A message to brave, anti-war Russians: Sting & My Songs in Helsinki...
Sting is a more energetic and powerful performer than many 40 years his junior. At a live gig in Helsinki on September 22, 2022, the musical styles changed from punkish Policemen to reggae, soul and jazz. And in Helsinki, Sting met his hero!
Like in Tampere two nights earlier, Sting had the audience singing along from start to finish at the Helsinki Ice Hall. The audience didn't know the lyrics to the new songs yet, but the wild floor joined in the applause.
Musically, the show was similar to the one in Tampere. It was fun, the band joking with each other and encouraging each other, and the backing singers' great solos on Shape of My Heart and Heavy Cloud No Rain. You can read the review of the Tampere show on September 20, 2022, "Famous, talented and fun. Sting & My Songs in Tampere" here.
The audience in Helsinki was stonier than in Tampere - but this only applies to the seated stands, not the floor that was roaring from start to finish, of course. At Brand New Day, backing singers Melissa Musique and Gene Noble encouraged people by singing “stand up!” In Tampere, the side stands all the way to the back were up dancing. In Helsinki, some people got up but soon sat down again. Perhaps this was because in Tampere, you could already get into the beautiful Nokia Hall at 6 pm to warm up and enjoy refreshments, while in Helsinki the doors did not open until 7 pm, even though both gigs started at 8:45 pm. Or maybe the audience, trained by years of manse rock, is simply more rock-minded.
As in Tampere, harmonica player Shane Sager got the samples of his skills refined by soul legend Stevie Wonder on Brand New Day. But unfortunately, as in Tampere, second guitarist Rufus Miller didn't get the wonderful low-pitched voice of Fields of Gold right.
Sting said he wanted to close his show with the song "Fragile" because "it's good to end with something delicate and beautiful." He dedicated the song to the protesters opposing Russia's mobilization, i.e. the war.
(c) Voima by Ilda Simes
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