Review, that is. I have about 15 minutes in which to write this Vegas review, so here goes. I'd love to write about pre- and post-show activities and all the great people who were there, but I just don't have the time. Suffice to say, it was wonderful to see some folks again, great to meet others for the first (and hopefully not last) time. If anyone won big $$, I want to hear about it. We missed you Dawn and Jen. I can't remember the order of the set list, but Sophia wrote a great review on Sting.com that includes the set list. So if that's your passion, check there. I thought it was interesting that the review Sting.com used was Sophia's and not the scathing review from the Las Vegas paper that was posted to the list. I know it's a FAN site, but you can't take the good without the bad..... Anyway, in brief: The Aladdin is a nice venue. New (with cup holders!) and clean. The sound from where I was sitting was excellent. Lots of people with cameras. There was no searches whatsoever. Security where I sat was good; pretty laid back. But I did hear that some of the people in the pit had overzealous security folks. The crowd was decidedly older, and I saw many, many men wearing suits and women in dresses. But I'd say the lower third of the folks in the venue were on their feet for most of the faster songs. Hardly anyone in the higher-up seats or the balcony was standing. ("I paid for this seat, and damn it, I'm going to sit in it!") I heard about half of the Rufus Wainwright (sp!) opening set. He was OK (I've heard worse, believe me), but nothing to write home about. I'm sure he's very talented. That just wasn't the venue for him. He was funny and kind of charming, which really has nothing to do with his music. I certainly don't understand the gush-o-rama that the Vegas newspaper review contained. I got my seat through the Aladdin box office and couldn't have been happier unless I was front row center. I had a great view and could dance in the isle. I think I was actually closer than some of the pit seats. The women behind me were great about not caring if I stood up (which is highly unusual). Sitting next to me was Vh1 star and resident belly dancer Angie, and her significant other, Greg. Angie had her sign ready ("Sting, I want to belly dance for you") and was prepared to bring Desert Rose to life. (This despite being in a SEVEN CAR ACCIDENT just a day or two before!). Sting forgot to play Roxanne and had to add it in the encore. The reason he forgot???? I think it's because he had seen Angie's sign, was thinking ahead to DR and just jumped over Roxanne in the set list. Way to be a distraction, Angie! Angie got to dance, and did a fine job. Sting talked with her for a few moments before the song. He knew she'd danced with him several times and asked about the last time, which made for a funny joke about Boston being in Maine (see Sophia's review). He also asked where her husband was, and why he let her come to Vegas by herself. (Gee Angie, now the whole world (or at least 7,000 people), knows!) He danced close with her a couple of times. At the end of the song he kissed her hand and spoke to her. Angie, I forgot to ask you what he said.... Sting was very talkative. He mentioned that this was the last show of the tour (do any of us really believe that!?!). I found it interesting that he considered these last few shows a continuing part of the BND tour. I kinda thought of them as the beginning of the All This Time tour. But I guess he's been on the road so long, it all blends together. He talked about Osama bin Laden in four letter words. It's clear that Sept. 11 and all that followed affected him deeply. He made the bin Laden comments right before launching into Englishman. Lots of people cheered when he started. He also joked a lot with Kipper when Kipper's keyboard decided to die for a couple of songs. He told Kipper he was fired, and one of them, either Sting or Kipper said something about it being a "free" gig. At which point several people in the audience laughed. Free, huh? He teased Dom about cutting his hair. Dom seemed like he was in a good mood. He played right in front of me several times. One of the security guards right by Dom was playing "air guitar" the whole time, and Dom seemed to enjoy that and played to him a lot, too. Janice was the only official backup singer (Kipper helped out on a couple of songs from the backup platform). Katreese was not there. The guys who made up the horn section (trumpet and trombone) were having a great time, creating little dance moves and smiling broadly into the crowd. I miss Chris, though. And whereas he always wore a suit or a nice pair of pants and a dress shirt, these new guys were in jeans and T-shirts. Sting wore the same shirt as on the Tonight Show (black stripes and kinda sheer). I couldn't tell about the pants. I could see lots of people in the wings of the stage. Ian was supposed to attend the show but was unable to fly his own plane in because of the weather. (Who knew Vegas could be freezing cold???). It also snowed in the outer areas and had fog. Ian said that right after the show Sting and band flew back to L.A.. Some of them (not sure who) partied a bit at Ian's club. All This Time was as great and danceable as I expected. Seven Days went off (unexpectedly) without a hitch. I think Hounds didn't have the "punch" of the Tuscany version. The "down, down" part wasn't as strong as the CD, and I love that portion. I loved, loved, loved hearing a few lines of Bed's Too Big in the middle of Roxanne. Message was a nice surprise, too. People knew right away to sing along to the Roxanne-os and to Message. That didn't happen at every show I went to (Sacramento, you suck). I would have liked to hear Don't Stand morph into When We Dance, but morphing into Fields of Gold, was OK. What I'd really like to hear is the fast Police version of Don't Stand. Every Little Thing always makes up for any tiny disappointments for me, however. Brand New Day teeters on the edge of country, but I still like it. Not a lot of the audience stood during BND, though. OK, don't kill me, but (though I love it) I'm a bit tired of the BOTN/When the World medley. How many tours has this been?!? How about a One World/Love Is the Seventh Wave medley?? (1986 anyone?). Sting sounded great. (I wasn't totally thrilled with his voice on the Tonight show, so I was a little concerned that 4 performances in 3 days would take their toll). Despite what had to be a grueling three days, he seemed up and chipper. He pulled a female security guard to the stage and danced with her, too. At the end, security pretty much let people in the pit and from the sides move to the stage (which is mid-thigh height, very low). I was able to stand in front on Dom's side for the second encore. Everyone was very nice and there was no pushing and shoving that I could see. Several folks I know (and myself) got handshakes from Sting and others in the band. A woman handed him a rose and he took it. I wish, as the last show of an incredibly long tour, we would have gotten a little something "extra" or a little different set list. You know, a few oldies but goodies like Consider Me Gone....or Ghost Story (lovely for us, but the "beer and bathroom" song for everyone else).... or a special guest or two (you know, a couple of guys named Stew and Andy) or at least Robert Downey Jr. who seems to pop up occasionally. But, it was still a solid show and a joy to be a part of. Anyway, must run. Happy Holidays to all, and to all a good night. Maggie