The Sting at the Center Bell: His Songs, Our Memories

The opinion was fully shared, except for a small reservation: the interpretation of the songs was so identical to the studio versions that I had the impression that I was in my living room and not at a concert. At least, that’s what I remember.

A quick return to present-day Montreal this evening May 5, 2022, this time at the Bell Center. More than half of the concert Sting gave us was filled with re-readings structuring One of his classics published on disc Songsin 2019, and more recent compositions from the album the bridgereleased last year.

Objectively speaking, when Sting took the stage at 8:45 p.m. with his eight musicians and backup singers, a quarter of an hour after eating the usual appetizers that his son Joe Sumner had served us for years, the 10,500 people present at Bell Center paid little attention to notions of musical Modernism.

worth remembering

This is what often happens when an artist presents themselves with an early showing that is worthy of a show. Onlookers had barely caught a glimpse of the neon orange British jersey and black leather shorts when everyone recognized the opening bars of the British jersey. message in the bottle Which stirred up the crowd.

Instant sequence of The Police collection reference to the Sting with . ammo If you love someone set them freehere, rearranged and slightly embellished with the participation of musician Shane Saqr who will have the lion’s share in this concert, the accompaniment section.

How is everyone? Are things okay?asked Sting, in French, who needn’t be afraid of a negative shriek because he’s always gone on great talk An Englishman in New Yorkpunctuated by a cover…sorry, many covers on the drums during the central instrument bridge.

The crowd quickly seized the chorus and Sting reanimated ten times in place of one key phrase in this classic: “Be yourself, no matter what they say.” Everything you do is magic They completed the first 20 minutes and lived at full speed.

Want to succeed? I saw that. The bad news: Here are the new songsSting quipped, before sitting on a chair.

How do we define success? He asked before remembering the tale from 1978 when someone woke him up whistling Roxanne in the street.

This is a success!hammering, noting that it was the idea of ​​the whistling melody that led to it If love, a new earworm type song that hits the mark. In a more classic form, for her love He evokes what a man should do for a woman, while I love youWith beautiful intensity, he highlighted the work of the bass player more than that of the singer. rushing water, Energizing, wrapping up the new segment that shows Gordon Sumner still has a talent for writing. For an introduction…

one for I hung my head It was delicious, when he indicated that he wanted to be two things when he was young: Be a musician, be a cowboy. His love for country music comes from there. sequence with a gold fields Bathing in the yellow light was fun.

The age of seventy is appropriate

70-year-old Sting, but doesn’t seem to be a second, writes Philip Rezzonico.

Photo: Agence France-Presse / Christophe Gatau

Sting is now 70 years old, but physically it doesn’t look like a second. You’d swear he’s under 40 and sounded like a ’90s sound to me. By the way, that was when Sumner shared it. A whole new day With Sager—who beautifully replaced Stevie Wonder who played the harmonica on the studio version—I realized that Sting was also a director.

The first clip of four timeless songs from the ’70s and ’80s, Personal or with The Police, a second piece exclusively composed of four titles from 2021, then a series of four songs from ’90s albums, the latest heart shape. Simple and effective concept.

At this point, we can also expect the sequel, the final sequel to the genre, Hello The Police. First notes from wrapped around your finger He announced the hit streak immortalized from the time Sting burned the boards with Stewart Copeland and Andy Summers.

It was then that the quality of the instrumentalists—particularly Dominic Miller’s guitar playing—and Sting’s sense of improvisation were a hit. walking on the moon It became a song that was answered by the audience and stand upBob Marley is related to the latter. I was immediately transported to the Olympic Stadium in 1988, when Sting, Bruce Springsteen, Peter Gabriel, Tracy Chapman, Yossou N’Dour, Michelle Revard and Daniel Lavoie revived it at the AI ​​gala.

Sting stayed in the same vein with very lonely, another lead song from disc one of the police. Here, I remembered where I first heard it at the age of fifteen… Sting explained the genesis of this reggae-inspired song that combined another pop song and the Wailers, no woman no cry. The black lady to my left was dancing her life. it was amazing.

Desert Rose It was the only song that Sting promoted during the house stretch, but it swept the crowd with its Arabic flavors. when king of pain The spectator in front of me happily turned around, astonishing me: Like a round Songs These are Sting’s songs, but the memories are ours according to our age and our relationship to the British job. I can’t help but think of the first blonde who listened to the legendary every breath you take…

As expected and as usual, Roxannereformulated, had the desired effect, by tearful Do not tear everything. Just to calm things down before he hits the road again, Sting wrapped up his nearly two-hour concert on acoustic guitar mode with the new release. the bridge Which symbolizes the bond between all present generations.

Finally, whether with a faithful approach to studio releases or with interpretations of modified arrangements, Sting manages time and time again to meet expectations.

In the end, she left the Bell Center in the same state of mind she had been in the Forum for nearly 30 years.

But not for a moment I felt like I was in my living room…