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