Sting 3.0

Montreux Jazz: Sting revisits his classics, including Police hits...

For his ninth appearance at the Montreux Jazz Festival, Sting electrified the Stravinski Auditorium on Saturday night with a 1-hour-45-minute concert. Joined by guitarist Dominic Miller and drummer Chris Maas, the trio generously revisited the repertoire of The Police.

Currently on a world tour with his "STING 3.0" project - referencing the three musicians on stage, just like in the days of The Police - the British singer-songwriter, musician, producer, and actor delivered 20 tracks during the evening's second set at the legendary 2M2C venue. The setlist featured eight major hits from the pop-rock band - a group born of the new wave and post-punk era that enjoyed immense popularity between 1976 and 1984.

Like a bottle symbolically cast not into the sea, but into Lake Geneva, Sting - alongside his virtuoso guitarist and long-time collaborator Dominic Miller and dynamic drummer Chris Maas (who has played with Mumford & Sons and American singer Maggie Rogers) - kicked things off with "Message in a Bottle."

Sting took the stage wearing a simple black T-shirt with very short sleeves and tight black leather trousers, his bass slung over his shoulder. With his hair cropped close, a fresh shave, and a dashing air, the Englishman appeared to be in top form in Montreux. There was no sonic "feeling-out" period, either: the "power trio" immediately found its rhythm and raw energy. "Roxanne" as an encore

Among other tracks by The Police, the audience recognized and enjoyed the highly infectious "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic," "Wrapped Around Your Finger," and "Driven Tears," the inspired "Can't Stand Losing You" and "So Lonely," and the beautiful "Every Breath You Take." For the encore, the trio delivered a magnificent, extended version of "Roxanne." While the concert was tightly structured - with very little banter between songs - the spirit of the old days was almost recaptured.

Sting’s own hits were not left out, notably including "If I Ever Lose My Faith in You," "Englishman in New York," "Mad About You," "Desert Rose," and "Fragile" - which served as the evening's final song, with the perennial bassist-singer from Newcastle (who turns 75 next autumn) having swapped his bass for a guitar.

The band also performed lesser-known tracks and new material, such as the recent "I Wrote Your Name (Upon My Heart)." Balancing electric rock performance, elegant arrangements, and softer, more stripped-back songwriting moments, Sting delivered a compelling show. The audience was thoroughly delighted, singing along to most of the choruses in unison.

It was in 1971 that Gordon Sumner - his real name - made his debut with a local jazz band, Last Exit. He adopted the stage name "Sting" during one of their performances. Legend has it that his fellow musicians gave him the nickname because of a yellow-and-black striped sweater he wore one evening, which made him look like a bee (the word "sting" referring to a bee's stinger).

Then came the The Police era, starting in 1977, with their first album released in 1978. Sting handled vocals and bass, Andy Summers played electric guitar, and Stewart Copeland was on drums. After at least five studio albums and six compilations, Sting embarked on a long solo career starting in 1985, releasing no fewer than ten studio albums, numerous live recordings, cover versions, and compilations. In total, he has won 17 Grammy Awards - six with The Police and eleven as a solo artist. He also pursued an acting career, appearing in over 30 films, notably starring in David Lynch's 'Dune'.

(c) Keystone-ATS

Sting delights the Stravinski with a mix of The Police classics and solo tracks...

Invited to the Montreux Jazz Festival for the ninth time, Sting performed as part of a trio. The singer was accompanied by his guitarist, Dominic Miller, and drummer Chris Maas. They treated the audience at the Stravinski Auditorium to fresh takes on Sting’s greatest hits. A look back at the performance.

Some artists no longer need to prove themselves. For us, Sting is one of them. It is 9:58 PM when the 74-year-old Briton takes the stage, dressed in a black T-shirt and trousers. He is followed by his two musicians: guitarist Dominic Miller and drummer Chris Maas.

The staging might seem "simple," but it is incredibly effective. Proof of this is that we find ourselves swaying to the rhythm as early as the second song, "I Wrote Your Name (Upon My Heart)," even though we didn't know the track beforehand.

But like the rest of the audience, we are swept up in the atmosphere. It must be said that the British artist's show is a well-oiled machine. The songs follow one another with barely a pause. After five songs, the artist takes a moment to greet the crowd: "Thank you very much, everyone," he says in French, before joking that he has been coming "to the Montreux Jazz Festival since the Second World War." Some might argue that the British artist's career cannot be summed up by just a few essential tracks, but we’re going to take the liberty of revisiting - for your benefit - some of the moments from the evening that felt truly magical (at least to us):

Message in a Bottle, The Police. The concert kicks off with this song. It takes only the opening notes for the majority of the audience to start clapping along in time. The crowd then joins the artist in singing the chorus.

Once again, the reaction is immediate from the very first note. The chorus - Oh, I'm an alien, I'm a legal alien. I'm an Englishman in New York" - instantly rings out through the Stravinski Auditorium. Midway through the song, a drum solo takes the audience by surprise.

The crowd then echoes Sting: the British star sings "Be yourself," and the audience responds with "no matter what they say." A beautiful moment of harmony between the artist and his fans.

"Wrapped Around Your Finger," The Police. The atmosphere feels more intimate here; it is as if the instruments have receded slightly, allowing the power of Sting's vocals to shine through during the verses.

It’s a choice that wins over the crowd. There is absolute silence in the Stravinski Auditorium throughout the performance, but at the end, applause erupts across the venue.

"Brand New Day". We have to admit it: "Brand New Day" is one of our favourite Sting songs. It might even be our absolute favourite - it’s certainly on our playlist. Hearing it live was truly incredible! The instrumental sections were also fantastic.

You should have seen us dancing away in our spot and clapping along to the beat.

"Every Breath You Take," The Police. Sting closed the main part of the concert with this track. Once again, the audience sang along with him. And when the artist dedicated "I'll Be Watching You" to the crowd, the venue erupted in applause.

A double encore. After the song ended, Sting left the stage, but the audience at the Stravinski Auditorium wasn't ready to call it a night. Applause rang out, and some people even stomped their feet.

Sting quickly returned to the stage. "Which song do you want?" he asked, feigning innocence. The answer came back instantly: "Roxanne"! The trio happily obliged. Judging by the crowd's reaction, it was perhaps the most anticipated song of the entire evening. As a gesture of thanks, the audience sang the lyrics at the top of their lungs.

The singer offered a final, quiet moment with "Fragile," performing it with just his voice and guitar. "Montreux, thank you very much," he said. Then, he walked off to the cheers of the crowd.

(c) Bluewin.ch by Angelica Zermatten