Sting comeback off to a storming start...
Pop star Sting praised an NEC audience for being more consistent than his voice during the first concert of his seven-date British tour.
His gravelly tones became more husky un- der the strain of a comeback after two years away from live performing in this country. But he recovered to delight a crowd of 10,000 in a gig he seemed to enjoy as much as they did.
The ex-Police man is on a high with half a dozen Grammy award nominations and a successful sideline in movie theme songs such as 'Lethal Weapon 3', 'Demolition Man' and, with Bryan Adams and Rod Stewart, the newly-released 'All For Love' from 'The Three Musketeers'.
The concert covered a broad spectrum of his output to date. And the fans' rapturous response may have had some wondering why he stayed away so long.
But charity collectors shaking tins in aid of rain forests at the entrances were a reminder of what had occupied his attention.
(c) Birmingham Evening Mail by Alison Jones
Sting scores an NEC triumph...
The old 'uns are the best, they say, and a sizeable chunk of last night's audience at Sting's National Exhibition Centre concert clearly agreed.
The singer, pictured on stage, was given a rapturous send-off to the British leg of his latest world tour.
It was favourites from his Police file - 'Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic', 'Roxanne', 'King Of Pain', and, triumphantly, 'Every Breath You Take' - which drew the warmest response in a superb set.
Sting's voice has always walked a delicate line and before closing with the shimmering 'Fragile' he admitted that he had lost it a couple of times.
But backed by a splendidly tight band - guitarist Dominic Miller, keyboard man David Sancious and drummer Vinnie Colaiuta - the pluses effortlessly outweighed the odd minus.
(c) The Coventry Evening Telegraph
Welcome! Sting back on stage at last...
Rock legend Sting dusted off the cobwebs and made a welcome return to the stage with his first UK tour for two years.
The seven-date stretch kicked-off at Birmingham's NEC Arena - and to his faithful army of fans it was two years too long to wait.
Centrepiece to the 90-minute concert was an airing of his latest hit album 'Ten Summoner's Tales'.
The show featured recent chart successes from the ex-Police front man such as 'Seven Days' and the melodic weepy 'Fields Of Gold'.
There was even an out-of-place but lively version of the Beatles' 'A Day In The Life'.
But the near sell-out audience roared with delight when Sting peeled back the years and dusted off classic Police tracks such as 'Roxanne', 'King Of Pain' and 'Every Breath You Take'.
His backing band switched seamlessly from the tight complexities of Police to the jazz-influenced tempos and upbeat rock of the new Sting sound.
An impressive light show was enhanced by a host of colourful backdrops which fluttered to the ground to reveal abstract images, paintings or gossamer drapes.
(c) Wolverhampton Express and Star by Dale Williams
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