Summer: 2013

Magical Sting - Every game you play...

Gordon Matthew Thomas Sumner, if this name doesn't mean much to you, then I'll try another: Sting. Everyone grew up with some musical or entertainment legend, a poster on the bedroom wall, a dream nestled within the notes of a song. I remember well when my sister brought home a Police record. Gray with the faces of three boys clearly visible, the one in the centre, beautiful with two eyes that shone with a blue light even through the gray cloud of the LP cover. It was "Reggatta de blanc," the Police's second album. I discovered Message in a Bottle and Sting... I was a young girl immersed in the fascination of the world of music. More than thirty years later, that fascination, that captivating magic, hasn't changed, just as Sting hasn't changed, capable of evoking with his voice and his music, for two hours and more, all the beauty and nostalgia of the past. 

On a humid evening that had threatened the sky of Rome after a summer storm in the late afternoon, last night at the Centrale del Foro Italico the concert took place which is part of the Back to bass tour to commemorate the twenty-five years of Sting's solo career, accompanied by his historic guitarist Dominic Miller, Vinnie Colaiuta on drums, David Sancious on keyboards, Peter Tickell on electric violin—exciting!—and finally, vocalist Jo Lawry. Exciting as only true musicians can be, Sting doesn't need special effects, fires, or luminous satellites circling above the audience's heads; a white T-shirt over tight black pants, his bass, or his guitar are all he needs. His strength and charisma are undiminished by his age, born in 1951, and he captivates the audience with his voice and numerous songs sung along with the audience, punctuated only by a few sips of water between songs.

An extraordinary, warm, and experienced voice, many songs ignite the audience, from 'Roxanne' to 'Desert Rose' to 'Englishman in New York', but the sublime moment of this great musician's performance is undoubtedly when he sings 'Fragile'. Then every now and then Sting speaks, delicately saying a few words in Italian, translating the title of a song, encouraging the audience to sing along.

We all dance, young and old, some more blatantly, some more covertly. The red lights of cell phones and tablets taking photos shine like fireflies. Some limit the view, but nowadays, as we all know, if you don't film and freeze the moment, you'll feel like you've never been there. I love music, but I don't go to every concert anymore. I like it to be an event, for myself, not because others say so, and Sting is truly an extraordinary event, great class, great music. But how is it possible he doesn't do that? He's already done two encores, you can't have everything, come on... Here he comes back on stage, the last one... he does it: Every breath you take!

Every move you make
Every bond you break
Every step you take
I'll be watching you

Every single day
Every word you say
Every game you play
Every night you stay
Magical Sting, thank you, thank you... I'll be watching you!

(c) Caffe News by Francesco Marone