Nantes. Sting: "Let me explain..."
Seen. Despite his injury, the British singer delivered a concert that was both gentle and powerful on Wednesday, October 23, at the Zénith in Nantes.
In our offices on Wednesday (Ouest-France, October 24), we met a man who was frail, barely recovered from surgery. That evening, on stage, the transformation was astonishing. He was a completely different man. Despite his arm in a sling, Sting had regained his splendor, all traces of fatigue gone. The power of the stage? "Let me explain..." said the 68-year-old singer, pointing to his shoulder. His French is exquisite, delightfully old-fashioned. “A seedy hotel, beautiful women of the night, Cyrano de Bergerac, courtly love…” He revisits that Parisian night in 1976, which inspired him, back in his Police days, to write “Roxanne.” He follows with the song itself, a gem nestled in a unique setting.
Success is on the horizon, but The Police are still struggling. “I still didn’t have any money,” Sting continues in French. And then, some people don’t believe in his “Message in a Bottle”… The Englishman with the implacable will, the milkman’s son, persists. Events will prove him right. Sting no longer uses the French lyrics that allowed him to open the show. The story begins, and so does the legend. With his singular voice, the prolific songwriter delivers hit after hit, both Police and solo, which shape his latest album, *My Songs*. On stage, the new versions captivate audiences in their fresh guise. A Bob Marley-esque epilogue for "Walking on the Moon" and "So Lonely." Stripped-down simplicity for "Every Breath You Take." A touch of modernity for "Shape of My Heart."
Nothing revolutionary, but it all delights the ears. And the eyes: despite being injured and lacking bass, Sting, far from being static, manages to give substance to his performances. As for his voice, it sways, undulates, roars, pleads, transforms into a monk's robe, lace, or armour. This deeply sensitive man, attentive to showcasing both backing vocalists and musicians, ultimately always tells the same story: his passionate love for music.
(c) Ouest France by Isabelle Moreau
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