Soul Cages: 1991/92

Sting sings, the Arena heats up...

Ten thousand people in Milan yesterday for the English artist accompanied by his band: tonight there's a repeat performance - Enthusiastic fans captivated by the rock star's magnetic charm (forced to a brief audio blackout) - A captivating duet with Zucchero Fornaciari, white reggae blends with Mediterranean blues.

The first major outdoor rock music event for Milanese fans couldn't have gone better: the beautiful weather and decidedly summery temperatures favoured the Italian debut of Sting's new tour, which drew over ten thousand spectators to the Arena Civica last night, who filled the lawn and stands from 6:00 PM onwards.

And it's almost certain that the Arena will be a sold-out show again this evening. A sign that his new album, "The Soul Cages,"—strongly introspective, less flashy, and heavily focused on poetic lyrics—hasn't deterred fans in the slightest. The multifaceted artist's charisma remains intact.

But what also drew the audience was Sting's promise, kept by the show, to include many of The Police's hits, a unique example of "white reggae" that continues to entertain large audiences.

The sky was still clear at 8:45 PM when the first supporting act began, the American duo "29 Palms," composed of two cousins on guitar and vocals, who had just released their first album, "Fatal Joy."

The atmosphere was warmer for the performance by black percussionist Vinx, discovered by Sting himself, who sang along with his drums and managed to create highly evocative effects that blended ethnic music and cabaret.

Around 10 PM, Sting arrived with his band, consisting of David Sancious on keyboards, Dominic Miller on guitar, and Vinnie Colaiuta on drums, who sang "All This Time." After a few songs, as the rock star was playing the final notes of "Ain't No Sunshine When She's Gone," a generator went out and the sound went out: an interruption of about eight minutes, before everything was fixed. Sting spoke extensively in good Italian, always very courteous and affable. He was dressed in black and frequently explained the meaning of each song.

The following songs were played: "Jeremiah Blues," "Why Should I Cry For You," "I Miss You Kate," "Every Little Thing (She Does Is Magic)," "When The World Is Running Down," "Consider Me Gone," "Island of Souls," "The Wild Wild Sea," "The Soul Cages," "When The Angels Fall," and "All This Time."

The crowd erupted with great enthusiasm as Zucchero made his entrance, duetting with Sting on the Italian version of the song "Mad About You." A beautiful moment, both for the artistic achievement of the fusion between a white rocker and a Mediterranean bluesman, and for the European spirit that characterizes this collaboration.

Toward the middle of the concert, Sting took up the acoustic bass and accompanied himself through the following songs, a show that successfully reproduced his refined theatrical qualities in large spaces.

As with other dates on the tour, Sting paid homage to Jimi Hendrix with his version of "Purple Haze," before diving into the most impactful songs like "Message in a Bottle," "Walking on the Moon," "Every Breath You Take," and "Fragile."

A finale that draws attention to Sting's unusual artistic journey, which began with The Police, purging reggae music of its mystical and hypnotic aspects, and then moved on to more sophisticated ethnic exploration with "The Dream of the Blue Turtles." Like his older colleague Paul Simon, he also finds inspiration for new harmonies in African percussion.

A triumphant success. Upcoming concerts are tonight at the Arena Civica, tomorrow and the day after at the Verona Arena, on the 27th at the Stadio Flaminio in Rome, on the 28th at the Baseball Stadium in Florence, on the 29th at the Stadio delle Alpi in Turin, and on the 31st at the Stadio Braglia in Modena.

(c) Corriere Della Sera by Mario Luzzato Fegiz (thanks to Valeria Vanella)

Sting is back. Missing the Police?

The musician's Italian tour kicked off in Milan with great success - with Zucchero, a surprise announcement.

The setlist includes songs from 'The Soul Cages' and other solo albums, as well as many songs from the group's old repertoire. An Italian duet for 'Muoio Per Te'.

Sting, the good hero, with his cerulean eyes and the mettle of a knight without blemish or fear, has returned to Italy, a country he professes to love and which is once again giving him a very respectable welcome, with a festive crowd at Milan's Arena Civica for the inauguration of this tour that officially kicks off the summer rock season.

Sting has been and remains the most immaculate and spotless of the new breed of positive, environmental, and Third World heroes churned out by pop music in recent years, forcing inevitable resignation on the part of those who favoured the unruly and outrageous sneers of the past.

But even good and upright heroes have their limits.

Sting in particular seems to have believed himself to be truly perfect and has been unable to avoid a certain degree of complacency. He is elegant, persuasive, and even a little haughty. He offers his talent to the audience like an ancient prince would with his shield and sword, but he can't avoid a certain affectation that, all things considered, seems premature in a musician at the height of his maturity. Not that he lacks charm, far from it, and his talents as a performer are well known, but he had accustomed us to something else in the past, and his concert today fails to completely obscure a certain general feeling of coldness, despite his and his band's efforts.

He begins with "All This Time," the best-known and most popular song from his recent album "The Soul Cages," and the audience immediately raises their arms in celebration. A good piece, but ultimately little more than a rehash of old favourites. Immediately afterward, with "Jeremiah Blues," he distends the main body of the piece with those long, jazzy forays that had electrified audiences, as novelties, of his first solo outing around the time of "The Dream of the Blue Turtles." But even here, the mannered style reigns supreme. Drummer Vinnie Colaiuta (formerly of Frank Zappa) hammers away with blistering energy and firmly holds the entire musical framework; David Sancious, a seasoned veteran of every musical battle, sews and mends every gap with his keyboards; the very young guitarist Dominic Miller does what he can to keep pace with the others.

On the other hand, soloists like Branford Marsalis are missing to add a touch of imagination to the script. Sting dominates the stage as usual and, after the opening numbers, launches into a curious remake: Bill Withers' "Ain't No Sunshine," sung with masterful skill, his vocal timbre reminiscent of refined velvet and mellow breaths. Coincidentally, this languid evocation of the lack of light (when a loved one has passed away) precedes a full-blown blackout, a technical glitch that interrupts the concert for a full ten minutes. The audience gets a little nervous but understands the difficulty and doesn't protest too much.

When the band finally returns to the stage, Sting completely overturns the planned setlist and launches into a series of old Police songs. The vitality that had been languishing in the concert suddenly returns, also because Sting seems eager to rediscover, now that so many years have passed, that same sound, the same vibrant energy that was the originals. "Roxanne," "King of Pain," and "Walking on the Moon" flow by, and it's the concert's highlight. But even here, there are signs of a certain difficulty in renewing themselves, especially when the group performs the usual medley of "Bring on the Night" and "When the World Is Running Down," exactly as they have done for a few years now, without the slightest variation.

However you look at it, it's a significant revival, because the entire concert is based on the latest album, performed almost in its entirety, and on the old Police repertoire, almost entirely skipping the two solo albums that preceded 'The Soul Cages'. From these, he performs 'Fortress Around Your Heart' and 'Fragile'. That's it, while he further expands on the old album with 'Tea in the Sahara', 'Message in a Bottle', and another remake performed with appropriate malice, Jimi Hendrix's legendary 'Purple Haze'. In addition, of course, to 'The Soul Cages', 'Island of Souls', 'The Wild Wild Sea', and the others from the latest album.

And now comes the surprise everyone was waiting for. As they sing "Mad About You," Sting begins in Italian, hinting at Zucchero's imminent arrival. Zucchero enters and duets emotionally with the star of the evening, whose pronunciation obviously leaves much to be desired. It's certainly a delightful gesture toward the Italian audience, but the Rocky Roberts effect looms large, and even lines like "Muoio Pe Tei" border on ridiculous.

Much better comes at the end, when at the climax of the concert, Sting begins, thankfully in English, "Every Breath You Take," which, incidentally, is one of the most beautiful songs written in recent years. For the occasion, he calls Zucchero back on stage, as well as Vinx and the 29Palms singer, who had previously supported him. Here comes the apotheosis, one of the few truly effervescent moments of the entire concert, which flows with remarkable, perhaps excessive, fluidity.

Today's Sting is adept at making the most of his intense career, but with little desire for innovation, with little intention of creating thrills and particular emotions, as many had already noted with his latest album—convoluted, intimate, and affective.

It's no coincidence that these are the weakest songs on this new concert. Despite some noteworthy highlights, such as "When The Angels Fall," whose lyrics are a true pearl of delicate and dreamy melancholy, they still feel a bit subdued compared to the vehemence and unbridled creativity Sting has demonstrated in the past. It's inevitable that audiences eagerly await his classics. Sting today thrives on a more than prestigious past, and it's no coincidence that he's more willing than ever to revisit The Police, the era in which he wrote his best songs, which remain extraordinarily captivating today.

(c) La Repubblica by Gino Castaldo (thanks to Valeria Vanella)