Blue Turtles: 1985/86

Sting to get used to...

Sting had his work cut out at the BIC on Saturday night, his first date in Britain for a couple of years.

After launching in Paris last May and flogging it on tour of Japan, Australia, Europe and the States, Sting finally brought his solo venture new group and 'The Dream of Blue Turtles' album to home fans.

But for 45 minutes many of them didn't quite know what to make of it. Even as they walked from the two-hour show, through a foyer decorated with outsize posters of the sex symbol in Levis 501s, you could catch comments like: "You've just got to get used to his new stuff?"

Truth be known. the audience was thrilled most by flashes of Sting's cool stage act and simple renditions of his old stuff, three Police hits.

In the nick of time, Omar Hakim's sustained and brilliant drums solo (shades of Ian Paice) clinched the BIC crowd's favour for Sting's new style.

It preceded 'If You Love Somebody', the first single and rousing finale of the Blue Turtles-exclusive set whose 10 or so numbers largely washed over and only occasionally grabbed the audience.

'Shadows of the Rain' and 'After Today I'd Sooner Be Gone' were object lessons in Sting's new genre of jazz reggae. 'Fortress Around Your Heart', 'Black Seam' and an excellent song entitled something like 'Children Say', displayed his talent for evocative lyric writing.

Sitting on strong guitar and drums' rhythms, such numbers were given melodic shape by Kirkland's jazzy and horns. Songs about the world keyboards Marsalis' became showcasing Caribbean boogie jamming sessions on the steps of a colourfully lit stage.

And the bluesy ballad 'Moon Over Bourbon Street' chanted thanks to a half-time honey drink that took the sting out of a strained voice!

What they wanted to hear, as Sting well knew when he popped the question for the first encore, was Roxanne. It was lapped up, Marsalis substituting sax for the fuller Police sound.

So, Sting called on his old Police partner, Bournemouth son Andy Summers, who got a wonderful reception and set thing alight accompanying 'Every Breath You Take'.

'Message in a Bottle' closed the show on a sweet note, the first two courses having gone down well enough with an audience that came to see the man as much as his music.

(c) The Daily Echo by RM

Less bite from Sting...

Sting brought elation and disappointment to the Bournemouth International Centre with a concert which see-sawed between brilliant and boring.

The first few numbers were heavily jazz-influenced, demonstrating a mature side far removed from his days with The Police. Sting's sex appeal cannot be doubted and eight teenagers who somehow managed to squeeze into six seats spent the entire two hours adoring their idol by jumping up and down.

But I was there to enjoy the music and dutifully ignored their backs and flying arms.

Despite his forays into the movie world and so-called new solo-status. Sting cannot shake off his days with The Police and even Andy Summers appeared as a guest.

Not all his new songs, from the 'Blue Turtle' album can match the dominance and strength which was a trademark of his earlier music.

A superb rendering of 'Roxanne' by Sting solo on guitar and then joined by his saxophonist was even better than the original.

Overall, Sting seemed to lack his usual charisma with his brilliance shining through a cloud of mediocre songs.

(c) The Southern Daily Echo by Ray Clancy