Fellow Sting Things,
I'm interested in feedback from those who have already seen Sting's tour. I
attended the Tampa show this past week. My thoughts?
-I loved seeing Sting in an intimate venue. The setting provides for some
gems that can't be mined from large arenas. For instance, Dominic would pick
one female fan from the crowd, make eye contact, and play his guitar "for her
only." That must have been magical for the lucky lady. And Sting was able to
easily and charmingly banter with the crowd. At one point, while explaining
the creative process behind "Stolen Car," a woman screamed, "I love you, Sting!"
To which Sting joked, "Madam, I'm trying to reach you on an INTELLECTUAL
level." We all had a hearty laugh.
-"Hole in My Life" had them dancing in the aisles. Great addition to the set
list! And the reworked version of "Roxanne," is always a crowd pleaser. On
the other hand, I wanted to hear "If You Love Somebody, Set Them Free," "Every
Little Thing She Does Is Magic," and "Message in a Bottle." Yes, I've never
missed Sting in concert, so I know he's routinely played those songs. But
still, I missed them. With Sting paring the show down to 2 hours, some of his
classics will be casualties of time. I understand the constraints. But allow
me my gripe. Maybe I'm spoiled after seeing him clock in at over three hours
on the Nothing Like the Sun, tour. THAT was the most fun I've ever had at a
concert.
-Does anyone else feel "A Thousand Years" is out of place among the encores?
Great song. I loved hearing it in concert. But it should be played earlier
in the show. When mixed in with the other, high-energy encores, "Thousand
Years" is a momentum-breaker.
-What do you think of the background imagery? On some of the songs such as
"Dead Man's Rope," it worked. But on other songs, all that arty imagery of
dancers was a bit too "John Tesh." Someone in the crowd even said, "Man, this
looks like a James Bond movie." If you've seen the show, you'll know what I'm
talking about. Like it or not, Sting is moving more and more in the direction
of New Age music. He has one foot, or at least one toe, in the same genre as
Yanni. That's just the way it is. Get used to it. Expect a reading from
Deepak Chopra on the next album. Or maybe even a rap. "Tupac" Deepak busts some
def rhymes with the StingDog?
-Overall? Another fine performance. I'm never disappointed in Sting. My
criticisms come from my high expectations. Maybe I want perfection from the
man. But if anyone can deliver perfection, it's Sting. That's why I'm a fan.
-Any thoughts? Feel free to disagree.
HAPPY SUPER BOWL!
Johnny Nitro
