Sting: My Songs Tour: International

Sting didn't need to put on a grand show, his voice was enough...

He's sixty-seven years old, but he has the energy of a thirty-something. When he starts singing, the listener is either speechless or has a blissful smile on his face. Legendary British musician and singer Sting and his band performed an almost two-hour, truly unforgettable concert in Bratislava on Sunday, June 30, without a single hesitation or false note. And it only took him a few seconds to win over and sing the entire Ondrej Nepela Winter Stadium. He made the audience dance and feel, and he received a standing ovation that hockey players don't get there during matches.

The appetizer before the main course of the evening was the four-piece Wild Front from England. However, as is customary with support bands, their sound is usually worse and also weaker than that of the headliner. This time it was no exception. It was clear that the indie rockers were enjoying the performance to the fullest, but the energy that was on stage remained there and unfortunately did not transfer much to the audience. The audience was dominated by bored looks and yawns. There were also annoying groups of people talking really loudly, as if they had found the wrong place, without any remorse, spoiling the experience for others who came to enjoy the music regardless of who was playing.

The truth is, however, that the half-hour set of the young Brits was, apart from a few bright moments, quite embarrassing and sometimes downright boring. They definitely have potential, but they still have a lot to improve on. During the break, the stadium was filling up significantly and at exactly half past eight, as planned, the concert that everyone had been impatiently waiting for began. Sting was warmly welcomed by the people and when he sang the first notes of the ageless, but slightly modified hit Message In A Bottle, he had everyone in his arms. His piercing voice combined with his unmistakable charisma put everyone in a trance.

The third song of the set was another megahit, Englishman In New York, in which Sting let only the audience sing several times. The setlist also included more intimate and atmospheric works such as Shape of My Heart, Fields Of Gold, Wrapped Around Your Finger or Desert Rose. Many bands today use projection as an extra during their performances, and at concerts with similar participation they are often on the sides of the screen. Sting had neither. He did not need fire spewing from every side, nor lasers creating majestic patterns. Still, he performed a full-fledged concert that everyone simply had to enjoy equally, regardless of where they were and from how far they saw the musicians. The sound was fantastic and the minimalist, but effective, play with lights is also worth mentioning.

The British legend also let his colleagues on stage stand out to the right extent. Whether it was the keyboardist, the drummer, both guitarists or the vocalists who perfectly complemented the main star of the evening. The beautiful, colorful harmonic duos were an absolute balm for the soul. There really is nothing to criticize musically. The people in the stadium felt it too. At the end of the set, during the song Every Breath You Take, even those who had tickets stood up and sang the catchy chorus in unison. Although the musicians left the stage right after this piece, it wasn't for long. A deafening whistle, applause and screams brought them back almost immediately. And since they knew that one encore wouldn't be enough for the voracious crowd, they played three at once - King of Pain, Next to You and Fragile, with Sting swapping the bass guitar for an acoustic guitar for the last one and providing an emotional end to the evening.

(c) Pravda by Martin Adam Pavlík