Summer: 2013

Sting saved from Klippen...

There is something magical about it all when the night falls over Skråvika, the place is packed and the audience is well warmed up. It is no less magical when a music legend is on the largest of the two stages.

Together with the group The Police and as a solo artist, Sting, or Gordon Matthew Thomas Sumner as he is actually called, has sold the next 100 million albums. The British 61-year-old writes very socially engaged lyrics, and the visit to the Stavern Festival is part of the ''Back to Bass'' tour, which started in Canada in May.

On Friday evening, he ended the second day of this year's festival in Skråvika, and together with a sparkling band of five eminent musicians, it was a pure hit list of Sting's songs that a packed audience heard from Klippen, which is the largest of the festival's two stages.

When the mood was set with hits like 'If I Ever Lose My Faith In You', 'Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic' and 'Englishman In New York', things really took off at a party venue that, as far as Østlands-Posten can remember, has never been more packed.

A well-dressed Sting burst with energy on stage, and after a few minutes it was literally boiling in front of the stage in Skråvika near Stavern.

The atmosphere was simply magical, and the audience got what they came for. And there were many of them. On Friday, the festival was completely sold out. Stavern Festival Ticket Manager Erik Rastad told Østlands-Posten that 9,000 people were inside the gates on Friday

Thus, day two of the Stavern Festival had just as grand an ending as Thursday did with a terrific show by Will. I. Am.

And the audience was well warmed up when Sting entered the stage at exactly 11 p.m., with, among other things, a close and exuberant concert from folk singer Ole Paus, solid beats from one of Norway's best live bands, Hellbillies, and just as good beats from Norway's rock queen, Anne Grete Preus.

The audience also flocked to the venue in large numbers early in the day on Friday, and both Ole Paus and Hellbillies were delighted with the opportunity to perform for thousands at a packed festival site in beautiful summer weather.

But the real magic was Sting, and thus day two of the Stavern Festival was crowned with a major highlight.

Today it will all end, and then it will be the Vestfold group Briskeby who will top it off with their "reunion" concert.

Stavern Festival ticket manager, Erik Rastad, told ØP that 9,000 people were inside the gates on Friday, while there are still some tickets left for the closing day today.

(c) Tønsbergs Blad by Bjørn-Tore Sandbrekkene