Splendid Sting - Confident, relaxed Gordon Sumner bedazzles Gardens...
There's no one quite like Sting. If there's someone who fits the bill of a superstar artist who's successfully outgrown the group that brought him success in the first place, it's 36-year old Gordon Sumner, former Police-man.
What fuels his claim to fame is the fact Sting writes splendid pop songs. If you remember the Police's biggest hits - 'Every Breath You Take', and 'Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic' among the handful - you're probably well aware he's one of the most consistent songwriters of our generation. His personal trademark is a whiskey-tinged voice, instantly identifiable.
Who else but Sting could coerce 17,000 people into vocally carrying songs like 'Roxanne' or 'Message In A Bottle' (originally recorded more than a decade ago) just by strumming a few chords on an acoustic guitar?
Bedazzling the capacity crowd last night at Maple Leaf Gardens - his first ever appearance there - seemed to be easy for Sting, who was in an exceptional mood. Known for his intense subject matter and intellectual approach, which some people interpret as pretentiousness, his lighter side isn't often seen.
Not only was he in a joking mood - "That's Bon Jovi," he ribbed one fan. "I don't do 'You Give Love A Bad Name'," - he also seemed more confident of his abilities as a musician. No longer intimidated as he seemed on the 'Dream Of Blue Turtles' tour two years ago, last night he provided a lengthy acoustic guitar introduction to 'Fragile'. Almost gutsy, spiced with Spanish flourishes, the introduction splendidly added to the ambience.
Ambience is something Sting had no trouble in creating. Third-World rhythms seductively swirled from the stoic 'They Dance Alone' (which utilised video footage from their concert in San Paulo, Brazil, where he invited parents and relatives of "the disappeared" to share his stage). In 'Englishman In New York', Sting created a light-hearted atmosphere with some high-stepping antics.
As his 'Nothing Like The Sun' album has indicated, Sting sidesteps the pitfalls of popular music. Walking a tightrope strung across the borders between pop and jazz, he has the freedom within jazz to stretch out and explore new sounds and directions, but the discipline within pop to remain within a given theme.
It also helps when you have some killer players in your band to add legitimacy without compromise. Just check out this partial list of players saxophonist Branford Marsalis, pianist Kenny Kirkland, percussionist Mino Cinelu and bassist Tracey Wormworth - a veritable dream band.
For two and a half hours, with video screens broadcasting all the action and projecting an Sting as a larger-than-life character, we saw the steady bobbing of the blonde shoulder-length hair as he got into the grooves.
He dipped into the history books for faithful renditions of 'King Of Pain' and 'Too Much Information', and used a funk guitar accompaniment as the rhythmic counterpoint for 'If You Love Somebody (Set Them Free)'.
He pounded Jimi Hendrix's 'Little Wing' into a screaming climax, using Jeff Campbell's screeching guitar as an adrenalin-pumper, and performed fairly authentic versions of 'Fortress Around Your Heart' and 'Don't Stand So Close To Me'.
Apart from Kirkland kicking in a few salsa inspirations in his piano solos, the solo of the night went to Delmar Brown in 'Consider Me Gone'. His synthesiser scatting created a different sound - an almost inhuman whine that had its own roguish charm.
The concert last night reached the point where Sting merely had to play a few notes and the audience would react accordingly - silent respect for a ballad like 'Be Still My Beating Heart' or wild abandon during 'We'll Be Together'.
If the screaming was any indication, they loved the "wild abandon" segments more. And for once, Sting was relaxed enough to share the feeling.
(c) The Hamilton Spectator by Nick Krewen
Sting Delivers Self-satisfying Show...
There he stands, fetching in his shirtless black suit. Sting in person and, lest he be blurred, his image is projected again on a massive screen above the Maple Leaf Gardens' stage.
Expertly directed camera crews capture every cavalier head toss and every meaningful smirk. Their purpose ultimately to exaggerate the already overstated.
Sting, let's not forget, is a star. His mission is to forge that indelibly on our psyches.
So we sit appreciatively in our seats while he envelops us in culture, playing the kind of music we know is good for us to hear.
The mid-tempo pop songs, textured with a smattering of jazz (managed only because of Branford Marsalis' seductive saxophone) seem to blurr the limiting lines of categorization. For that alone they deserve credit. Yet for Sting, credit is never enough.
'Nothing Like the Sun' bends over backwards to be intellectual. With Shakespearean quotes, feminist theoretics and well-bred polemics, Sting's master plan almost works.
There's just one thing wrong. His attitude.
He's a star and he knows it. How else could he dare perform such a self-satisfying show and get away with it. Hardly elevating the beat from the low-key offerings that dominate his latest album, 'Nothing Like the Sun', Sting is determined to play his favourites.
Only shouts of 'Roxanne' takes him back to his Police past during an encore. Yet, even that never made it beyond a dull roar.
That said, Sting delivers, despite himself.
His tenor voice is uniquely satisfying to the ear and his vocal diversions never dull. He has enough good sense (and money) to surround himself with an outstanding group of performers - Jeff Campbell on guitar, Mino Cinely on bass and Marsalis on saxophone.
(c) The London Free Press by Wendy McCann
He's still got that Sting...
Sting was hardly ever moody about being blue at the Gardens last night. Instead, he was the lively leader of a first-rate group performing jazzed-up funk and ska-flavoured pop. And Sting seemed to have as much fun delivering his musical messages as the 15,000 had receiving them.
Granted he was aware of his role as the thinking man of pop. But it was obvious, too, that the screaming female fans were loving him for more than his melancholy mind. So he nodded hello politely at first. And he followed that up, at various points in the two-hour show, with a few tambourine two-steps, a shake here and a bake there, and his very own stylised version of the Twist. Sting even managed a tumble across the stage, scoring a perfect ten on the scream-volume meter.
Still, there was more meat to the concert than Sting's motion. Sizzling selections from his latest album 'Nothing Like The Sun', and his previous solo effort 'The Dream Of The Blue Turtles', provided lots of reasons to get rhythmic. Even a few of the re-worked Police tunes had more bounce.
And if there were any doubts about what the night held, the opening number - the blistering Latino rocker 'The Lazarus Heart' - made the point. So did a soulful version of 'We'll Be Together', while a neatly woven combination of Englishman in New York and 'Sister Moon' featured Sting's ability to switch singing grooves and provided a great excuse to showcase one of Branford Marsalis' sultry sax solos.
Just as inspired were Kenny Kirkland's outstanding jazz piano attacks, and the full speed onslaughts of percussionist Mino Cinelu.
All three added to the enjoyable re-shaping of Police tunes such as 'One World (Not Three)' - which included audience participation in the chorus - and, of course, 'If You Love Somebody, Set Them Free'.
A serious moment came with 'They Dance Alone', a pensive ballad about Chilean mothers who mourn for their missing children. The song was accompanied by footage of Sting with the mothers at concerts in South America.
But there were lighter moments. Especially when Sting admitted he was playing the Gardens for the first time, after having performed everywhere else in Toronto. He even recalled that The Police's first show was at the Horseshoe Tavern in front of 15 people. Then too many fans cheered as if they were there. ''You're all liars,'' he said, laughing.
But they meant well, Sting. Honest.
(c) The Toronto Sun by Bob Thompson
Sting's a man in control and 16,000 fans fall under spell...
Sooner or later, Sting always gets his way.
''Well, how are we tonight?'' the British superstar asked the adoring throngs at Maple Leaf Gardens last night. A dull roar erupted from the bleachers, as 16,000 voices roared back in deafening unison. (Rough translation: Thank you Sting, we are well.)
''That doesn't sound very convincing to me!'' he snapped in mock disgust.
Naturally, the tactic worked, eliciting an even wilder response the second time around. A man blessed with enough confidence for 10 ordinary men, Sting has an altogether cheery way of willing himself into public favour forcing the issue with his blond good looks and his urgent sense of mission.
''This song is in 7/4 time. What does that mean?'' he asked later Sounding an awful lot like Gordon Sumner the school teacher, a gig he briefly held down before leading the Police to world stardom in the 1970s. But while this might have been the same didactic Sumner last night, it certainly wasn't the Police - notwithstanding his richly-drawn version of 'King Of Pain' and an inevitable encore of 'Roxanne'.
He reminded the crowd of a now-legendary gig in town 10 years ago and jokingly called them ''liars'' when they indulged too heavily in a reminiscent cheer: ''Fifteen people showed up at the Horseshoe Tavern!''
As a solo artist, Sting's headstrong excursions have taken him into the realm of jazz and beyond, yielding an unorthodox mix of pop, soul and New Age music. Originally slow to take hold in the public consciousness, it now seems like a terrible juggernaut, certain to ensure his popularity into the next century. It was quite amazing to watch this huge and quite young crowd dance and cheer to the heated cadences of an eight-piece fusion band, which cut a wide rhythmic swath as it ranged across material from the recent 'Nothing Like The Sun' and 1985's 'Dream Of The Blue Turtles'.
Opening with 'The Lazarus Heart' and veering headlong into 'We'll Be Together', the group seemed almost too muscular at times for Sting's parched tenor which remains a limited rock tool no matter where his instrumental pretensions may guide him. But no matter. He manages to fashion everything around his sense of style, which was equally present in the maudlin 'Englishman In New York', the poignant 'They Dance Alone (Gueca Solo)' and the arrogantly overdone rip on Jimi Hendrix in 'Little Wing', which brought the house down and ended the set nearly two hours after it had started.
(c) The Toronto Star by Craig MacInnis
While Toronto was blessed with many auspicious rock concerts last year, John Cougar Mellencamp's autumn show got the nod of many as show of the year. When such thoughts crop up at the end of 1988, Sting's brilliant performance at Maple Leaf Gardens may leave many whimsically looking back upon the winter past.
In short, this concert was spectacular in every sense of the word. Sting was ever the consummate host, and though he seemed a bit weary late in the first set, his trademark voice held up throughout the two-hour-plus show.
His seven-piece backing band was excellent. And the material - a healthy dose of songs from his latest LP '...Nothing Like The Sun', a smidgen of material from his solo debut 'The Dream Of The Blue Turtles', and a smattering of favourites from his days with The Police came to a new life in a live setting, augmented by stunning lighting and very professional close-up live screen broadcasts throughout the arena.
The 16,000 or so fans who crammed into Maple Leaf Gardens erupted as soon as purple light bathed the stage, suggesting that things were about to commence.
The team of percussionist Mino Cinelu and drummer Andy Newmark set the stage and the other musicians appeared, culminating in the appearance of the star. Sting touched the keyboards which he toyed with off and on during the evening, and saxophonist/clarinettist Branford Marsalis broke the band into a scorching 'Lazarus Heart'.
Late in the song as a sizzling jam began, the at first demure Sting broke into a dance, and the band segued into a faster-than-The-Police Version of 'Too Much Information'. Very heavy on the percussion, it was a really intense rendition.
Beginning at such a high level, there was danger in the show sagging. However, it simply did not happen.
Sting trotted out song after song from his latest LP: a funky 'We'll Be Together Tonight', where he gave the audience their go at singing: a Marsalis-cored jazzy 'Englishman in New York', which faded out with many recapitulations of the theme line "Be yourself no matter what they say"; an extended 'Sister Moon', whose beauty was highlighted by Sting's transfixing vocals; a rollicking 'Rock Steady' with a killer sax break; a percussion-cored 'Straight To My Heart' (before which Sting explained the simplicity of 7/4 time); a sombrely gripping 'They Dance Alone (Gueca Solo)'; and a slap & pull bass-catalysed 'Be Still My Beating Heart'.
Sting closed the regular show with two of ...Nothing But The Sun's prime cuts. Picking up the amplified acoustic which he tastefully used at junctures throughout the evening, he set up 'Fragile' as another vocal showcase.
After treating us to his moving singing, he gave us a lovely little Spanish guitar break with appropriate gentle percussive backing by Cinelu. From there, Sting threw in the introductory rhythm licks to the Jimi Hendrix classic 'Little Wing' as the crowd exploded yet again. This was a fine performance, though the electric guitar break by the otherwise-silent axe sideman was rather overblown.
The highlight from 'The Dream Of The Blue Turtles' was a funky rock version of 'If You Love Somebody Set Them Free'. It really benefitted from a chunk rhythm guitar backseat.
While Sting has managed to transcend the great success enjoyed by his former group, his updated performances of old Police songs were obvious favourites.
Besides 'Too Much Information', there were lots of other good memories. Cinelu got 'One World' rolling, and it ended up turning into a great extended jam. During Kenny Kirkland's dandy piano break, Sting (complete with walking stick), Marsalis and Cinelu went on a little stroll on the stage, and Sting even followed Cinelu's lead in doing a crowd-pleasing back flip.
There was even a juncture at which the song turned into a 50ish rocker, and Sting did a twist to match.
'Bring On The Night' was neatly reworked. It closed the first set powerfully, as Kirkland shined his brightest with an extended and brilliant boogie-woogie piano break. Kirkland was also a key player in 'King Of Pain'; it was truly interesting to hear this song in a manner so dependent upon keyboards.
The encore was keyed by Police songs as well. Sting took the stage alone, and when he asked the people what they wanted to hear, the inevitable response "Roxanne" led to a wonderful stark version of the old classic, as Sting was accompanied only by himself and Marsalis.
The finale was an extended, crowd-pleasing version of 'Don't Stand So Close To Me'. It was much more akin to the remade Police version which came out in 1986 than to the 1980 original. As Kirkland spearheaded a jam, Sting frantically danced as the audience yelled its approval.
In every sense of the word, Sting's concert was a true triumph. He has indeed come far since the days he recalled to the audience when the Police played to a handful at the legendary little venue The Horseshoe. The handful has become a throng of scores, and the novice has become a musical genius.
(c) The Daily Gleaner
Sting proves why he's king of pop-jazz fusion...
If Sting ever had a musical contest with almost any of his seven band members, they'd make his head spin with their jazzy noodling and likely knock him out with a flurry of flourishes.
But it's hard to imagine any musician today who could match a show like the one he pulled off Monday night at sold-out Maple Leaf Gardens before about 16,000 fans.
Sting combined the colourful tones of jazz with black rhythms and catchy pop in a masterful way that proves he is not just an opportunistic pop star doing a little style jumping, he's one heck of a musician.
Sting doesn't have the instrumental skills of his band members, among them all-star jazz players like saxophonist Branford Marsalis and pianist Kenny Kirkland. But he can reach that great mass out there that doesn't care about Miles Davis or 7-4 time. It just likes a nice melody to sing along with.
The former singer and bassist in the Police also has a sexual stage presence like a long-haired male model in a padded-shoulder smoking jacket and a dry, sandpaper voice that's as distinctive as any in music today.
Sting succeeds where so many jazz-rock fusion players have failed because his pop-jazz hybrid doesn't just prop up virtuoso grandstanding. It's structured pop using jazz trimmings to bring in some different moods, fresher colours and a new perspective.
For Monday night's show, he played nearly every song from his latest Top 20 album, 'Nothing Like the Sun', and visited nearly every corner of the stage to the screams of young female fans even if it meant stealing the spotlight from a soloist.
He played simple but tasty chords on acoustic guitar and occasional synthesiser.
Although he began the show with uptempo songs like 'The Lazarus Heart' and 'We'll Be Together', the band didn't hit its stride until the fourth number, 'Legal Alien'.
On the next tune, 'Rock Steady', the bass and drums locked into a flowing groove that converted the floor of the Gardens into a swaying mass of upraised arms and gyrating bodies.
And throughout the night, the Gardens reverberated as the crowd sang along, particularly on 'If You Love Someone, Set Them Free'. It turned into a deafening roar during his Brazilian-flavoured encore of 'Roxanne', the first Police hit.
The crowd also responded enthusiastically to a long, fiery piano solo by Kirkland during a medley of 'Bring on the Night'/'When the World is Running Down'.
Although Sting's songs continue to probe political topics, he has stopped preaching. One of the few hints of political commentary came during 'They Dance Alone', when video screens showed Sting on stage in Buenos Aires last December with mothers whose children had disappeared during the Argentine military dictatorship.
The Toronto show was Sting's last Canadian concert on a tour which had previously hit Quebec City, Ottawa and Montreal.
(c) The Waterloo Region Record by Tim O'Connor
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