Mercury Falling: 1996/97

Sting proves in Montage show that every little thing is still magic...

Live on stage, rock star Sting appears distinguished, yet grounded. Imposing, yet approachable. Vibrant, yet relaxed. He also appears to be one of the most talented musicians in rock.

Touring in support of his latest LP, 'Mercury Falling', Sting strolled onto stage at the Montage Mountain Performing Arts Center on Tuesday night, delighting the crowd of 5,800 with his unique brand of sophisticated pop/rock. He opened the show with 'The Hounds of Winter', then followed with two more new numbers, 'I Hung My Head' and 'I Was Brought To My Senses'.

Considering the dark themes in much of his music, the singer/musician has a much warmer stage presence than a casual fan might expect. ''It's very nice to be back in Pennsylvania,'' Sting said with a genuine tone. ''It's a beautiful state... just a beautiful state.''

Backed by a five piece band, Sting changed the arrangement of several songs throughout the performance. His 1985 solo hit, 'If You Love Somebody Set Them Free', was delivered in a slightly different manner, and a funked-up rendition of 'Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic' was the first indication that the former Police chief hasn't completely turned in his badge.

The staging was simple, with modest lighting and backdrops. Sting's music which encompasses elements of jazz, rock, pop, and Latin sounds - sounded perfect. 'Seven Days', from 1993's 'Ten Summoner's Tales', and 'Mad About You', from 1991's 'Soul Cages', both showcased the darker, more intense side of Sting's songwriting, and also showed that he wouldn't be doing a big-hits-only show.

A group of fans carrying a banner were invited on stage to sing 'I'm So Happy I Can't Stop Crying', and the beautiful performance of 'Fields Of Gold', was one of the evening's highlights. A performance of The Police's 'Synchronicity II' was the set's most upbeat number, and Sting's quest for musical perfection was shown when he removed his bass in mid-song to have it tuned.

The Police classic 'Roxanne' offered a trombone solo and again a slightly changed arrangement, and an extended version of the Police nugget, 'When The World Is Running Down, You Make The Best Of What's Still Around', was a pleasant surprise. The set ended with the reggae-fuelled 'Englishman In New York'.

Sting returned for encores, including 1993's 'If I Ever Lose My Faith In You', then the Police's 1983 number-one smash 'Every Breath You Take'. He closed the show with 'Fragile'.

Clearly one of the finest show's to ever grace the stage at the Montage Venue, Sting offered a 19-song listen to all that can be great about pop music. His singing is wonderful, his songs are melodic, and his lyrics are insightful. After the final number, the audience responded with a standing ovation, and Sting - after a series of bows - promised they'd be back. Hope so.

(c) The Times Leader by Alan K. Stout

Sting's deep passion for music came shining through...

He has appeared in movies and on Broadway. He has crusaded for the Brazilian rain forest and has championed Amnesty International.

But, when you get down to the heart of the matter, Sting emphasizes "Music is my passion."

Well, Sting and his band of five musicians fuelled the fires of passion Tuesday night by taking thousands of fans on a smooth, mellow and jazz-infused musical journey. Sting took his passengers at the Montage Mountain Performing Arts Center on an excursion through his days with the Police (which began back in '78), while placing most of the emphasis on his solo works, up to and including his latest release, 'Mercury Falling'.

Sting and his band of polished musicians delivered the old, the new and the newer with the precision of a fine-tuned machine.

Sting's signature vocals were powered by the slick and intricate instrumentation delivered by guitarist Dominic Miller, keyboardist extraordinaire Kenny Kirkland, drummer Vinnie Colaiuta and the hoppin' horn section of Butch Thomas (sax and trumpet) and Clark Gaines (trombone and percussion). And, of course, Sting played bass.

Sting's passion for music is no secret. In fact, he said he would like to tour for the rest of his life.

Sting and Company opened their headlining portion of the concert (Dog's Eye View kicked off the show) with a tune from Mercury Falling, after which Sting introduced his players.

"It's nice to be back in Pennsylvania," Sting said to the crowd. "It's a beautiful state."

After that there was little talk and plenty of tasty music on the menu. And let me tell you, for having just six guys, they dished out a mighty big sound.

The Sting songlist offered a slice of just about everything including a sing-along in which several audience members joined Sting on stage. The audience interaction was prompted by a banner that asked (maybe that should be begged) if the select group could come up and sing with Sting. And he obliged, much to the pleasure of the large gathering of Sting fans.

In addition to showcasing several songs from 'Mercury Falling', the Sting sextet served up such classics as 'Set Me Free', 'Every Little Thing You Do', 'Synchronicity', 'Fields of Gold', 'If I Ever Lose My Faith', 'Every Breath You Take' and 'When The World Is Runnin' Down', among others.

The crowd reaction hit one of its peaks when Sting dipped further into the Police files and did an excellent and extended version of 'Roxanne', complete with the red lights.

The band added a new twist to 'Englishman in New York' with a rap segment from the saxman. Sting and the boys even powered up for a rousing rendition of 'Demolition Man' (from the Sly Stallone movie of the same name). All in all, the instrumentation was as sharp and crisp as Sting's vocals.

Prior to the one-song encore (after nearly two hours of playing time), the band closed with 'Mercury Falling', which segued nicely into Fontella Bass' 'Rescue Me'.

Before diving into the encore, Sting attempted to make a local connection by telling the gathering on the mountain his drummer (Vinnie Colaiuta) is from Pennsylvania. As it turned out, the beatman hails from Pittsburgh. "Well, he is from the same state!" Sting offered.

Sting's performance went a long way in proving the music is indeed his passion and vision. As he puts it, "Music. It's healed my life in so many ways. Truly, I've been healed, in a sort of religious way, by the spirit of music."

And the spirit of music certainly was evident on the mountain Tuesday night.

(c) The Citizens Voice by Jerry Kishbaugh