Back to Bass Tour: 2011/12

Sting – and an almost intimate evening...

A 25th anniversary – and a slightly quieter affair: Accompanied by just five musicians, Gordon Matthew Thomas Sumner - alias Sting - thrilled the audience at the E-Werk. The Cologne concert was the second of five shows in Germany.

A spotlight, an acoustic guitar, and Gordon Matthew Thomas Sumner. That is all it takes for a song that belongs in the pantheon of the greatest pop songs of all time. And Sting - who proved himself a master of dramatic pacing over the course of two hours at the sold-out E-Werk - knows full well that his stripped-down version of "Message in a Bottle" is what is commonly known as a grand finale. It is the perfect final encore. But let’s start at the very beginning. When you meet a Brit, an apology usually isn't far behind.

A "sorry" for lousy - or non-existent - foreign language skills. This lack of fluency is charmingly excused by the arrogance typical of the island nation: after all, the rest of the world speaks English. Such politically incorrect behavior simply isn't in the nature of Sting - the gentleman, the quintessential Englishman. "Good evening, ladies and gentlemen," he greets his 2,000 Cologne fans in nearly accent-free German.

He adds a few more German sentences of good-humored small talk - grammatically perfect, mind you. Thunderous applause, astonished faces. The fact that he had delivered these exact same remarks and jokes word-for-word in Munich and Frankfurt just days earlier can be forgiven in light of such a lovely gesture.

Fans of The Police and Sting have certainly been through a lot in recent years. The pop star - who (understandably) didn't want to play the exact same versions of his hits on every tour - embarked on excursions into music history that ranged from the enjoyable to the rather taxing. The last time he graced Cologne with his presence was in 2009 at the Lanxess Arena, backed by a large classical orchestra.

But this time, it’s a return to basics. The motto of the current tour is "Back to Bass." With it, the bassist and singer is celebrating his 25th anniversary as a solo artist and has fortunately decided to strip his songs back to their essentials. He is doing so in select venues that feel positively intimate compared to the arenas Sting usually plays. There are no stage gimmicks, either - just spotlights slicing sharply through the darkness of the stage.

The pop star emphasises his youthful vitality, clad in jeans and a tight, light-gray T-shirt that highlights his defined arm muscles and toned torso. His prowling stage presence also makes the 60-year-old appear younger than his years. Clutching his battered old Fender bass, Sting introduces his longtime musical partner and guitarist, Dominic Miller, as his "right-hand man." Miller’s son, Rufus, has also joined Sting’s inner circle for this tour, playing acoustic guitar on the other side of the stage. Yet, even with a solo anniversary to celebrate, Sting frequently injects pace and rock 'n' roll - sprinkling in old Police hits between atmospheric tracks like "Fields of Gold," "Ghost Story," and "Inside." The bluesy "Demolition Man" is raucous and raw, and he sings "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic" with the same fire he had 30 years ago as a young member of The Police. It’s impressive stuff.

Sting performs virtuosic duets with backing vocalist Jo Lawry, while drummer Vinnie Colaiuta adds variety through rhythm shifts and syncopation, further enriching songs that are already impressively arranged with great care and dynamic tension. The only element that might be a matter of taste is the contribution of violinist Peter Tickel. When he plays his violin with restraint, the slight country influence works well. The solos, however, are grating.

Otherwise, there is nothing to complain about: Sting plays a total of 22 songs at the E-Werk, including four encores. The audience doesn't have to clap long to get them. "Desert Rose" kicks off the finale. With the percussionist playing so beautifully, Sting - usually fully occupied with his bass - even ventures a few dance steps, spreading his arms in a priestly gesture. The congregation cheers and is rewarded with "Every Breath You Take" and "Next to You" - two Police classics. Then the clock strikes ten. Sting took the stage exactly two hours ago. Time for "Message in a Bottle." And one very last blown kiss. Punctual and polite, that Brit. And really good.

(c) General-Anzeiger by Sarah Brasack

Sting thrills 2,000 fans at Cologne's E-Werk...

One thing you certainly can't accuse Sting of is constantly reproducing himself. Gordon Matthew Sumner, his real name, likes to reinvent himself.

The former Police frontman has been pursuing a solo career since 1985 and has undergone numerous transformations since then. Most recently, he discovered the intimate musical world of English Renaissance musician John Dowland and toured with an entire symphony orchestra as part of the Symphonicities project.

At the sold-out Cologne E-Werk, he presented himself under the motto "Back to bass," back to his roots, so to speak. With short hair, jeans, and a T-shirt that accentuated the 60-year-old's well-toned upper arms, he took the stage. With his rather worn Fender bass in hand, he starts off by singing 'All This Time', a rocking beginning with powerful guitar riffs and bone-dry drums.

He is accompanied by a five-piece band, including Sting's companion Dominic Miller and his son Rufus, drummer Vinnie Colaiuta, violinist Peter Tickel, and singer and violinist Jo Lawry. Police classics are also part of the set: With 'Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic,' the second song of the evening, he instantly wins over the 2,000 fans at the E-Werk.

The "Back to Bass" program is entirely without showmanship. A few spotlights illuminate the black backdrop. That's all it takes for a fantastic evening, which the fans experienced yesterday in the almost intimate club atmosphere of the E-Werk. Naturally, it goes down well when Sting delivers his sometimes very detailed announcements in relatively fluent German.

The music is almost as down-to-earth as the stripped-back show. Nevertheless, he gets the most out of the songs. His obsession with detail is evident here in the best possible way. In songs like 'Seven Days' or 'Fortress Around Your Heart' things get a bit jazzy, with drummer Vinnie Colaiuta easily shaking out the most complex rhythms, while Sting himself plucks the bass with virtuosity.

'I'm So Happy I Can't Stop Crying' is a foray into country music – complete with a matching fiddle (which is usually a bit annoying). Rufus Miller provides the powerful rock. In the uptempo number 'Driven To Tears,' he delights the audience with a magnificent guitar solo. And always Sting's characteristic voice, which sounds warmer today, not quite as cutting. The music is doing well.

(c) General-Anzeiger by Bernhard Hartmann

Impressive Performance...

Elaborate special effects like cascades of LEDs were not missed in the slightest at Sting’s concert at Cologne’s E-Werk. The musician and his band delivered a stripped-back gig with top-notch sound.

"Back To Bass" is the name of the current European and South African tour that brought Sting and his five-piece band to Cologne’s E-Werk for a club show. The tour’s motto reveals two things. First: the era of symphonic live shows is over - the musician, born Gordon Sumner, wants to be back on stage with a punchy rock lineup. Second: if you slur the tour name as if you’ve had a few too many Newcastle Brown Ales, the tongue-in-cheek reference to "Back to Basics" - or "back to the roots" - becomes audible. And that is precisely what the 2,000 fans in the sold-out E-Werk got: a stripped-back gig with top-notch sound. Why stripped-back? Because there wasn't even any colored lighting! Yet the fascinating thing was that elaborate special effects - LED cascades and the like - were not missed in the slightest. The Cologne concert proved that, even in the digital age, all you really need are good musicians. And Sting, of course, had excellent ones.

Shortly after eight o'clock, Sting - dressed in a simple gray T-shirt and faded jeans, and carrying his battered '54 Fender bass - took the stage to applause. What followed were two hours of high-caliber music filled with passion, dynamism, and drive, during which the six-piece band presented classics from Sting’s 25-year solo career, as well as five Police songs, with a freshness that made the material seem as though it had been written just yesterday. "You have to recreate that atmosphere from the old days," Sting had explained in an earlier interview regarding the current tour. "It reminds me of the start of my career - it’s fun!" That joy was visibly and audibly transmitted to the Cologne audience.

It is hard to say who impressed the most on stage that evening. Perhaps it was Sting himself; having turned 60 on October 2nd of last year, he looked as though he were travelling in a tour bus equipped with a built-in fountain of youth. Quite apart from his general physical fitness, there was no audible loss of vocal quality compared to the past. On the contrary: the Newcastle-born bassist and singer (hence the reference to the beer) hit every note with power and clearly enjoyed holding notes for extended periods—a feat that earned him spontaneous applause.

Sting’s longtime collaborators Vinnie Colaiuta (drums) and Dominic Miller (electric guitar) played brilliantly, though they mostly kept their soloing in check for the sake of the band dynamic. When they did cut loose - such as during the superb jam section of "Love Is Stronger Than Justice (The Munificent Seven)" - they unleashed a storm of sound and rhythm that was as beautiful as it was intricate. The veteran musicians were joined on stage by younger players: Dominic’s son Rufus (acoustic and electric guitar), violinist and guitarist Peter Tickell - who played with the virtuosity of a "devil’s fiddler" - and backing vocalist and violinist Jo Lawry. Tickell, in particular, was astonishing; he played the violin in a way that, at times, made one almost believe Branford Marsalis was on stage with his saxophone. It was, in short, almost like the old day - and yet different.

(c) WDR by Sascha Kinzler