Sting 3.0

Sting 3.0: A Parade of Classics for an Audience That Grew Up with the Music...

It wasn't even 11:00 PM yet, and Sting was already saying goodbye to Figueira da Foz. There were no excesses. No fireworks. No long speeches. There were songs - so many songs - the kind that have spanned generations. At the sold-out Praia do Relógio, the British musician once again demonstrated that a stage, three musicians, and an exceptional repertoire are all it takes to captivate thousands of people for over an hour and a half.

The British musician performed accompanied only by Dominic Miller - his stage partner for over three decades - and drummer Chris Maas. This choice stripped the arrangements down to their essentials while preserving the full power of the compositions. The freedom of this format allowed the songs to breathe beyond their studio versions; there was room for improvisation and musical dialogue between the guitar and drums. Choruses were extended, rhythms were altered, and the tracks - despite being so familiar - took on a new life on stage.

The atmosphere at Praia do Relógio perfectly reflected the nature of the evening. There were many couples, groups of friends, and families who had followed Sting’s career over the decades. Many foreign languages could be heard in the crowd, too, in a city that welcomes thousands of tourists at this time of year. This wasn't a show for non-stop jumping or for partying late into the night. It was a performance designed for a mature audience - people who came to listen, sing along, and relive memories. Just over ninety minutes after the start - and still before 11:00 PM - Sting left the stage, a timing that seemed to respect the habits of those who value the concert itself more than the night out that follows.

The show opened with "Message in a Bottle," one of The Police's greatest classics, originally released in 1979 on the album "Reggatta de Blanc". The opening chords were enough to turn the beach into a massive choir. The song remains unmistakable and continues to serve as a calling card for the band that launched Sting to global stardom. It was the perfect opening for the evening.

At 74, Sting continues to impress with his physical fitness. A collective "wow" - especially from the women in the crowd - rippled through the audience as the musician took the stage. He never cultivated the image of the typical rock 'n' roll frontman prone to excess, and that discipline seems reflected in his physique. Clad in a tight black T-shirt that revealed his well-defined arms, he moved naturally across the stage, alternating between playing his instrument and constantly interacting with the crowd. His voice remains steady, his posture exudes confidence, and his energy belies his age.

Next came "If I Ever Lose My Faith in You," a song that marked the start of his solo career in the 90s and appeared on the album "Ten Summoner’s Tales" (1993). The performance immediately revealed the spirit of this tour: less production, more room for the musicians and the vocals, which remain remarkably solid.

The setlist spanned various phases of his career without long pauses. "Englishman in New York," inspired by writer Quentin Crisp, touches on themes of identity, difference, and tolerance - issues that remain relevant nearly forty years later.

One of the night's warmest moments arrived with "Fields of Gold," a ballad released in 1993; its delicacy contrasted with the high energy of tracks like "Driven to Tears" and "Can’t Stand Losing You," both drawn from The Police’s repertoire. The stripped-back instrumentation allowed for the discovery of new nuances in songs that have been part of the collective memory for decades.

When the opening lines of "Shape of My Heart" rang out, a rare silence fell over the crowd of thousands. The song - also famous for its inclusion in the soundtrack of the film "Léon" - once again showcased Sting’s melodic elegance and the pivotal role of Dominic Miller’s guitar work; Miller composed the chord progression that made the track instantly recognizable.

The final stretch was a succession of classics. “Walking on the Moon,” “So Lonely,” and “King of Pain” set the stage for one of the night’s inevitable highlights: “Every Breath You Take.” Released in 1983 on the album "Synchronicity", the song remains - despite its romantic sound - a track about obsession and surveillance, often misinterpreted as a declaration of love. Four decades later, it stands as one of the best-known songs in popular music.

The encore began with "Roxanne," The Police's first major hit, released in 1978. Inspired by the sex workers of the Pigalle district in Paris, the song remains one of the most explosive moments of Sting's concerts, with the audience taking over almost all the vocals. The farewell came with "Fragile," a 1987 composition written following the murder of American engineer Ben Linder in Nicaragua. In such a stripped-back format, the song's pacifist message took on even greater resonance, bringing the show to a serene close.

Sting delivered a performance where time seems to work in his favour. The songs have withstood the decades, the trio format brought fresh vitality, and the connection with the audience remained intact. In Figueira da Foz, it was confirmed that some songs never age - and Sting seems determined to keep pace with them.

Before Sting took the stage, it fell to Dea Matrona to warm up the crowd at Praia do Relógio. Formed in Belfast by Orláith Forsythe, Mollie McGinn, and Hannah Kelly, the band played classic-rooted rock, blending influences from acts like Led Zeppelin, Fleetwood Mac, and The Black Keys while maintaining a distinct identity. Mixing original tracks with touches of blues and vintage rock, they won over an audience that - despite having come to see Sting - responded with attentive listening and applause.

The Northern Irish trio relies on powerful guitars, a solid rhythm section, and songs that balance catchy melodies with a raw sound. Dea Matrona succeeded in opening the night, leaving the impression that they have what it takes to establish themselves well beyond the emerging band circuit.

(c) CH Magazine by Tânia Fernandes

Sting served up 100 minutes of pure rock in Figueira da Foz...

One hour and forty minutes of a love for music and pure rock - featuring bass, guitar, and drums - was what Sting delivered to a crowd of around 25,000 people on Friday night at the beach in Figueira da Foz. The only thing missing was the famous sunset of this coastal city in the Central region and Coimbra district, which was largely obscured by dark clouds on the horizon at the start of the show, around 9:00 PM.

The setlist was not expected to deviate much from the norm of the current "Sting 3.0" tour, and indeed, it didn't: the show opened with "Message in a Bottle." Looking at the lyrics of that 1979 Police track - if it was love the British singer-songwriter was seeking, the audience certainly reciprocated right then and there.

While still in the middle of the opening song, Sting called out "Figueira da Foz" and received applause - even though locals from Figueira were notably not the majority (far from it) among the crowd on the sands of Praia do Relógio.

Incidentally, although he didn't chat much, whenever Sting did address the audience, he spoke in Portuguese. By the third song ("If I Ever Lose My Faith in You," from 1993) - following a performance of his latest single, "I Wrote Your Name (Upon My Heart)," from 2025 - he introduced the musicians accompanying him on the tour: Argentine guitarist Dominic Miller, his long-time collaborator, and Luxembourgish drummer Chris Maas, both of whom received a round of prolonged applause. “Englishman in New York” was a highlight of the evening; the audience sang along to the chorus from the very first chords, while Sting stood at the side of the stage, silhouetted against a backdrop resembling the Manhattan skyline.

“I’m very happy to be here,” Sting declared at the end of “Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic.” The concert then shifted to a mellower pace - contrasting with the persistent breeze of Figueira da Foz - featuring “Fields of Gold” and lesser-known tracks spanning a solo and Police career of nearly 50 years.

Songs like “Never Coming Home,” “Mad About You,” “Driven to Tears,” and “A Thousand Years” showcased fresh arrangements and a musical dialogue between Sting’s bass and Dominic Miller’s guitar. The audience seemed mesmerized by the virtuosity served up in generous doses, all enhanced by above-average sound quality.

An hour into the show, “Can’t Stand Losing You” - another hit from the Police era - rang out. Sting once again engaged the Figueira da Foz crowd with a crescendo of bass, drums, and guitar; the audience responded enthusiastically, and the song extended into a version that even touched upon jazz-like sounds.

The night was drawing to a close, building in intensity: first with “Shape of My Heart,” then with “Brand New Day” - a track that deviated from the tour's standard setlist. Performed in a style blending electric and country elements, the British musician asked the audience to clap in time, and they happily obliged. The same crowd that had energetically jumped along to “So Lonely” was treated to a rock version of “Desert Rose” and, immediately after, sang along from start to finish to one of the biggest - if not *the* biggest - hits by Sting and The Police: “Every Breath You Take.” Widely cited as the most-played song in radio history, it topped the charts in both the US and the UK in 1983.

After 90 minutes of the show, there was a brief, planned encore lasting just one minute: the three musicians left the stage and quickly returned for the final two songs - a collaborative version of “Roxanne” featuring the audience, and, of course, “Fragile,” the anti-war anthem that typically closes Sting’s concerts.

The musician offered a “thank you,” sat down with his guitar, and as the opening chords of “Fragile” rang out, some in the crowd wondered if he might play the Portuguese version of the song - titled “Frágil” - which was recorded in 1988, a year after the original.

That didn't happen; instead, as Sting’s voice and guitar resonated, Praia do Relógio fell silent, save for a few whispered voices singing along to the chorus. Moments later, the British musician offered another “thank you” as he bade the audience farewell.

With the sun gone from the horizon but a crescent moon hanging in the sky above the sea - accompanied by the planet Venus (fittingly, the Roman goddess of love) - the first night of the inaugural Portugal Summer Sessions came to a close. The festival concludes today with a performance by Lewis Capaldi, also at Figueira da Foz beach.

(c) SAPO