charmingly chatty solo entertainer: "The game of love is dangerous and unpredictable. If you win, it's like paradise. If you lose, it becomes inferno," he dramatically announces "Inside" with a wink.

Sting also has flowery words for his musicians: "My right hand for 22 years," he says, introducing guitar virtuoso Dominic Miller. Miller's son Rufus plays acoustic guitar. Drummer Vinnie Colaiuta has returned to the fold. Sting indulges in several fiery vocal duets with singer Jo Lawry. Alternatively, the Australian can also play as second violin with violinist Peter Tickell, steering the sound even more towards rustic country and jazz.

(c) Frankfurter Allgemeine by Michael Köhler

More Fun on the Bass...

When rock musicians approach retirement age and have long since secured their fortunes, they often like to dedicate themselves to new projects or experiment with different line-ups and styles. 

Gordon Sumner - alias Sting, and already one of the most experimental figures in his profession - has significantly stripped down his gear following a year-long tour with the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra. He is currently touring under the banner "Back to Bass" and recently performed at Frankfurt’s Jahrhunderthalle.

The title might suggest that fans should expect an evening packed primarily with hits from The Police. Yet, only about a quarter of the program’s twenty-plus songs came from the trio’s successful run, which lasted just under a decade.

Instead, the veteran musician prefers to rock his way through his solo years - doing so with seasoned skill and a meticulously thought-out approach. He chats in fluent German, delivered with a charming British accent, sharing anecdotes - such as how the song "Fields of Gold" came to him while gazing out the window of his estate at the grain fields. Musically, he mostly holds back; his playing is punchy but unflashy. He leaves the stage open for improvisation by his five backing musicians - most notably violinist Peter Tickell, who dazzles with brilliant solos.

The six musicians impressively demonstrate how to cover a broad stylistic spectrum - including rock, jazz, country, new wave, and a touch of bluegrass - despite a minimalist lineup (bass, two guitars, drums, and two violins). It all comes across nicely from the stage - which is completely unadorned and illuminated only by white spotlights - yet the spark truly jumps to the politely applauding audience only when Sting strikes up old Police hits. "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic," the evening's second song, briefly raised hopes, but it took a good two hours - until the first encore ("Next To You") - for the atmosphere in the sold-out arena to really come alive again.

(c) OP-Online by Oliver Signus

Sting returns to Frankfurt - and returns to the bass...

Let’s be honest: with some of the eccentricities of his later work, Sting has occasionally really gotten on the nerves of even his most long-suffering fans. One couldn't help but fear that yoga and high-brow literature might not, after all, be the best long-term fuel for a rock star. It wasn't so much that the revered Gordon Matthew Sumner recruited rather academic jazz musicians like Branford Marsalis for his band, rehearsed "pop-meets-classical" kitsch with symphony orchestras, or tried to drift into his self-proclaimed favourite season on the album *If on a Winter's Night*. However, his 2007 visit to the Jahrhunderthalle - good grief - where he adopted a pastoral air to recycle the Renaissance schmaltz of a certain John Dowland, was a truly gruelling test. But true Sting devotees are nothing if not committed - just like their hero himself.

Now, having just become a grandfather, the 60-year-old is back in Frankfurt and "Back to Bass" - meaning he has once again strapped on his beautifully worn-in '54 Fender and is focusing on his core business: earthy, superb music, meticulously crafted down to the last detail. In the absence of new songs, the show serves as a retrospective of his 25-year career.

Kicking off fittingly with "All This Time" and "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic," the performance represents perhaps the purest distillation of the essentials that modern entertainment has to offer: no video gimmicks, no flashy stage effects, no pyrotechnics or other antics - just a few solitary spotlights, a black stage backdrop, and a star completely devoid of airs and graces, delivering his stage banter in endearingly broken German.

The minimalist line-up of his five-piece band - performing without a horn section, keyboards, or a percussion section - fits this approach perfectly: guitarist Dominic Miller is on board, as he has been for the past twenty years; his son Rufus is there too; and Vinnie Colaiuta - one of the scene’s most accomplished session drummers - rounds out the group. Rounding out the line-up are violinist Peter Tickell and Australian backing vocalist Jo Lawry - arguably the slimmest backing singer around. It all makes sense, given that - aside from the gritty new-wave outlier "Demolition Man" - Sting relies heavily on atmospheric, singer-songwriter-style material like "Stolen Car," "Ghost Story," and "I Hung My Head."

Admittedly, the middle section - with its lyrics about navigating life’s challenges and country-tinged sounds - does flirt with a certain polite boredom. Yet, in the final half-hour - especially during the encore set featuring "Desert Rose," an extended version of "Every Breath You Take," and "Next To You" - Sting turns things around, transforming the show into a wildly acclaimed rock concert.

(c) Main Spitze by Peter Muller

Back to basics...

Sting stopped off at Frankfurt’s Jahrhunderthalle to return to his true self after various musical excursions.

Sting, sporting a buzz cut, in Frankfurt. Photo: Sven-Sebastian Sajak. Global star Sting titled his tour "Back to Bass" - loosely translated as "back to basics" - marking his attempt to rediscover himself following such escapades as a lute-accompanied cycle of medieval songs by John Dowland, a spectacular "Police" reunion, and the orchestral "Symphonicities" project. Fans were surely delighted that this idiosyncratic musician - a campaigner for a better world, vegetarian, and yoga enthusiast - arrived at the sold-out Jahrhunderthalle with nothing but his backing band and a minimalist lighting setup.

Dressed in skinny jeans, a T-shirt, and sneakers, Sting wanted to celebrate his 25 years as a solo artist with the audience. Logically, one might expect "The Police" classics to be left off the setlist - but that was not the case. Immediately following a rock-infused opening with "All This Time," the wiry, slender singer - sporting a battered bass and a buzz cut - unleashed the first of several Police hits: "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic." Stripped of its Caribbean flair, the song sounded just as rich and dynamic as Sting’s voice, which has matured in terms of range, intensity, and timbre.

Over the course of more than two hours, the setlist went on to include "Demolition Man," "Driven To Tears," "Every Breath You Take," "Next To You," and - as a solo encore accompanied only by acoustic guitar - "Message In A Bottle." The 60-year-old creates striking musical highlights alongside a line-up featuring guitarist Dominic Miller - joined on acoustic guitar by his son Rufus - drummer Vinnie Colaiuta, vocalist Jo Lawry (who also plays violin), and violinist Peter Tickell, blending styles ranging from jazz and rock to country. He introduces gems such as "I Hung My Head," "Fields Of Gold," and "Sacred Love" in nearly accent-free German. An exceptional artist who delivers top-notch entertainment.

(c) Frankfurter Neue Presse