Soul Cages: 1991/92

Sting: Pain and joy - Stylish pop-rock star gives Salem crowd of 9,000 a good time...

Sting may be a brooding intellectual and a rich, inaccessible sex symbol, but that doesn't mean he doesn't know how to have fun.

The popular British rock star balanced his serious side with his knack for catchy, even bouncy pop in an impressive show Wednesday night at Salem's L.B. Day Amphitheater. And though he wasn't able to hide his pain - either the emotional kind that runs like a dark river through his songs or the sore throat that caused him to cancel a scheduled Tuesday-night concert - he managed to turn it into happiness for a crowd of about 9,000.

Taking the stage after opening sets by Special Beat (a British band that includes former members of the ska bands the Specials and the English Beat) and Vinx, a solo percussionist and singer, Sting was as unassuming as a glamorous international star can be. Black T-shirt, black jeans, tall black jack boots - an outfit as lean and mean as the band that backed the crafty pop stylist.

The backing band for Sting's early solo efforts was a large, mercurial, jazz-schooled ensemble featuring pianist Kenny Kirkland and saxophonist Branford Marsalis. But now he sports uses a less fluid but more focused band, anchored by his own deceptively economical bass work.

Drummer Vinnie Colaiuta, an alumnus of Frank Zappa's musical boot camp, nailed down both world-music-inspired excursions and moody tone poems with strength and sensitivity.

Guitarist Dominic Miller, true to the spacious sonic spirit of Sting's old band, the Police, relied on subtle tonal shifts and odd timing, rather than gratuitious sprays of notes.

But the secret weapon was keyboardist David Sancious (if you think you know the name, pull out the first two Bruce Springsteen albums). Sancious' inventive embellishments provided abundant color and texture to Sting's compositions. And his blistering solo on 'When the World Is Running Down', a graceful torrent of pianistics that split the difference between the styles of Kenny Kirkland and Billy Preston, was the evening's highlight.

Sting himself showed some of the vocal strain that caused the cancellation of his first show at the Amphitheater, but only when he needed quick mobility or sustained tones in his high register. Otherwise, he performed well, relating easily to the crowd, leading it in sing-alongs, and generally keeping the proceedings light.

After opening with his recent hit 'All This Time' and 'Jeremiah Blues Part 1', Sting did get a bit morose. 'Mad About You', and 'Why should I Cry for You?' bracketed a cover of Bill Wither's, 'Ain't No Sunshine When She's Gone', which betrayed Sting's stiffness as a soul crooner but was an admirable choice, nonetheless. But the show's blue period was brief.

A series of Police tunes followed that kept the crowd on its feet. 'Roxanne' induced a shout-along response, and the nostalgia-mania continued with 'Bring On the Night', 'King of Pain', and 'Fortress Around Your Heart'.

By which point the show was off and running. A searing cover of Hendrix's 'Purple Haze' was among the highlights, as was a rousing 'Message in a Bottle', in which Special Beat star Ranking Roger joined on vocals.

(c) The Oregonian by Marty Hughley

Sting Uncaged! - King of Pain shows lighter side of soul...

It was an evening of solid music Wednesday as Sting took command of the L.B. Day Amphitheater in Salem.

Sting, former lead singer of The Police, played almost two hours of his trademark music. 

Sting walked the stage with little fanfare. Needing no introduction, he started with 'The River Flows', one hit off his latest album, 'Soul Cages'.

Wearing solid black, Sting kept the twentysomething audience of 6,300 on its toes, as he played songs ranging from 'Roxanne', from his days with The Police, to the title track of 'Soul Cages'.

Jazzy instrumentals, sultry ballads and upbeat rock numbers made for the perfect con- cert combination. He added his version of Jimi Hendrix's 'Excuse Me While I Kiss the Sky' and Bill Withers' 'Ain't No Sunshine'.

Saving some of the best for last, Sting brought opening act Vinx and his drum-on stage for 'Set Them Free', and he stayed for the remaining 'Walking On the Moon' and megahit 'Every Breath You Take'.

Reggae band Special Beat, the first act of the night, joined in for the final song, 'Message In A Bottle'.

Sting returned for a few encores, getting screams and cheers as he sang 'Fragile'.

The weather was perfect for the outdoor concert but not so perfect for neighbours of the fair- grounds as Salem Police registered 48 noise complaints from the show. Sgt. Jon Costelow said Sting was within city decibel limits, but warm breezes carried the sound farther than normal.

(c) The Statesman Journal by Dawn Viahandress

Sting gives quality concert in Salem...

The LB. Day Amphitheatre has hosted several musicians this summer, including Styx, M.C. Hammer and George Thorogood. But if any show was best suited for the outdoor ambience, it was that of Sting.

The 39-year-old Englishman performed at the amphitheatre Wednesday in front of more than 4,000 people, as he continues to promote his latest LP 'Soul Cages'.

Known as an English teacher named Gordon Matthew Sumner at one point, Sting continues to give his audience an education in the classics. Sting may be a rocker, but his music often delves into jazz, classical and at times, marimba.

Sting's fans regard him as a cut above the rocker whose only interests lie in sex, drugs and rock'n'roll. After all, he has toured for the political rights group Amnesty International three times in addition to his own shows. They also point to his lyrical and musical diversity.

But critics counter by accusing Sting of being everything from pompous to simply boring.

Admittedly, Sting failed to rock like Thorogood or roll like the Hammer Wednesday evening. But Sting was the better musician.

He began the show with 'All This Time' and 'Mad About You', the two singles from 'Soul Cages'. 'All This Time' marked Sting's first Top 10 single since The Police disbanded in 1986.

He continued with two more songs from 'Soul Cages'. The music was fine, but the rockers were getting drowsy. Then one name thrust the crowd into a frenzy.

"Rooox-anne.

From that point, Sting mixed the selections between the pensive 'Soul Cages', earlier solo tunes and Police classics.

Some in the audience were surprised when keyboardist David Sanchez grabbed a guitar as Sting gave a raucous remake of Jimi Hendrix's 'Purple Haze'.

But even with 'Purple Haze', ̈ Sting's image as the rocking lead singer of the Police continues to dwindle.

It's becoming increasingly difficult to categorize Sting with each passing album. But then any musician who can be heard on heavy metal  Top 40, classical and jazz radio stations would be tough to put a finger on.

Sting's fans are right when they say he is better than most musicians, and his critics could be correct when they say he's egotistical.

But judging from the fact that the listener will never know what he or she will get at his concerts or with each successive album, Sting could hardly be called boring. He certainly wasn't on a pleasant, though slightly hazy night in Salem this week.

(c) The Albany Democrat Herald by James S. Tyree