Sting 3.0

Sting in Bassano del Grappa: a rock masterclass in power-trio format...

After last year’s bad luck - when the show was cancelled just before the start due to bad weather - Sting’s concert in Bassano del Grappa finally took place last night at Parco Ragazzi del ’99, produced by Live Nation and organized by DuePunti Eventi.

This stop is part of the *Sting 3.0 World Tour*, featuring the bassist alongside his long-time guitarist Dominic Miller and drummer Chris Maas - a formidable power trio.

The choice of a power-trio format is not merely a stylistic exercise, but a genuine return to the rock essence of his roots. Without a horn section, backing vocalists, or keyboards acting as a buffer, the songs' structural backbone emerges with full force, highlighting a rhythmic drive and dynamic rapport that are flawless.

The opening sets the tone immediately: the unmistakable arpeggio of "Message in a Bottle" thrills the audience from the very first seconds. The energy remains high with the recent "I Wrote Your Name (Upon My Heart)," before shifting into the more enveloping, refined textures of "If I Ever Lose My Faith in You" and the timeless elegance of "Englishman in New York."

Having lived in Tuscany for years, Sting speaks Italian fluently and uses it to converse with the audience: "Thank you for your patience; after a year, we’ve finally managed to be here."

The setlist strikes a constant balance between his solo repertoire and gems from the Police era. When "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic" kicks in, the atmosphere heats up, only to mellow out with the intimate poetry of "Fields of Gold," while "Wrapped Around Your Finger" and "Driven to Tears" allow us to appreciate the three musicians' immense technical skill.

There is no shortage of emotional peaks: "Shape of My Heart" - greeted by a roar and thunderous applause - strikes a deep chord with the audience, before giving way to the radiant energy of "Brand New Day." Seizing on the "stand up" lyric, Sting invites the entire crowd to rise for the final songs. Then comes the liberating charge of "So Lonely," followed by "Desert Rose" - the only track in the set to feature string and electronic sequences, recreating the Middle Eastern atmosphere of the original recording.
A textbook finale

The closing segment is a succession of generational anthems. "Every Breath You Take" has the entire audience singing in unison, proving itself to be one of those songs that can make time stand still.

The encores open with the explosive emotional tension of "Roxanne" - an extended version featuring a continuous call-and-response with the crowd - while the delicate "Fragile" puts the misfortunes of the past year to rest. It is an intimate performance, with acoustic guitar replacing the bass, serving as a final, gentle caress as Sting bids farewell to Bassano del Grappa.

Beyond the individual songs, a concert like this stands as a true masterclass in pure live music. It was ninety minutes of performance stripped of unnecessary frills, where the only things that mattered were the quality of the songwriting, the band's chemistry, and extraordinary technical mastery. It was further proof that, when you have material of this calibre, class and simplicity are all it takes to deliver a great rock concert.

(c) Spettakolo by Andrea Giovannetti

Class and charm: the unstoppable Sting conquers "Baxano"...

A memorable concert by the 75-year-old English artist, who jokingly sings the name of the city in his 

The words "Roxanne" and "Bassano'," or rather, "Baxano," have the same meter and can be interchanged. The former is the title of one of The Police's debut hits; the latter is the name of the city that, a year after a painful postponement, hosted a concert by Sting, the celebrated leader of the famous British rock group, on Friday evening.

During the concert, he repeatedly recalled the incident, thanking them for their patience, and at the end, introducing the aforementioned song, he modified the riff and, in chorus with the audience, paid musical homage to the city that hosts him. Then he removes the bass he's been playing all this time from his shoulder strap and, picking up an acoustic guitar, plays and sings the final song, 'Fragile', a delicate pacifist ballad with which Sting bids goodnight to the 8,500 people who fill the stalls and stands of the Ragazzi del '99 park, gathered for the Bassano Music Park, set up by DuePunti Eventi.

Thus concludes one of the most memorable events of the many that have filled our summer arenas in recent years. Its success is the result of a perfect combination of positive effects. The first, of course, is the class of Mr. Gordon Matthew Thomas Sunner (Sting's real name), 74 (he'll be 75 on October 2nd), in splendid form both physically and in the energy with which, in the hour and a half of concert, he recounts his career, from his debut in the mid-'70s with the Police to his ongoing solo phase.

Lean, tanned, smiling, and relaxed, Sting plays his bass with the mastery of a virtuoso and sings with the fresh, powerful voice that, with its distinctive timbre, defined a specific and unmistakable era of international pop music.

He is assisted by two excellent stage partners, Dominic Miller on guitar and Chris Maas on drums, who, together with the frontman's bass, form a compact and highly effective musical blend that supports the singer's voice.

Special mention also goes to the console technicians, who provide perfect sound quality.

Finally, the high-definition images broadcast on the giant screens flanking the stage. Never before have I seen such detailed rendition of the concert, from the faces of the three musicians to the close-ups of the instruments and the skill with which they are played. The close-up shows signs of wear on the bass and guitar, with large abrasions in the woodwork, evidence of long, constant use and evidently not compromising the sound.

The concert begins with a Police classic, 'Message in a Bottle', and continues with older songs ('Every Little Thing She Does is Magic', 'Wrapped Around Your Finger', 'Driven to Tears', 'Can't Stand Losing You', 'So Lonely', 'Every Breath You Take') and more recent ones ('I Wrote Your Name', 'If Ever Lose My Faith in You', 'Englishman in New York', 'Fields of Gold', 'Shape of My Heart', 'Desert Rose'), culminating in the two aforementioned hits as an encore.

During his long stay in Tuscany (in Figline Valdarno, on an estate where he produces Chianti wine and olive oil), Sting learned some Italian and used it during the concert as a gesture of courtesy to the audience.

A few words between songs and numerous invitations to join him in the backing vocals at the end of each song. This invitation was enthusiastically accepted by the audience, who at the concert's conclusion crowded in front of the stage to greet the star and the other two performers, a concert that will long remain in the memories of those fortunate enough to see and hear it.

(c) Il Giornale di Vicenza by Lino Zonin