Sting
Sting 3.0 Live
Interscope/A&M
Multi-Grammy winning artist Sting is my favorite all-time singer/songwriter, and after all this time (yes, pun intended), he can still bring it in a large way. In 2003, he was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as the bassist/singer of The Police along with Stewart Copeland and Andy Summers. His vast, eclectic catalog both with The Police and as a solo artist has remained a constant throughout my life from my teens to today. This live recording from the Sting 3.0 World Tour offers a tiny glimpse into the genius that is Sting.
Produced by Martin Kierszenbaum, the digital 10-track live release features five fresh takes on songs from The Police catalog as well as five of his solo compositions (with a snippet of a sixth). His vocals are still spot-on, and the tight power trio comprised of Sting, longtime guitarist, Dominic Miller and drummer Chris Maas (Mumford & Sons, Maggie Rogers), slays it on every song.
Opening with a dreamy guitar intro from Miller contrasted with a driving drum beat from Maas, the trio was off and running with their twist on The Police classic, “Message In A Bottle.” After the opening notes, Sting shouted Los Angeles!!!! as the crowd roared its approval. Sting’s bass is prominently discernible, and his vocals have never sounded better. It is truly amazing to hear him STILL hitting the notes he hit almost 50 years ago, including his signature “EEE OOO.” After appropriately opening with a Police cut, it was on to four solo songs.
“Do you know this song? It’s not about L.A.,” Sting joked as he dove into “Englishman In New York.” Ever engaging, he incorporated several moments of crowd call-and-response throughout the live tracks.
Slowing down the tempo with one of his most beautiful compositions, Sting graced fans with “Fields of Gold” and told them, “If you’re with your partner, just grab them by the hand. Give them a little cuddle.”
Lightening up the mood with the tongue-in-cheek ditty “Seven Days,” Sting then included “All This Time,” a track that still sends shivers up my spine and always will.
Back to The Police material, Sting and company tackled meaty versions of “Driven To Tears” (“So I’m not sure what event triggered [“Driven To Tears]. There have been so many since.”), “Synchronicity II,” the chart-topping “Every Breath You Take,” and fan fave, “Roxanne.” Not only does Sting still nail the notes in “Roxanne,” but he does so effortlessly. Sting aficionados will love the snip of “Be Still My Beating Heart” in the middle of “Roxanne.” It is the first live version of it ever released.
The only possible choice for the closer definitely was “Fragile,” which is literally my all-time favorite song ever from anyone. His performance of it in Italy the evening of the American terrorist attacks, September 11, 2001, will remain with me forever.
Whether you are a longtime fan or new to Sting, this live recording is a must-have for any collection.
Available worldwide April 25: digital (10 songs), CD (9 songs), and vinyl (9 songs). A Record Store Day Deluxe Edition (2-disc vinyl) was released April 12.
