Sting on Tour - A Ticket to Nostalgia...

Will he remember this concert later? Will the sight of the Berlin Waldbühne, packed with almost 20,000 people, remain in his memory, or will it be the rain clouds threateningly sweeping over the edge of the gigantic amphitheatre stage, breaking open at the first sound of the music? Will he remember the brightly coloured splashes of rain jackets in the audience, the subdued applause after the first few songs, or will only the ecstatic cheers at the end remain?

For the listeners, one might think, every concert is an experience, but for the singer, for months, it was a nightly routine, a vague memory, animated by rhythmic clapping, accompanied by choruses sung along to. In his autobiography, "Broken Music," Sting, despite his polite manner, certainly conveys an impression of the monotony of such tours.

On the other hand, only a very few of those who turned up for the start of Sting's German tour will remember the damp weather, the Thuringian grilled sausage, or the argument with the person in front of them who constantly blocked their view. They will also hopefully immediately forget the giant screens on which, depending on the song, female silhouettes stretched, esoteric plasma sparks glowed, or bomb-dropping airplanes roared overhead.

The fact that the conciliatory, yet also tangibly pop element of Sting's music has grown with each album and that this folkloric, overly expressive poverty of expression was particularly noticeable in the concert is easily repressed anyway. One mood, above all, remains in memory: the singer's figure bathed in light, the twilight descending over the treetops, the familiar sounds of the 'Police' hits, the dreamy, enraptured expression on the faces of those around him. A Sting concert was like a Madeleine substitute, a ticket to nostalgia. The audience has grown older with the fifty-two-year-old.

Sting's new album, "Sacred Love," is certainly no milestone in pop history (FAZ, November 8). But those who still go to see the Rolling Stones, the Beach Boys, Van Morrison, or Bob Dylan today do so not for the latest additions to their repertoire, but because they want to hear music that was memorized long ago. The proof that Sting, too, now belongs to the ranks of these greats, to the classics, was impressively demonstrated this evening: Neither the football match nor the rain left any gaps in the audience.

"Even though there are a lot of people here, I'm not afraid," confessed Rufus Wainwright, the handsome, extraordinarily talented dandy among songwriters. The contrast between the opening soloist and the star could not have been greater. Sitting alone at the grand piano, Wainwright let his clear voice soar into the cloudy sky, oblivious to the disgruntled audience.

The instrument was put away for Sting and cables plugged in. The opening song, "Send Your Love," was almost drowned in electronic mush; a disease that also infected most of the other new songs. The audience was initially reluctant. It took almost an hour before older songs like "Fragile" and "Fields of Gold" not only made their pants rise from the benches, but also their hands fall from their jacket pockets. But then there was no stopping them, even though Sting spoiled his best song of recent years, "Stolen Car," with a hip-hop cover.

Instead, he kept the obligatory plea for world improvement short ('Don't Do Nothing') and instead reminisced about his best days with 'Walking On The Moon', 'Englishman in New York', and 'Roxanne', the evening's glowing highlight. Here, at the heart of his music, even the anthems 'If I Ever Lose My Faith In You' and 'Every Breath You Take' had lost none of their magic. What remains is the memory of a former attitude to life and a remarkable concert - without regret that both are a thing of the past.

(c) Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung by Felicitas von Lovenberg

Gone with the Wind - A pop giant quotes himself: Sting's tour kicks off at the Waldbühne...

Much points to a depressing evening at the Waldbühne. Sting has suffered personal setbacks and written sad songs. In the end, his fans are anything but depressed.

"There is no religion but sex and music," sings Sting in "Send Your Love," and of course, he doesn't mean it that way. Rather, the song that opens the evening at the Waldbühne is a provocative attack against fundamentalists of all stripes, against do-gooder-evil thinkers and warmongers. With its driving rhythm, "Send Your Love" is one of the more upbeat tracks on Sting's new record, which he performs live with a seven-piece backing band.

Berlin marks the start of an open-air tour through five German cities. Despite the football, the Waldbühne is packed; for the sake of the British pop giant, they even miss a match of national importance. Not only the fans, but also the sound suffers from the strong gusts of wind. But the self-appointed guardian of the rainforest can't really be blamed for the weather conditions. At least it's staying dry.

'Sacred Love,' the new album, wasn't created solely under the influence of the general political climate. Gordon Sumner, nicknamed "Sting" (sting) in his youth because of his bee-like sweater, has personally been through some difficult times. His parents died of cancer, and the 53-year-old saw writing his autobiography, "Broken Music," as a kind of therapy. This is clearly evident in "Sacred Love," despite all its musical finesse.

So, much points to a depressive evening. The suspicion is confirmed by the opening act, which Rufus Wainwright denies. A rather lonely man at the piano, who is allowed to indulge his world-weariness for a few, but still too many, songs. As expected, the star of the evening brought a lot of melancholy to the table. Fortunately, the artist, whose songs are considered favourite cover classics among jazz singers and the young pop crowd, can draw on the cornucopia of his 30-year career.

The old Police track "Synchronicity" rocks through the arena as the second number, while Sting intersperses the almost ironic-sounding "Fragile" and "Fields of Gold" between the new songs. Sting uses absolute earworms that almost any other artist would save for the grand finale to lighten the mood.

Nevertheless, the first highlight is the beautiful "Whenever I Say Your Name." A relatively new song that Sting sang on record with soul star Mary C. Blige, and here, with his backing singer, he delivers an equally atmospheric performance. The same applies to 'Stolen Car (Take Me Dancing)', which, with the help of Black Eyed Peas rapper Will I Am as a surprise guest, is far more energetic than on record and absolutely gets your feet moving. For the first time, after a good hour of playing time, the fans stand up, gradually forgetting the inclement weather, and even the sound engineers finally know how to brave the wind in the Waldbühne.

What follows can safely be described as a chart-topping classic: the very jazzy 'Walking On The Moon', and the relatively conventional 'Englishman in New York'. And 'Roxanne', the Police hit from the 1970s; what was a standard three-minute song back then, now becomes a virtuoso quarter-hour thanks to plenty of improvisational skill.

'Dead Man's Rope', which takes up the old song 'Walking In Your Footsteps', is one of many examples of how Sting has been diligently quoting himself for years. He does so at a level unparalleled in the pop industry. And, despite all his stylistic and ideological aspirations, he never loses touch with the rock, punk, soul, or new wave of his earlier days. You sense that the playfulness, the constant experimentation with songs he's performed so many times to large audiences, is still important to him. This also applies at the end of the concert: with the oriental-inspired 'Desert Rose', proof of how naturally Sting incorporates other cultures into his horizons. With 'If I Ever Lose My Faith In You'. And with arguably the most beautiful song ever written about a divorce, 'Every Breath You Take'. Perhaps the former teacher from Wallsend no longer proclaims as many messages as he once did. But he still has a hell of a lot to share.

(c) Berliner Morgenpost by Uwe Sauerwein

On and on the rain will fall...

48 hours after Vienna I was in Berlin. I was actually the first person to turn up to the book singing at 9:30. It was quite funny because the shop didn't open until 10 but there was a side entrance with a security guard on the door. I said that I was here to see Sting and he must have thought I was an official because he let me through. The place Sting was going to sign was down some stairs. I could see the desk and backdrop being prepared so I began to walk down the stairs. This guy came up to me and said ''are you here with Sting'' so I said ''yes'' he then said ''ah you must be Mr Francis'' (meaning Billy). For a moment I though to myself uuummm should I say ''yes'', but honesty got the better of me so I had to say ''no I was just here for the signing'' at which point I was asked to leave the building.

I was desperate to see some of the sights of Berlin so I went away and didn't actually get back to the shop until 1:15 by which time a large queue had developed I joined it but knew I was too far back to get to see him and so it proved as having got about half way down the queue they announced that he had to go.

The concert in the evening took place in a purpose built amphitheatre on the outskirts of the city up near Spandau and by the Olympic stadium. As we waited outside the gates the clouds grew darker and darker an sure enough we were treated to a sharp shower but this was nothing compared to what we were going to get once inside. We could hear the sound check as we waited. They were practising Stolen Car and there was someone rapping. A person in the crowd said that the Black Eyed Peas were going to be there so could this be them?

I had been told by Stepanka about the treacherous nature of the dash to the front as the Waldbühne has a steep flight of very narrow stone steps leading down the slope to the arena area. The sharp shower has nicely greased the steps adding to the 'fun run' to the stage. I was so happy at reaching the bottom without serious injury that I put on a real spurt to reach the stage. Unfortunately however my left hamstring didn't want to go that fast and decided to ping. I really am too old for all this!

To add to the misery the heavens opened twice whilst we were waiting for the show to start with really heavy rain which totally drenched us all. The couple standing next to me offered me a plastic bag which I made an emergency T-shirt out of to try and keep dry. I looked a total prick but hey, what's new!

By the time Sting came on stage we had started to dry out. The set began with 'Send Your Love' and 'Synchronicity II' as in Vienna. To the right of the stage I could see the Black Eyed Peas standing and watching the show. It was obviously then who we had heard during the sound check. More songs from 'Sacred Love' were performed including 'Whenever I Say Your Name' with Joy performing another fantastic solo, she really is amazing.

We were also treated tonight to the two songs omitted in Vienna, 'Walking on the Moon' and 'Stolen Car'. And it was during the latter that Sting invited the BEP onto the stage to perform with him. The girl has an amazing voice and Will i am did his dancing and rapping. It was one of the highlights of the show. Sting also called them back onto the stage for 'Every Breath You Take'. They were a bit slow getting on however so only managed to appear towards the end of the song.

The set ended with the ''new Fragile'' 'A Thousand Years' and another great night for me, as far as Sting was concerned, was over. Jake the cameraman from Sting.com was there filming the show so there should be some footage on the site.

I rounded off my night by going to see Dominic at the A-Trane club. It was nice to get to chat to Dom, Rani, Jason and Keith who were also there. It was a very small club and there were lots of people there and it was very warm. I couldn't believe I had gone from being soaking wet and cold from the rain to boiling hot and wet through sweat on the same night. That's Rock 'n' Roll for ya.

So that's it for a while for me. My next shows are in California in late September early October in the meantime I have to do some serious work to pay off my Credit Card bill. Oh well as I always say it's better than doing jigsaws or crosswords for a hobby.

(c) Andy Finch for Sting.com

Gone with the Wind: Sting's Tour Kick-Off...

It's drafty at the Waldbühne, which is packed despite the European Championship. For Sting's sake, you'd even miss a football match of national importance. The British mega-star intones "Many Miles Away" from the old Police song "Synchronicity II," and unfortunately, his voice also sounds like it's been blown away by the wind. But the self-proclaimed protector of the rainforest, who is kicking off his open-air tour through Germany in Berlin, can't do anything about the strong gusts of wind.

"Sacred Love," which he presents with a seven-piece backing band, was created under the influence of the global political climate. Sting has also had a difficult personal time: his parents died of cancer, and the writing of his autobiography, "Broken Music," coincided with a depressive phase. "Sacred Love" is characterized by extremely contemplative songs, which he lightens up in concert with songs from earlier years.

During 'Stolen Car,' backed by a rapper, the fans stand up for the first time, the inclement weather is forgotten, and even the sound engineers finally know how to brave the wind. What follows is like a chart parade: 'Walking On The Moon,' 'Englishman in New York,' 'Roxanne': Played hundreds of times, but with an artist whose desire to experiment is always evident, the songs always sound new. Perhaps Sting doesn't proclaim as many messages as he once did. But he still has a hell of a lot to share.

(c) Die Welt