Sting - a great rock experience...
A furious 'Shadows in the Rain' ignited the Sting performance in the King's Hall on Saturday and set the pace for most of the concert, which lasted more than two hours with three encores. Sting's band, billed on promotion leaflets as "some of the world's greatest musicians", are Branford Marsalis (saxophones), Darryl Jones (bass guitar), Kenny Kirkland (keyboards). Omar Hakim (drums), and Dollettee McDonald and Janice Pendarvis supporting vocals).
It was undoubtedly the charisma of the blonde singer which pulled a sizeable audience to the Belfast venue. But with such an impressive line-up of black American jazzmen, this was never going to be the Sting-plus-backing-musicians' show. Each was allowed self-indulgent solos and at one stage the drummer made us gasp at what must have been a five-minute extravaganza. The repertoire naturally concentrated on the album Sting assembled the bunch to record 'The Dream of the Blue Turtles'. ('Russians' and 'We Work the Black Seam', a haunting piece about last year's miners' strike, are worth mentioning).
He was keen to show off what he has been experimenting with since his supposed temporary departure from The Police. The teaming up of vocalist and exceptionally talented group of jazz rockers has worked extremely well, as the album and now the tour are proving.
There were old Police favourites too. One of the highlights was a medley of 'Bring on the Night' and 'When the World is Running Down, You Make the Best of What's Still Around', with a brilliant piano solo and a good-fun session of rapping and dancing.
The set would have suffered had the Police "classics" been neglected, for these best showed Sting's distinctive strains. His moody rendering of 'Roxanne' was superb. He sang alone on stage for this, plucking a guitar, later accompanied by a lyrical saxophone.
The audience also loved 'Invisible Sun', a song about the province's Troubles; 'Every Breath You Take', and the parting, unaccompanied, 'Message in a Bottle'.
Two or three rollicking jazz numbers, which Sting and the band probably intended as a finale until the crowd demanded more, were a real treat.
The entire concert, marred only by the very occasional "feedback" screeches, was a great rock experience. I have rarely been to a more energetic and vibrant show.
(c) Belfast Telegraph by Gwyneth Jones
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