Photo Credit: Felix Hick
Words: Abi Jones
Known for his impressive bass playing and emotive songwriting, rock legend Sting gave an exceptional performance to the people of Cardiff on Saturday. As well as much praise from fans and fellow artists, Sting has earned multiple awards – Grammys, BRIT’s, you name it! After completing a successful run of shows in Latin America this spring, Sting and his band have returned to the UK for the Sting 3.0 Tour.
Starting off the evening with unconditional energy and lovable aura was Sophie Grey. Although very different to Sting’s heavier, rockier tunes, Grey was a fabulous performer. Her entire persona revolved around a space theme, making her music sound other-worldly. Her art has a very electronic and bubbly sound. The way her appearance complements her sound is captivating, her silver bob and metallic boots with a keyboard in hand really added to the entire look she was trying to achieve. She even declared herself, “The retro electro artist”, which is hard to argue with since she really nailed the persona.
The Lilacs followed after Grey with a different sound once again. No red miniskirts for the band this time, however, drummer Dave Gomersall wore a snazzy pink rubber duck shirt that frontman Ollie Anglesea poked some fun at, “Can you believe he’s got the audacity to wear that to a Sting gig?”. Despite only having a handful of songs in their discography, the band have made an impressive start, especially with their singles, ‘You’re Not That Daft‘, and ‘Calling it a Night‘, which fit perfectly towards the end of the set as an energetic closing song. As most bands do, The Lilacs encouraged the crowd to clap along and sing along. Though generic, it’s still an effective way to get people moving and ready for the main attraction. Overall, The Lilacs definitely have an early 2000’s indie rock vibe reminiscent of bands like Arctic Monkeys which is admirable and familiar.
Usually, the excitement from the crowd builds as the evening goes on, but, the sky hadn’t even fully darkened when Sting walked on stage, as he and his band started 10 minutes earlier than expected! The crowd were surprised, but more than ready for the night to begin as cheers erupted from the audience. No.1 hit, ‘Message in a Bottle‘, was the opening song for their sensational show. This one is undoubtedly a crowd pleaser and widely celebrated, with Rolling Stone ranking it 65th on its “100 Greatest Guitar Songs of All Time” list. Various fan favourites like, ‘Fields of Gold‘, that had fitting yellow stage lighting, and, ‘Englishman In New York‘, also made it to the setlist – uniting both devoted fans and casual listeners of Sting. He also shared numerous backstories and inspiration behind songs, allowing himself to be vulnerable with the audience, and perhaps even inspiring some to write music of their own. He stated that, ‘Mad About You‘, is based on a biblical story about David and Bathsheba, and, ‘Never Coming Home‘, is about a “young woman who leaves her husband”. These songs truly showcase the epitome of his outstanding songwriting abilities. Although the crowd was louder for catchier songs like, ‘Desert Rose‘, these were the ones that captivated the audience and let them closely listen to his profound storytelling.
My favourite part of the gig was actually just the simplicity of it all. Sting isn’t one for flashy costumes or fireworks, and he only changed his bass once throughout the entire set. The show was just him and his band members in a t-shirt and jeans, signifying their confidence in the strength of their music alone. It’s clear that sharing the art they’ve created with an appreciative crowd is what matters, no gimmicks needed!
The moment everyone had been waiting for finally arrived when a chilly breeze picked up, the 1983 double Grammy award winning song, ‘Every Breath You Take‘, was played by its beloved writer. Thousands of voices singing this tune shouldn’t go unnoticed at a Sting gig, needless to say, ‘Every Breath You Take‘, is a classic that continues to live on even 42 years later.
After a short break, Sting returned for an exciting encore playing platinum song, ‘Roxanne‘, and heartfelt tune ‘Fragile‘. After sitting down on an amp to shelter from the rain, the performance was completed by Sting blowing a kiss into the crowd and exiting the stage.
Taped Magazine 