Sting in Tallinn: there was enough rapping on stage, less soulfulness...

Sting, who gave a concert in Saku Suurhall yesterday as part of his European tour “My Songs”, visited Estonia for the fifth time, but the fact that fans are still loyal to the singer, composer and founding member of The Police was evidenced by Sting’s concert, which was given to a nearly full house.

As previously promised, the biggest hits from both Sting’s solo career and The Police’s work were performed. And since the first three songs of the concert are “Message In A Bottle”, “If I Ever Lose My Faith In You” and “Englishman In New York”, it is not difficult to guess that the audience is in a frenzy. The hall lights up for a moment and it feels as if the whole crowd is trying to shake the roof of the Suurhall.

The old master himself is not very happy with the enthusiastic support of the crowd, as if he knows his worth. That's how it should be. However, exchanging a few phrases with the fans, and to the singer's credit, he knows where he's performing: both Estonia and Tallinn can be heard from the stage.

I don't understand those avid Sting (and The Police) fans who, instead of enjoying the music, take pictures or make videos with their phones. All their effort and energy goes into this, but the result is what it is. No matter how awesome your gadget is, it doesn't matter.

Sting and his supporting band don't use any miracle technology on stage, except for the spotlights. Which is kind of nice, because the music speaks for itself - if you go deep into cliché. The audience responds to the stage light with their "spotlights" when the first ballad "Fields of Gold" sounds and hundreds and hundreds of phone flashlights light up in the hall.

And so on, faster songs alternating with the following ballads. Everything works, but somehow too smoothly, without a little side hustle. There is rapping on stage, but there is little soul. Or at least no soul. Or the songs are too little known, so that even the self-effacing encouragement of the backing singers doesn't really get the hall moving anymore.

Until "Roxanne" and the series of bonus songs "Every Breath You Take" come. Now the crowd has gotten what they've been waiting for, they've gotten their money's worth, almost all of Sting's hits have been played. When the band finally comes to politely bow to the stage and the lights are turned on, it's crystal clear: nothing more is coming. Not even demanding it, but calmly disbanding.

Sting last performed in Estonia in 2017 as part of the "57th & 9th Tour". It seemed like we'd have to wait for him again for years.

As a member of The Police and as a solo artist, Sting has won 16 Grammy Awards, five Brit Awards, a Golden Globe, an Emmy, and has been nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song four times.

(c) Õhtuleht by Jaanus Kulli