Sting & Shaggy: The 44/876 Tour

The power of positive energy. Sting and Shaggy at Ergo Arena...

The Sting and Shaggy duo is one of the biggest musical surprises of the year. When the artists announced they were planning a joint album, their fans were amazed, but the single "Don't Make Me Wait" quickly dispelled any doubts and proved there was method to their madness. The combination of Caribbean rhythms with a pop sound also proved to be the basis for a great tour, as evidenced by the artists' Monday performance at Ergo Arena.

It might seem that Sting and Shaggy's music is polar opposites, and their hits are so memorable that they shouldn't be re-arranged. Apparently, Sting and Shaggy disagree, resulting in the release of the incredibly fresh and musically surprising album "44/876," and the artists embarking on a joint tour.

The title of the album refers to the area codes - 44 for Great Britain and - 876 for Jamaica, although Jamaica is the key in this cooperation, this brought the two artists together. Shaggy has always been close to reggae music and Caribbean culture, but Sting claims he fell in love with the Caribbean and wrote one of his biggest hits, "Every Breath You Take," there.

The 44/876 Tour, however, features not only songs from their joint album, but also completely new, surprising arrangements of their greatest hits and a stage show, primarily created by Shaggy. This is worth emphasizing, because the concert's visuals (apart from the spectacular lighting) are rather modest – no large screens, visuals, or special effects. And while this makes a good impression up close, unfortunately, audience members seated in the far corners of the Ergo Arena may have been disappointed. The same was true of the sound system, which was somewhat lacking in the sections.

The concert opened with one of Sting's biggest hits, "Englishman in New York," in a new version that echoed the Caribbean atmosphere of the tour. It was a big surprise for the fans, and a great introduction to the concert. That evening, we had the opportunity to hear many more of Sting's immortal hits, both solo and from his time with "The Police," in refreshed arrangements. "Message in a Bottle," "Shape of My Heart," "Every Breath You Take," and "Fields of Gold" (during which the audience raised their flashlights) were also featured.

Although Sting was the main vocal star of the evening, Shaggy's fans had no reason to complain. The Jamaican star is a true stage animal. Shaggy entertained the audience, complimented the Polish women, encouraged the crowd to join in the fun, and even took on the role of a stern prosecutor during "Crooked Tree." Of course, his hits, such as "It Wasn't Me," "Hey Sexy Lady," and "Angel," were also included.

Sting and Shaggy's hits were interspersed with songs from their collaborative album, such as "Don't Make Me Wait," "Morning Is Coming," and "Dreaming in the U.S.A." Thanks to this, the audience, who were not necessarily familiar with the latest album, had the opportunity to become familiar with it without losing the good humour that the well-known hits put them in.

The fans were also very enthusiastic about the song, a hybrid of Shaggy's "Boombastic" and Sting's "Roxanne," played as the concert's finale. However, the audience wouldn't let the artists leave the stage so quickly, prompting them to play two additional encores. Sting ultimately concluded the concert with "Fragile," before which he and Shaggy toasted with Polish vodka. It was the perfect culmination of the two-hour concert.

The joint project by Sting and Shaggy is light, joyful, and devoid of unnecessary pomposity. It's a musical breath of warm wind straight from Jamaica, which we will sorely miss in Poland during the coming cold months. However, this isn't classic reggae; it's a musical hybrid that defies conventional definitions. An experiment that will delight some and discourage others. Monday's concert, however, demonstrated that there are definitely more of the former.

Sting and Shaggy drew a huge crowd to Ergo Arena, infusing them with positive energy. If every week started with such a successful and joyful concert, no one would complain about Mondays.