Summer: 2016

Sting seduces Milan: the review of the Assago concert...

They leap to their feet at the first hint of "Message in a Bottle." There are only a few of them: groups of two, three, or four at most, who rise from their seats and start dancing. I look at them more closely: they're all over 40. Maybe they didn't appreciate the reference to Genesis's "Dancing with the Moonlit Knight," but when the Police and Sting solo classics come on, they light up with excitement. A concert by the English musician today is like this: a greatest hits set interspersed with a few lesser-known solo pieces and a couple of covers. Eighty percent of the setlist is made up of what English speakers call crowd-pleasers. This is what this kind of appendix to the Back to Bass Tour, which already touched Italy three years ago, is for: singing along with "Be yourself, no matter what they say," keeping up the syncopated rhythms of old Police songs, applauding and being applauded by a piece of pop history.

Fresh from a North American tour with Peter Gabriel, which included a cover of "Shock the Monkey" and a reference to the opening of "Selling England by the Pound" before "Message in a Bottle," Sting performed in Rome, Florence, and last night at the Assago Summer Arena. Amused, relaxed, and inclined to speak in Italian, he gave the audience what they wanted: a summary of his career, delivered by a formidable band. After Joe Sumner's opening set, accompanied by the percussionist and backing vocalist from his father's band, Sting kicked off with a rock version of "Every Breath You Take" and the singable "If I Ever Lose My Faith in You." "Here's an old song: I'm crazy about you," he said before launching into "Mad About You." Everything was as expected. Too much so.

And so, three years after the first Back to Bass performances in Italy, Sting's show is well known. And so far, it's fair to say: the audience enjoys it. What's slightly disappointing is that the Englishman doesn't fully exploit the talent of the musicians: Dominic Miller (guitar), David Sancious (keyboards), Peter Tickell (violin), Vinnie Colaiuta (drums), Rhani Krija (drums, percussion), and Jo Lawry (backing vocals). It takes songs like "Driven to Tears" and "When the World Is Running Down, You Make the Best of What's Still Around" for the music to really ignite. The performances of the biggest hits are always perfect, even full of inspiration, but rarely overwhelming. And it's a shame because this is a great band, and for at least half the concert, they don't show it. It's a car that can reach 300 km/h, and Sting drives it at 150.

There are a few small surprises. Like the cover of "Shock the Monkey," which is a bit chilly, and the Genesis reference. Or the version of "The Hounds of Winter," featuring Lawry's effected, echo-laden vocals. Or the groove of "So Lonely," from The Police's debut album. After an interlude of softer tunes, we arrive at the finale of "Roxanne," which the band takes for a stroll through rock, reggae, dub, and fusion, then blends it with Bill Withers' "Ain't No Sunshine." Sting plays slapping, seeking lines that are sometimes soft, sometimes funky, and always plays bass except for the final part of "Fragile," which features guitar. "Thank you, Milan, goodbye," he says, and leaves the stage after an hour and three-quarters of music.

No special effects: just music. And with a repertoire and a band like this, there's no reason to complain. Sting alternates between niche albums, where he distances himself from pop, and projects where he aims to please his fans. Last night's concert belongs to the latter category and was conceived and executed as a (beautiful) routine. We, who are never satisfied, would like Sting to be a little less seductive and a little more unpredictable.

(c) Rockol by Claudio Todesco