Sting 3.0

Sting tells Liverpool crowd city 'reminds him of home' in meteoric return...

The musical icon went ahead with his set, despite a very sad start to the night

The much-anticipated return of Sting to Liverpool after 46 years ended up being not just a conventional concert, but helped raise the spirits of a rain-soaked and shaken crowd. With the star headlining the fourth and final day of On The Waterfront festival in the shadow of The Three Graces, those in attendance experienced a rollercoaster evening.

Support act and local band The Christians were entertaining fans with a selection of hit singles when drummer Lionel Duke suffered a cardiac arrest on stage. Thanks to the incredible work of the emergency services, the performer was stabilised before being rushed to Broadgreen Hospital.

With the blessing of the band, it was announced that Sting would go ahead with his set. As the rain finally halted, The Police's former frontman took to the stage with their 1979 number one classic Message In A Bottle. Full of energy, he instantly raised the spirits of the crowd.

Jumping forward 45 years, the audience was introduced to the recently released I Wrote Your Name (Upon My Heart) before returning to familiar favourites of the 80s and 90s with If I Ever Lose My Faith In You and Englishman In New York.

Throughout his 2025 tour, Sting is supported by superb guitarist and long-time collaborator Dominic Miller as well as the extremely talented drummer Chris Maas. With the lead man on vocals and bass, it's clear the trio enjoy performing together.

Acknowledging the much-needed change in the weather, Sting spoke to the crowd for the first time and said: "Hello Liverpool. I'm glad the sun is shining out there." He announced that his last performance in the city was in 1979 - prior to that the North Eastern born singer had played at famed music venue Eric's in 1977. Situated opposite the Cavern Club, it has also hosted legends such as The Sex Pistols, Elvis Costello, The Clash, Talking Heads and more.

The multi-talented performer continued to fire out classic tracks from his repertoire such as Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic, Can't Stand Losing You and Wrapped Around Your Finger. During Fields Of Gold, he commented on how Liverpool reminded him of "home", as he also said to the crowd: "I know some of you are red and some are blue but I don't care, sing with me."

The man whose talents have covered both stage and screen gave an amazing rendition of Shape Of My Heart, used to great effect in a number of movies including the classic Leon.

During the second half of the set, hit after hit followed including The Police's second UK number one Walking On The Moon, So Lonely, and King Of Pain. Ending with the Ivor Novello award-winning song Every Breath You Take, 1983, there's no mistaking why it spent four weeks at number one and was voted Song Of The Year by Rolling Stone magazine.

The trio left the stage to rapturous applause before returning for an encore of Roxanne, and finally Fragile. Just before the final song, Sting sat down to update the crowd on the condition of The Christians' percussionist.

He said: "The drummer from The Christians is having an operation right now at Broadgreen Hospital. So, I want us to think about him very carefully and wish him all the best, strength, comfort. His name is Lionel Duke."

Leaving the stage, the 73-year-old musical icon promised a very satisfied crowd that he'd be back. Let's hope he is, sooner rather than later.

(c) The Liverpool Echo by Nina Crighton

Sting on the Waterfront – Pier Head, Liverpool, 22 June 2025...

It’s been some years since I last saw Sting play live, but the instant he took to the stage I had the same sense of being in the presence of a consummate musician, whose relaxed grace makes being a bassist and frontman look deceptively easy. He certainly brought better weather with him, after an earlier deluge had people rushing to take shelter under the awnings of the bars and food stalls around the perimeter of the Pier Head concourse. The Liver Buildings and other ‘Graces’ of the Liverpool waterfront provide a hugely photogenic backdrop for events – except when you can barely see them for the rain.

His evident joy at the connection his music made with the crowd was infectious. So many tracks on his set-list are so well known and well loved, it’s impossible to pick a favourite. With hits such as Message in a Bottle, Walking on the Moon, and So Lonely all sounding as fresh as the day they were released, it’s hard to believe some date back to the late seventies. I’m not entirely sure whether some of these tracks were written with live call-and-response in mind, but they work perfectly that way.

With over half the songs drawn from the heyday of The Police, it’s a crowd-pleasing set from an artist who has nothing to prove, when the more obviously commercial move might have been to promote more recent offerings. As it is, tracks like If I Ever Lose My Faith In You, Englishman in New York and Fields of Gold proves his songwriting ability didn’t end when he went solo.

If you ask music lovers to name the best ever bassist, you’d probably hear names like Nile Rogers, Paul McCartney, Flea, John Paul Jones, John Entwistle, Aston “Familyman” Barrett, James Jamerson, Carol Kaye, Bootsy Collins, Jack Bruce, Peter Hook, and maybe a few others. Make no mistake: Sting belongs on that list.

And if that claim seems fanciful, just revisit his back catalogue. Whether infused with rock, or jazz, or reggae, the catchiest tracks – and the funkiest – were all written by Sting. Even if you don’t consider yourself a fan, you’ll be amazed at how many songs you already know and love.

With longtime collaborator Dominic Miller on guitar and Chris Maas (formally of Mumford and Sons) on drums, it was difficult to believe that such a rich, warm, full sound was being produced by just three musicians. They make such a tight unit, it took me a little while to realise they hadn’t been joined by a synth player about halfway through the set – presumably thanks to some technical wizardry on Miller’s guitar.

There was no way on earth they’d be allowed to leave without playing an encore, although when he asked the crowd what they’d like to hear, Sting did affect reluctance to go along with the unanimous call for Roxanne. No matter: he was given little choice when his bandmates launched into the track anyway.

Earlier in the evening, the torrential rain had threatened to put a literal and figurative dampener on the event, but this was completely overshadowed by something infinitely more serious. Shortly into support act The Christians’ set, drummer Lionel Duke was suddenly taken ill. The gravity of the situation was brought into sharp focus by urgent calls for a medic. From the instant hush that came over the crowd it was crystal clear that the only concern was for Lionel’s wellbeing. 

The stillness was punctuated only by those with medical training heading for the stage, while the rest of us just stood there hoping desperately for the best. I have no idea how long Lionel received first aid, though it seemed like a long time; that the arms of those holding up the hastily-erected screens must have been aching.

Eventually some good news arrived – Lionel had a pulse, and would be taken to Broadgreen Hospital. The cheer this news provoked was a heartfelt, almost guttural sound of relief, quite unlike anything I’ve ever heard or indeed uttered.

How appropriate and moving, then, that (after updating us with welcome news of Lionel’s improvement) Sting dedicated his last song – Fragile – to the drummer. The intricate beauty of Sting’s solo Spanish-style guitar-picking has never sounded so delicate, or more poignant.

On and on the rain will fall 

Like tears from a star 

Like tears from a star 

On and on the rain will say 

How fragile we are 

How fragile we are.

Like Sting, and everyone else, I wish Lionel a speedy recovery.

(c) The Broken Spine by Ed Barrett