Sting 3.0

Sting in Barcelona: a measured stroll through his past...

The British artist revisited his legacy with a touch of elegance.

What does the past taste like? Does it wear thin when evoked? What does it feel like to know you are always a sure bet? Does that happen when there is an awareness on stage that the audience will respond no matter what - because almost everyone, including the star himself, wants the best version of the past, even if it doesn't align with the present? Watching Sting - who hadn't visited Barcelona in years - perform in a trio format (reminiscent of his days fronting The Police), such questions naturally came to mind. This was especially true given that we recently saw Van Morrison - with a different profile and a different approach - handling his own past in a different context. At the Les Nits Occident festival in Pedralbes, Sting embodied the kind of artist critic Simon Reynolds links to nostalgia - one of the main driving forces in today's music, according to his analysis. We are made of the past; it is inescapable. Yet, sometimes, championing it pushes it even further away, leaving both artists and the rest of us with less to say about the present. It is one option. Not the only one. No, it is hardly reasonable to apply the slogan found at the venue's selfie spot - "everything, everything, and everything" - to the performance; you simply can't have it all.

The least palatable aspect of Sting’s concert - which was otherwise entertaining and possessed an air of restrained joviality - was the populist approach he adopted from the very start. Having the lanky bassist get the crowd singing along to "Message in a Bottle" right out of the gate - a tactic repeated several times throughout the show - has always been a surefire way to please the audience. It speaks to engagement, certainly, but also to song segments that slip out of the artist's control, bordering on filler. It reveals an artist who knows he is a winner without a shadow of a doubt, using his trump cards to elegantly sidestep the present - since the songs the crowd sings along to are rarely his most recent ones. In fact, only one song from his recent output was played during the concert - "I Wrote Your Name (Upon My Heart)" - and it appeared right at the start, preceding a string of popular hits from his back catalogue. It was as if he wanted to give the new track a prominence it doesn't yet possess on its own, placing it just before "If I Ever Lose My Faith In You," "Englishman In New York," and "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic." These were all relaxed renditions, featuring his signature vocal tuning and a nasal quality that was far more pronounced than usual - though nasal resonance doesn't necessarily have to increase with age.

The artist’s performance had a touch of subtle self-parody; while resting against a monitor, he remarked that sitting down was his favourite part of a concert. There was also a charming touch of showmanship: when he wasn't playing while standing with his legs spread in classic rocker fashion, he was perched on a high stool with his right leg resting on a footrest. In a gesture of modesty, the centre of the stage - occupied by the trio (featuring the excellent Dominic Miller on guitar and the efficient Chris Mass on drums) - remained largely empty, with Sting positioned to one side. Naturally, he was personable, inviting anyone passing by his country home - located near Stonehenge - over for tea. He also showed he knew where he was by greeting the audience in Catalan and approached a youngster attending their very first concert (one needn't ask what music plays in their parents' car).

The middle section of the concert was a more relaxed affair that kept the audience seated. It began with "Fields of Gold" - which he introduced as the product of the golden landscapes visible from his country home - followed by a very laid-back version of "Wrapped Around Your Finger" and a moment for Dominic Miller to showcase his skills on "Driven to Tears." "Can’t Stand Losing You" picked up the pace, and "So Lonely" capped it off with a football-style singalong ("lo-lo-lo-lo"), marking the closest the audience (who had paid between 230 and 357 euros per ticket) came to the atmosphere of a street celebration. The Arabic-influenced sounds of "Desert Rose" and a musical blend - spanning pop, jazz, touches of funk, and reggae-style guitar accents - steered the evening toward its conclusion, marked by a collective, soulful "oooooohhhhh" from the crowd as "Every Breath You Take" rang out. "Roxanne" and a final rendition of "Fragile" - during which Sting swapped his bass for a guitar - rounded out the retrospective: a journey through the history of The Police (the night's biggest crowd-pleaser) and Sting’s solo career, all immortalised by the mobile phones that reminded us we are no longer in the early eighties, back when The Police made their Barcelona debut and were bursting with youthful energy.

(c) El Pais by Luis Hidalgo

Sting: A Legend Invites You into His Home...

The Police frontman revisited his long career with warmth and a minimalist trio setup.

Sting continues to build on his long-standing career, now nearing the half-century mark since he first made his mark alongside Andy Summers and Stewart Copeland in The Police. Perhaps it was a desire to revisit those early years that led him to launch a "power trio" tour two years ago, or perhaps he simply felt in top form and wanted to test himself with nothing but drums and guitar for company - just as he did when he first rose to fame in the late 70s.

Mindful of the passage of time, Sting crafted a night that celebrated the music itself, delivering it with plenty of attitude. Right after taking the stage, he got the crowd out of their seats by dangling the irresistible carrot of "Message in a Bottle." It worked, of course; moving with a slightly stiff gait and carefully pacing his voice to last the nearly two-hour concert, Sting won over an audience that had paid over 200 euros a head to enjoy the evening.

It was a night steeped in nostalgia, with few concessions to the present. These included the rocking "I Wrote Your Name (Upon My Heart)" - released last year - which he slipped in while the opening momentum was still high. Then there was "Never Coming Home," where he took a brief moment to show off his bass skills, taking advantage of the freedom afforded by having the microphone right in front of his face.

That was merely a fleeting moment in a setlist packed with rearranged hits that stripped the musical framework down to the essentials. The Englishman needed nothing more than his thumb to play the bass, while Dominic Miller - his long-time guitarist during his solo career - provided just the right amount of melody. The same could be said of Chris Maas - known for his drumming with Mumford & Sons - who kept the beat tucked away among the toms, never playing a note more than necessary. The icing on the cake was the warmth of the frontman himself; far from the aloofness often displayed by legends of his stature, he left plenty of room in the songs for everyone to sing and dance to their heart's content.

Just a few notes were enough to recognize "Englishman in New York" - played with a reggae vibe for the occasion - or "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic," performed without the high notes Sting used to hit back in the day; it was a more laid-back rendition, yet the chorus remained just as joyful.

“Catalonia!” the veteran musician shouted, urging the audience to shed their inhibitions and join in on the backing vocals, all while laying down sharp, precise bass lines. He played with a gentler touch on Fields of Gold - inspired by the view from his castle near Stonehenge, an estate where he once invited passersby in for tea. “Now I have a problem,” he remarked after a woman from the crowd approached the stage and shook his hand, effectively accepting the offer.

Charming throughout the show, Sting admitted he only knew how to say “bona nit” (good evening) in Catalan - yet that was more than enough to communicate in a setting where silence played a crucial role, highlighting delicate guitar melodies or building suspense before each verse of Wrapped Around Your Finger. Driven to Tears offered a stark contrast; he pushed his vocal range while driving the bass in sync with the song’s dynamic swells, allowing Miller to shine with bright, arpeggiated guitar lines.

With A Thousand Years, Sting showed he hasn’t forgotten his sometimes-eccentric spiritual side - the same side that drew him to the wild Argentine duo Ca7riel and Paco Amoroso, influencing his songwriting - though he soon returned to familiar territory. Can’t Stand Losing You brought the crowd connection back, driven once again by a reggae groove and Miller’s deep-toned vocal support on the chorus.

Vocal pyrotechnics aren't necessary when you have melodies like Shape of My Heart; a mere five notes are enough to spark delight among those who heard it three decades ago and still remember it well. Then came So Lonely - its reggae-ska rhythm instantly bringing the 2,400 attendees to their feet - followed by Every Breath You Take and, during the encore, Roxanne. For that final track, he poured every last bit of his vocal energy into singing a song about prostitution - penned by a musician who, to this day, continues to perform without ever compromising his dignity.

(c) La Vanguardia by Sergio Lozano

Sting takes a journey through his own greatest hits and The Police anthems at Les Nits Occident...

A sure-fire concert. Those three words alone suffice to describe the evening headlined by Sting at Les Nits Occident - a night where iconic tracks from his solo career intertwined with anthems by The Police amidst the gardens of Barcelona’s Palau de Pedralbes.

Barely a minute past ten o'clock, right on schedule and wearing a headset microphone, Sting took the stage with "Message in a Bottle." He offered a "bona nit" (good evening) and used hand gestures to encourage the audience - who had been on their feet from the very first note, despite the chairs filling the venue - to echo back the SOS that The Police had sent out to the world in 1979.

The heat, trapped between the palace façade and the festival’s tiered seating, had fans waving in the air as the British star launched into the first tracks of his solo repertoire: the rock-infused "I Wrote Your Name (Upon My Heart)," the blues-leaning "If I Ever Lose My Faith in You," and the melancholic "Englishman in New York."

Since The Police disbanded in the mid-80s, Gordon Matthew Thomas Sumner - Sting - has released numerous solo albums and embarked on dozens of tours. Yet, the band's catalogue remains as vital as ever; the mere opening notes of "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic" drew a collective sigh across the Pedralbes gardens that soon erupted into thunderous applause. A mix of solo material and The Police classics

With humour and a playful rapport with the audience, the Englishman introduced the nostalgic "Fields of Gold" by speaking about his small home near Stonehenge - even inviting an audience member there for a cup of tea, a promise sealed with a handshake right on stage.

After a "hydration break" - "we'll be back in three minutes," he joked - things picked up immediately with "Never Coming Home," a track that showcased the talents of guitarist Dominic Miller (who is touring with Sting alongside drummer Chris Maas), followed by "Mad About You" and some impeccable bass work.

After a first half drawing heavily from his solo albums, the evening took on a rockier edge with "Wrapped Around Your Finger," "Driven to Tears," and "Can’t Stand Losing You"-a brief, reverse-chronological look at The Police’s musical evolution, representing the albums *Synchronicity* (1983), *Zenyatta Mondatta* (1980), and *Outlandos d’Amour* (1978), respectively.

Displaying vigorous physical and vocal form-Sting turns 75 in October - the musician mused on reincarnation during the eternal love song "A Thousand Years," while "Shape of My Heart," one of the most recognizable compositions of his solo career, hinted that a spectacular finale was approaching.

And so it was: the frenetic pace of the Police classic "So Lonely" brought the Les Nit Occident crowd to their feet; they clapped along to the conclusion of "Brand New Day," and - without letting anyone sit back down - the bassist launched into the Eastern-influenced "Desert Rose." "Every Breath You Take" deserves special mention-sung word for word by the 2,400 visitors in the Palau de Pedralbes gardens today - as a prime example of those tracks that transcend the bands that created them and embed themselves in the collective consciousness as something more than just a song; perhaps even a prayer.

After greeting Barcelona - accompanied by a thunderous ovation-the trio returned with another powerhouse hit: "Roxanne." One of the early successes that helped forge The Police's legend back in 1978, it was performed today with undiminished, compelling vitality and paved the way for "Fragile" - the final song of the night, during which Sting, guitar in hand for the first time, bade a definitive farewell to the city after a concert lasting just over an hour and a half.

(c) Diairo de Santiago by Guillermo Cabellos

Sting returns to the essentials with vigour and elegance at Les Nits Occident...

The British musician journeyed through his nearly five-decade career - with frequent nods to his time with The Police - during a dynamic concert performed in a trio format.

Sting has once again returned to the essentials - to the trio format - much like the one that proved pivotal in the late 70s when he successfully rode the new wave with The Police (a group of already seasoned musicians). Traces of that original performance urgency remain, now tempered by the wisdom of experience and self-restraint, and backed by a vast catalogue of memorable songs - the very kind that elegantly rocked the Les Nits Occident festival this Tuesday.

It had been nine years since he last performed in Barcelona (though he had visited the Cap Roig Festival three times during that interval), and this version of the 74-year-old Sting proved to be lean, energetic, and full of enthusiasm. He has returned to basics, yet not entirely - or not solely - to his younger self; while eight of the nineteen songs came from The Police’s discography, the remaining eleven represented the majority of his solo albums. The set also included a 2024 composition, "I Wrote Your Name (Upon My Heart)," which seems to distill his dual musical identities: an Afro-rock 'n' roll rhythm section bearing the stamp of Bo Diddley, paired with a smooth melodic chorus. It is a love song about long-term commitment - a message that applies equally to the bond between the artist and his loyal audience.

The crowd rose from their seats the moment the opening track, "Message in a Bottle," began to play, with Sting inviting the audience to join in on parts of the chorus. His voice has evolved slightly - now richer, warmer, and occasionally gravelly - yet he retains the ability to nail the high notes on tracks like "If I Ever Lose My Faith in You." The other key player - less conspicuous but crucial - was the loyal guitarist Dominic Miller, who blended harmonies and intricate picking with impeccable precision. The crisp, lively sonic architecture constructed by the trio was remarkable; Chris Maas’s drumming formed the third point of the triangle, standing in stark contrast to a muddy wall of sound by creating open space between the instruments.

There were hits - plenty of them: an "Englishman in New York" stripped of the original version’s embellishments, and vigorous renditions of "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic" and "Wrapped Around Your Finger" (accompanied by images of lit candles on the screen, evoking The Police’s 1983 music video). There were also deeper cuts from his catalogue, such as "Never Coming Home," which evolved into a brief, funky jam driven by Sting’s bass and hinting at "When the World Is Running Down..." Then came the understated "Mad About You" and "A Thousand Years" - introduced with a confession that he believes in "the concept of reincarnation."

Sting displayed his characteristic warmth, inviting us over for tea should we ever find ourselves near Stonehenge, and repeatedly shouting "Barcelonaaa!" during the climax of "Can’t Stand Losing You." Yet the songs - that treasure trove of material - spoke for themselves; there is no cause for worry when one has penned tracks like "Every Breath You Take," "Roxanne," and "Fragile." These songs provided the final flourish to an energetic and distinguished evening in the gardens of the Palau de Pedralbes.

(c) El Periodico by Jordi Bianciotto

Sting battles the sweltering heat in a trio format, just like The Police...

The British musician performs a greatest-hits concert at the Pedralbes Gardens.

A trio - a more stripped-down format than his previous visits to Catalonia - with a well-represented The Police repertoire, abundant charisma, and a voice that occasionally wavered on pitch. That is how Sting powered through Tuesday’s concert at the Pedralbes Gardens, part of the *Les Nits d’Occident* festival. The audience, having paid up to 300 euros, was enthusiastic from the very start. They greeted the opening notes of "Message in a Bottle" with an ovation - one of many The Police songs featured on this tour, which he shares with guitarist Dominic Miller and drummer Chris Maas. The 74-year-old British singer and bassist, looking youthful, quickly sensed the crowd's eagerness and let them sing the opening verses of "Englishman in New York." "Catalonia!" Sting exclaimed at the end of a track he performed with a rock-heavy sound rather than jazz flourishes.

Fans fluttered in a vain attempt to beat the stifling Barcelona heat during the quieter passages of "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic," picking up speed in sync with the song’s accelerating tempo. "Good evening, everyone," he said in Catalan before introducing "Fields of Gold" and mentioning that he owns a home near Stonehenge. The more relaxed pace suited his voice, placing less strain on it than the The Police songs did. He even cracked a joke about the hydration breaks in the World Cup to explain why he was sitting on a stool to perform "Never Coming Home" - a song delivered more through spoken word than singing, leaving room for him to show off his bass skills and for Miller to craft a guitar solo centre stage. The darker vocal register suited "Mad About You" well - a tone also sought in The Police's "Wrapped Around Your Finger," which began by projecting mystery and melancholy, effectively complemented by the drummer's technique.

Jazz-rock filled the middle of the concert, acting almost like a necessary hydration break that allowed the audience to unleash their full energy during the final third of the performance. The great rapport among the three musicians - and the guitarist’s excellent work in particular - made tracks like "A Thousand Years" more palatable; at the song's conclusion, a child brought over a sign stating that it was his first concert. It is safe to say that most of the Pedralbes audience attended their first concert a long time ago... Some had even been to the Estadi Narcís Sala in Sant Andreu when The Police performed there on October 1, 1983. Several songs played on Tuesday date back to that era. For instance, two from the album *Outlandos d'Amour* (1978): "Can’t Stand Losing You" - with vocals once again pushing into the danger zone - and an especially spirited "So Lonely," which was delivered with great power.

Sting’s undeniable charisma forged an unbreakable bond with the audience, a crowd that included F.C. Barcelona president Joan Laporta. The silence with which everyone listened to "Shape of My Heart" (along with the sea of mobile phones recording the moment) spoke volumes about the admiration the British musician inspires. He responded by steering this hit from his solo repertoire into deeply emotional territory, ably supported by Miller on backing vocals.

The audience rose from their seats at the end of "Brand New Day," as if sensing the climax was approaching, and maintained their enthusiasm during the arguably Orientalist exoticism of "Desert Rose." This final stretch included "Every Breath You Take" - one of the most chilling divorce songs in history - which the crowd sang along to from start to finish. It was the prelude to the encore, which featured "Roxanne" - the 1978 song that defined The Police’s style as New Wave infused with reggae, and which in Pedralbes incorporated progressive and funk elements that did not compromise the original's spirit - and "Fragile," a ballad from Sting’s second album, "...Nothing Like the Sun" (1987), which Julio Iglesias covered in the 1990s. For "Fragile," Sting swapped his bass for an acoustic guitar, cradling the melody with a laid-back, summery feel. It marked the conclusion of a one-hour-and-forty-minute set by Sting performing in a trio format, echoing the style of The Police.

(c) ARA by Xavier Cervantes

At the Las Nits de Occident festival, held in the Pedralbes Gardens...

An understated yet brilliant concert by Sting featuring great music and a touch of nostalgia as he revisited The Police’s greatest hits.

Sting returned to Barcelona to perform at Les Nits de Occident, hosted in the beautiful Pedralbes Gardens - a setting located in the upper reaches (and outskirts) of the city. He was accompanied by guitarist Dominic Miller and drummer Chris Maas, forming a remarkable trio. He revisited his classic hits alongside newer material, such as "I Wrote My Name (Upon My Heart)." The performance was part of the "STING 3.0 WORLD TOUR," which is taking him across the country (and abroad). At 72 years old, he proved he is still in top form - lean and fit - during a ninety-minute concert that included two encores. He remains a highly relevant musician for his own generation while also attracting a younger audience. The crowd was very receptive, holding up their phones to record the highlights, occasionally rising from their seats to sing along and clap to the music. Throughout the concert, he drew from celebrated albums such as One Fine Day, The Dream of the Blue Turtles, and Brand New Day.

Sting is a unique case: he has achieved success both as a solo artist and as a member of the legendary band The Police (1977–1986). With their innovative style, the band produced hits such as "Roxanne," "Message in a Bottle" (which opened the concert), "Every Breath You Take," "If I Ever Lose My Faith in You," and "Don't Stand So Close to Me." Eight of the nineteen songs performed during the concert were from The Police's catalogue. Throughout his long solo career, the singer evolved toward a much more sophisticated musical style, incorporating jazz, classical music, folk, and Latin rhythms. He has successfully combined commercial success with artistic quality. His lyrics - notably - tackle unconventional themes such as politics, war, human rights, ecology, religion, personal relationships, and literature. His songs, which blend rock with melody, possess a poetic tone that sometimes borders on the mystical. He founded the "Rainforest Fund" organization to contribute to environmental protection.

Sting has also worked as an actor, with fifteen films to his credit, as well as the musical The Last Ship, for which he received a Tony Award nomination. Add to this a Golden Globe and four Oscar nominations. He combined the hits of The Police with new solo compositions - such as "I Wrote Your Name" (about commitment in a relationship), "The Bridge," "Englishman in New York," "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic," "Wrapped Around Your Finger," "Mad About You," and "When the World..." - as well as a unique track featuring Arabic rhythms and another alluding to reincarnation. Some of these appear on albums such as The Dream of the Blue Turtles, ...Nothing Like the Sun, Ten Summoner's Tales, and Brand New Day.

At times, he would offer a brief introduction before a song. In addition to the customary "Good night, Barcelona!", he spoke to a child attending a concert for the first time and shook hands with audience members in the front rows. His bandmates - Dominic Miller and drummer Chris Maas - also had their own "solos" and moments in the spotlight. Towards the end of the concert, he switched guitars, picking up a black one.

Sting is an excellent bassist, singer, and songwriter. While he may not be considered one of the most technically virtuosic bassists, he is certainly one of rock's most elegant, thanks to the way he constructs basslines that serve the song. It is not without reason that he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame alongside The Police. He is one of the most well-rounded musicians of the last 50 years - commercially successful yet artistically ambitious, creating high-quality songs. He embodies the artist who never stops exploring and growing musically. The Pedralbes concert ended at 11:30 PM, following a 15-minute extension that allowed the British musician to perform two encores on a sweltering, hot night.

(c) Diariocrítico música by José R. Palomar