Sting 3.0

Sting, timeless in front of a captivated audience...

The singer got the crowd moving Tuesday evening on the Luxexpo forecourt.

Nothing better to start than singing the famous "Message in a Bottle." That's what Sting did Tuesday evening on the Luxexpo forecourt. The British singer, all smiles, got the crowd singing and moving right from the start with this hit from his "The Police" era. "Sending out an SOS," the audience repeated tirelessly. With his confident voice, the star thrilled the audience, mostly in shorts, at a time when the temperatures were starting to become bearable.

The audience, of all ages, was also treated to lesser-known songs, which they listened to attentively. Sting, for his part, delivered the show musically but also thanks to his formidable stage presence, stoic and solid at 73 years old. He regularly communicated with the audience, particularly to introduce his musicians, including Chris Maas. "On drums, a son of Luxembourg," he said in French in the lyrics. "Merci, Danke schön, thank you!" he also added later.

"Englishman in New York" particularly captured the audience's attention, as they were invited to sing along to the chorus while Sting watched with his arms crossed. The ballads "Fields of Gold" and "Shape of My Heart" were stunning, as were "All This Times," "A Thousand Years," and "Driven to Tears," which unfolded as the lights faded. The audience, always ready to sing along, seemed to genuinely appreciate this well-paced, energetic yet not deafeningly loud performance.

The highlight of the show came towards the end, under dim lighting, when Sting and his band belted out the opening notes of the hit "Every Breath You Take," a recognizable anthem. They then continued with "Roxanne," an equally iconic song. It was all it took to inject even more good cheer into the audience, already captivated by this beautiful evening that truly marked the beginning of summer.

(c) L'Essential by Joseph Gaulier

Grand Ducal Visit for Sting at the Open Air...

Sting once again thrilled thousands of fans in the Grand Duchy on a hot Tuesday evening.

"Message in a Bottle" kicked things off – setting the tone for the evening with Gordon Sumner, aka Sting. On the evening of July 1st, the Brit performed at the LuxExpo Open Air. And, of course, both the Police classics and his solo hits from the past were highlights of the evening in Kirchberg.

Even though the small line-up presents challenges for such a concert. Sting performed as a trio on the 3.0 Tour with only Luxembourg drummer Chris Maas – who will be interviewed in the next issue of "Télécran" magazine – and his favourite guitarist, Dominic Miller.

Grand Duchess Maria Teresa and Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume, along with his wife Stéphanie, didn't want to miss Sting live and a Luxembourger on drums. A video on the royal court's Instagram page documents the visit.

The sound – as the videos of the evening also show – was different than usual and, compared to other open-air concerts, a maximum reduction, following the motto "back to basics." But for many fans, it was simply an experience to hear "Englishman in New York," "Fields of Gold," "Shape of My Heart," "Every Breath You Take," "Fragile," and "Roxanne" live in such a special way.

Those who arrived early enough were able to experience a special artist. Even though Jarle Bernhoft was already more in the spotlight, he showed what he's capable of. His unusual concept of building songs with extensive looping techniques might otherwise seem rather small-scale. But like Sting, the Norwegian set a precedent that you can do a lot with very little.

(c) Luxemburger Wort by Daniel Conrad