Sting 3.0

Sting, an Englishman in top form, makes his second appearance on the island...

The English musician arrived at the Palmetum in Santa Cruz de Tenerife to kick off his Spanish tour, drawing a crowd of locals and visitors alike for a journey through his prolific career.

The quintessential Englishman delivered a masterclass in music and professionalism yesterday at the Palmetum in Santa Cruz de Tenerife. Sting’s music and charisma remain as vital as ever, despite his career spanning more than five decades. It is no wonder he remains one of the most influential musicians of his time; he drew thousands of fans to a packed-to-capacity parking lot at the Palmetum for one of the first shows of his "Sting 3.0" tour in Spain. The Tenerife performance took place just 24 hours after his stop in Gran Canaria, and the award-winning artist repeated the same successful formula: a stripped-back, effective, music-focused format. His setlist spanned his 55-year career, with the evening dominated by his greatest anthems - delighting fans who have followed him since his early days.

The concert began following the opening act, Girlband!, and a screening of the World Cup match between Spain and Belgium, ensuring a full night of entertainment - combining favorite sports and music - for many attendees. A few Spain jerseys could be spotted in the crowd, and the first cheers of the night were for "La Roja" before Sting took the stage shortly after 10:00 PM. By coincidence, the celebratory applause for Spain’s continued run in the World Cup mingled with the crowd's welcome for Sting, who stepped onto the stage right as the match ended at 10:00 PM. The audience included not only fans of the Spanish national team but also many foreign visitors who shared a language - and perhaps even a home country - with Sting. "Message in a Bottle" was the iconic track the Englishman chose to kick off his concert. At 74, he took the lead in an impromptu sing-along, with the audience acting as the perfect backing choir. Next came "I Wrote Your Name (Upon My Heart)," a song from his solo career. The star of the evening offered few comments between songs, though he was heard saying "louder, please" in Spanish as he urged the crowd not to leave him singing those recognizable choruses alone. "We are very happy that Spain won tonight," the singer declared, before joining the audience in the classic football chant: "Oe, oe, oe."

The "Sting 3.0" tour is designed as a return to the essence of live performance; the Wallsend native took the stage alongside his long-time guitarist Dominic Miller and drummer Chris Maas, delivering a show that has stood out for years for its power and, above all, its intimacy. Indeed, audience interaction was a highlight for the fans who gathered yesterday at the Palmétum in Santa Cruz de Tenerife.

This dynamic ensured there was no excuse not to sing along to the English singer's greatest hits, as he blended The Police classics with his most successful solo material. Songs like the signature "Englishman in New York," "Roxanne," and "Every Breath You Take" formed the core of the show, though the setlist also included more recent compositions from his solo years - tracks that reflect his current creative output.

The audience had no trouble following along, even though the trio format required reinterpreting the original arrangements. For this significant showcase of his iconic music, Sting once again relied on the guitar work of Miller - a frequent collaborator since the 1990s - and the drumming of Maas. Together, they not only thrilled audiences past and present but also forged a close bond - transcending mere friendship - to shape a solid musical project.

(c) El Día by Patricia Ginovés

Sting and music that never goes out of style...

The British artist delivers a stirring journey through songs that make up a universal repertoire in the capital of Tenerife.

On the very day that some octogenarian "Satanic Majesties" released "Foreign Tongues" - their 25th studio album, which early reviews say amply proves that The Rolling Stones (or, if you prefer, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, and Ronnie Wood) haven't forgotten how to work magic or why they started doing this in the first place - Sting performed a concert in Santa Cruz de Tenerife.

And, of course, it is merely a coincidence; yet, considering the show enjoyed this Friday night by those who gathered at the venue set up in the Palmetum parking area in Tenerife’s capital, it also serves as a double confirmation that certain music - not all of it, but certainly the good stuff - has no expiration date. Nor do the specific artists who bring it to life.

Gordon Matthew Thomas Sumner - Sting - invited the audience to join him on a musical journey through many of the songs that have defined his career, both with The Police (the band he formed with Andy Summers and Stewart Copeland) and as a solo artist. He did not disappoint.

The artist’s latest visit to Tenerife - he performed in Adeje in 2023 - came as part of the "Sting 3.0 Live" tour, sharing its name with the live album released in 2025. The setlist features iconic tracks such as "Message in a Bottle," "Every Breath You Take," "Roxanne," "Englishman in New York," "Fragile," and others. It is a reinterpretation, yet one that retains the original essence. 

In short, it was a rich repertoire that the 74-year-old artist drew upon last night before a devoted (and moved) audience. The tour's Spanish leg kicked off in Barcelona on Tuesday, reached Gran Canaria on Thursday, and - after a stop in Tenerife - will head to Cádiz, Málaga, Granada, and Seville before continuing across the continent. Joined this time by guitarist Dominic Miller and drummer Chris Maas, Sting remains very much Sting.

(c) Diario de Avios