Sting at Radio City...
Sold out was plastered all over the fly posters; but selling in would have been more appropriate. Sting has come full circle in the ten years since The Police's first single, 'Nothing Achieving', a punk thrash.
Well, there were no spiky tops tonight. A 5,000 strong audience emerged from basements and subways after Hurricane Gloria had swept the streets of New York clean. And why? To see Sting singing, skanking and flailing his arms like a white Bob Marley along with America's highest paid black session musicians, including Branford Marsalis (athletic bass and dapper suit) and Omar Hakim (drums). Sting frequently withdrew from the limelight to allow these classy jazz/blues professionals the freedom to rock.
When up front, Sting charmed the audience with warmth, charisma and energy. He danced with the band, racing from corner to corner of the stage and introduced songs to cheers of delight on a simply lit stage. A mix of solo and Police songs were punctuated by occasional drum solos and overly-long jamming sessions.
'Love Is The Seventh Wave' and the new love song, 'If You Love Somebody Set Them Free' plus 'Roxanne' and 'Message In A Bottle' were ecstatically received, leading to the match-and-lighter-igniting ritual.
The audience are here for him. He's sexy, fit, charming, intelligent and rich. Therein lies his appeal - an icon of achievement and a natural performer.
(c) Record Mirror by Vicki Victory
Sold out was plastered all over the fly posters; but selling in would have been more appropriate. Sting has come full circle in the ten years since The Police's first single, 'Nothing Achieving', a punk thrash.
Well, there were no spiky tops tonight. A 5,000 strong audience emerged from basements and subways after Hurricane Gloria had swept the streets of New York clean. And why? To see Sting singing, skanking and flailing his arms like a white Bob Marley along with America's highest paid black session musicians, including Branford Marsalis (athletic bass and dapper suit) and Omar Hakim (drums). Sting frequently withdrew from the limelight to allow these classy jazz/blues professionals the freedom to rock.
When up front, Sting charmed the audience with warmth, charisma and energy. He danced with the band, racing from corner to corner of the stage and introduced songs to cheers of delight on a simply lit stage. A mix of solo and Police songs were punctuated by occasional drum solos and overly-long jamming sessions.
'Love Is The Seventh Wave' and the new love song, 'If You Love Somebody Set Them Free' plus 'Roxanne' and 'Message In A Bottle' were ecstatically received, leading to the match-and-lighter-igniting ritual.
The audience are here for him. He's sexy, fit, charming, intelligent and rich. Therein lies his appeal - an icon of achievement and a natural performer.
(c) Record Mirror by Vicki Victory
PHOTOS
