Back to Bass Tour: 2011/12

Sting in Łódź: There was no shortage of emotion!

A report from Sting's concert at the Atlas Arena in Łódź.

On Wednesday evening, November 21st, Sting did not disappoint within the concrete walls of the Atlas Arena in Łódź. The artist and his five-piece band displayed a display of professionalism and finesse, or perhaps it was true magic? Sting captivated the Łódź audience with his voice for exactly two hours. Sting is known for his impeccable musical preparation, but hearing about it is one thing and seeing it is quite another. It's also clear that his concert is not only a musical masterpiece but also a truly emotional experience.

Sting was about six minutes late, but his technicians took excellent care of the Polish audience. The sound crew invited the fans to play Mexican wave, and as everyone knows, Poles don't need to be invited twice to join in the fun. Sting and his musicians took the stage after the audience had warmed up, and their first hunger was supposed to be satisfied with "If I Ever Lose My Faith in You." Things only got better from there.

The third song performed was "Englishman in New York." Englishman was "in Łódź" that day, but the entire audience, without exception, was completely English with Sting, as practically everyone in attendance sang the chorus to this track. "Be yourself, no matter what they say" was a recurring theme in the song, and the artist later emphasized it again, apparently quite pleased with the audience's reaction.

Sting, dressed in a plain (though rather tight) gray long-sleeved T-shirt and jeans, looked no older than thirty on Wednesday in Łódź. Anyone who didn't know certainly wouldn't have guessed that the singer celebrated his 61st birthday in October...

A few words must be dedicated to the master's accompanists. Dominic Miller has been playing with Sting for a long time and has long been praised for his talent, and in Łódź he proved that this praise is not empty talk. Vinnie Colaiuta is also an extraordinary artist – rarely has a drummer been able to add as much finesse to an inhumanly smooth and perfectly balanced playing as Vinnie.

The audience was also captivated by violinist Peter Tickell, who played with such passion that the hairs on his bow snapped by the second song, and Jo Lawry truly showed her talents in "Desert Rose." Attentive listeners undoubtedly saw Sting discreetly but firmly directing his musicians. At the same time, the jazzy sections of the concert clearly conveyed the freedom and fun everyone on stage was having.

The concert featured no artificial enhancements or tacky additions. The only setting was the lighting – a fierce red in "Roxanne," and restlessly shifting during "Every Breath You Take." The words that spring to mind are: "It's possible? It's possible!" But not everyone has Sting's talent, class, and esteem. And that takes years of hard work. The "Back To Bass" tour, one of the stops of which was Wednesday's concert in Łódź, is intended to be a return to his roots. The artist performed his greatest songs practically in their original form. Atlas Arena resounded with classics such as "Shape Of My Heart," "Message In A Bottle," and "I Hung My Head." Sting performed "Heavy Cloud No Rain" with the audience cheering loudly for the second part of the chorus.

That the concert was truly a success is evidenced by the fact that the musicians took the stage three times towards the end, summoned by unwavering applause. I think everyone has become accustomed to the fact that encores are usually included in today's concerts. It's rare to talk about artists spontaneously stopping on stage, but Sting can be forgiven for this, as he saved the best for last. The last song the audience heard at the Łódź Arena was (and I write this with reverence) 'Fragile.' And I wonder – what emotional depths must this song evoke at every Sting concert, considering that absolutely everyone who comes to hear him has their own personal, often important and moving, memories associated with it?

(c) Onet by Marzena Suchan