Sting brings crowd into a world of joy...
Sting brought on the night - as well as wave after wave of applause - as he and his all-star band blew the roof off Stokely Athletics Center Saturday night.
For almost two and a half hours, the arena rocked to Police classics, upgraded and fleshed out by world-class musicians, as well as Sting's newer tunes. Saxophonist Branford Marsalis would have stolen the honours of the evening but for Sting's mastery of showmanship, honed over eight years with the Police.
One of the most spectacular spots in the concert came with the interweaving of 'One World' and 'Love Is the Seventh Wave'. Lights flashed on the crowd, clapping and singing to the popular Police standard. As the crowd of about 7,000 danced on the floor and the seats, the band did the same on stage. The reggae beat flowed evenly into 'Love Is the Seventh Wave' from Sting's new album, 'The Dream of the Blue Turtles'. With a jam featuring Kenny Kirkland on keyboards, Sting on guitar and Marsalis on saxophone, the crowd clapped and cheered, then Sting led the way back into 'One World' with a guitar solo.
'Bring on the Night' sounded like an altogether different song from the version heard on 'Regatta de Blanc'. This time it was more of a sensuous rocker than a reggae ballad, with Kirkland jazzing it up.
Kirkland also was outstanding on 'When the World Is Running Down, You Make the Best of What's Still Around'. As Kirkland and percussionist Omar Hakim held forth on their instruments, singers Janice Pendarvis and Dolette McDonald, bassist Darryl Jones and Marsalis danced in tandem. Marsalis coaxed Sting to come down the shallow tiers that climbed up the back of the stage and join the dance, then Sting and the singers traded lines.
Marsalis surprised the audience with a rap about the band and induced them to clap and chant along with him. Sting was so taken with the crowd's response that he told them they could be the "professional audience" he was seeking for a tour of America - the catch being he could offer only one tour bus.
The mix of songs was so good that when the band finally got around to playing their latest hits, they came as a surprise. 'Fortress Around Your Heart' and 'If You Love Somebody, Set Them Free' brought instant screams, but they were the least outstanding in a concert full of outstanding songs. The band played relentlessly through three encores, including bluesy cuts, a Grace Jones-like version of 'Demolition Man', and quiet but powerful renditions of 'Roxanne' and 'Message in a Bottle'.
(c) The Knoxville News-Sentinel by Betsy Pickle
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