Sacred Love: 2003/05

Englishman in Hamburg - Sting thrills at the Color Line Arena...

Sting rocks. Even at 53 and after three decades in the music business, he still manages to completely captivate his fans. It's especially the old hits that elicit cheers from the almost sold-out Color Line Arena at the first German concert of his 'Sacred Love Tour': classics like 'Every Breath You Take', 'Roxanne', and 'Englishman in New York'.

It takes a while, however, for the audience to let loose on Friday evening – there's as much cuddling as dancing in the crowd, and the average age is now well over 40. Nevertheless, Sting manages to unleash the atmosphere with 'Brand New Day', song number five, followed by a powerful jazz improvisation at the end of the otherwise dreamy 'I Was Brought To My Senses'. The artist didn't make it easy on this November evening: He played several tracks from his current album 'Sacred Love'. Pleasant: Sting avoids grand gestures and show effects – no fireworks, no bombastic light show to distract. Only video screens illustrate the songs in the background. The singer concentrates on the music.

(c) Die Welt

Sting: Victory of Routine...

When the lights came on in the Color Line Arena after almost two hours, the crowd left the venue quite quickly. The applause they had given had been friendly. A conciliatory finale.

What had happened? Ultimately, not much. After the talented trumpeter Chris Botti and his band had laid a soundscape of jazz-rock and jazzy ballads on the crowd, Sting took the stage to kick off his German tour, accompanied by five musicians and two backup singers. A routine program began.

"Send Your Love" from Sting's current album "Sacred Love" kicked things off. The rhythm is driving, as one would expect from many Sting songs, with a few oriental touches. The video walls show beauties practicing belly-dancing gymnastics. The reason remains a mystery. It continues throughout the evening: scantily clad young women expose parts of their connective tissue. In a G-rated dimension, of course. Sting knows what's appropriate.

Songs from the new album form the framework of the concert – off-the-peg pop, well-crafted, in standard sizes without individual tailoring. Interspersed with the hit songs 'Brand New Day', 'They Dance Alone', and 'Fields Of Gold' – all in friendly versions. Sting's musical style is mainstream, stripped of its rough edges.

Highlights: the duet with Joy Rose on 'Whenever I Say Your Name' – the woman sings everything that looks like a larynx into the ground –, several solos by guitarist Dominic Miller, a dynamic performance by trumpeter Chris Botti – unfortunately, only for one song.

And the classics? 'Englishman In New York' as a dry reggae, 'Roxanne' as a playful eight-minute remix, 'Every Breath You Take' in the first encore. That was it. A pop star presented himself as professionally experienced. The heart and soul were missing. 

Sting (51) at his concert at the Color Line Arena. The singer and bassist released his first album with the band Police in 1978, and in 1984 he launched his successful solo career. The Newcastle-born former teacher is also an actor and author. He is also involved with Amnesty International and supports projects to combat rainforest degradation.

(c) Hamburger Abendblatt by Volker Albers

Energetic and experimental...

Sting rocks. Even at 53 and after three decades in the music business, he can still completely captivate his fans.

But it's primarily the old hits that really get the atmosphere in the sold-out Hamburg Color Line Arena at the first German show of his 'Sacred Love Tour' going: classics like 'Every Breath You Take' from his Police days, 'Roxanne', and 'Englishman in New York'.

It takes a while, however, for the audience to let loose on Friday night – which may also be due to the fact that the typical Sting fan isn't one for strong emotions: There's as much cuddling as dancing in the crowd, and the average age is now well over 40. This audience needs to be unleashed.

The optimistic 'Brand New Day,' song number five, achieves this, creating the first sense of togetherness in the audience. A powerful jazz improvisation at the end of the otherwise dreamy "I Was Brought To My Senses" breaks the ice further. And when the backing singer finally unleashes a furious vocal firework on the ballad "Whenever I Call Your Name," overshadowing the leader, it's done: The crowd is on fire.

Sting doesn't make it easy for himself on this November evening: He places more emphasis on pieces from his current album, "Sacred Love," which his fan base hasn't yet taken to its heart. He also shows a willingness to experiment: A younger drummer has given the older songs more bite, Sting lets jazz musician Chris Botti blow vigorously on the trumpet, and unfamiliar piano sounds take over, so that at times you feel more like you're at a jam session than at a cozy Sting concert.

However, Sting still exudes a concentrated dose of energy. He kicks off right away with the disco-driven "Send Your Love," taking off his black jacket. The Brit has grown his hair long again like a young rebel and is just as fit and lean as ever. His signature leaps from his Police days testify to his agility.

Sting avoids grand gestures and showmanship—no fireworks, no bombastic light show distract. He concentrates on the music. Only video screens illustrate the songs in the background: During "Roxanne," the stage is bathed in fiery red, "Sacred Love" is accompanied by a striptease, and during "Fragile," drawn bombs fall on oil derricks.

There's always a hint of nostalgia and autumn in the air at Sting concerts. His fans, primarily the generation between the '68s and the punk movement, come to Sting in search of their youth, of the attitude to life to which his songs once served as the soundtrack. But just as the audience depends on Sting, he too needs it. For more than 30 years, he has been touring almost constantly, whether he's feeling good or bad, whether his children are being born or his parents are dying. It's as if he's constantly on the run from himself, only safe on stage when he proves once again that he can still get thousands to sing "Roxa-a-ane-Oh" with him.

Sting was never a sex symbol like Mick Jagger or a heartthrob like Paul McCartney, but was considered more of an intellectual rock star—and so is his audience. Sting once said that music has always been a therapy for him. And when you see him screaming into the microphone or miming the "Englishman," immersing himself in the music and basking in the love of his fans, you know it's still true today.

(c) www.Kool.de