Sting visited the Hunter Valley (Sydney’s wine region) for the first time during the Australian leg of his Symphonicity tour. The temperature hovered on 40 degrees Celsius the entire week leading up to and including the day of the concert. I dragged my husband and two boys, a 12 and 10 year old, to watch my most favourite male performer. Under the sweltering sun, you can imagine my mental strength of trying to hold everyone together. Migo wanted to take off his shirt, with a constant barrage of “Mama mama mama, it’s warm!” He likes to call our names three times. Gab, whom I had a pact of absolute perfect behaviour during the concert (read: no whinging at anytime!) was sullen. The hubby? He likes Sting as much as the next person in that concert, but he is not a fan of discomfort. I just knew that he was on the border of grumpiness. I could hear ramblings of “we should never do this again in summer”. Me? I would not hear any of it. I was determined to get the most of the tickets I paid for (multiplied by four). Therefore, inside my head I went, “Keep cool Cha and maintain the excitement of seeing Sting one more time (the 4th time).”
Sting is 60 years old, yet he’s as fit as a fiddle. He was dressed down due to the heat, in his signature jeans and t-shirt. Jo Lawry, his female vocalist was outstanding. Dominic Miller, as always, was brilliant. The Sydney Symphony Orchestra was conducted by the entertaining Steven Mercurio.
From the opening song “If I Ever Lose My Faith in You” to the final encore “Message in a Bottle”, Sting sang and captured the hearts of his adoring female fans. He was chatty and engaging. I never really delve into the true meaning of some of his lyrics. That night however, Sting indulged us with stories behind the making of “Russians”, “When We Dance”, and “End of the Game”. “Tomorrow We’ll See” is a song about a transexual prostitute. From the second book of Samuel, chapter 12, “Mad About You” is retribution for King David’s adulterous love for Bathsheba.
Sting’s lyrics is beautiful poetry. From “… must I always be alone” to “I’m not alone in being alone.”
Here are extracts to a few of my favourites. Note that some were not performed in the concert.
Mad About You – And I have never in my life, felt more alone than I do now. Although I claim dominion, over all I see. It means nothing to me, there are no victories. In all our histories, without love.
Englishman in New York – Modesty, propriety can lead to notoriety. You could end up as the only one. Gentleness, sobriety are rare in this society. At night a candle’s brighter than the sun.
Why Should I Cry for You – Under the Arctic fire, over the seas of silence. Hauling on frozen ropes, for all my days remaining. But would north be true?
Russians – We share the same biology, regardless of our ideology.
Love is the Seventh Wave – In the empire of the senses, you’re the queen of all you survey.
Consider Me Gone – There were rooms of forgiveness, in the house that we share. But the space has been emptied, of whatever was there.
Fortress Around Your Heart – And if I built this fortress around your heart, encircled you in trenches and barbed wire. Then let me build a bridge, for I cannot fill the chasm.
His biggest Police song “Every Breath You Take” brought the house to its feet. “Desert Rose” turned the open air concert into an Arabic wedding feast under a large tent. Migo copied the crowd and sang “She’s Too Good For Me” with such gusto, my heart swelled. He has now added Sting to his musical vocabulary.
“Fragile” ended a magical night. But the crowd wanted more more more. “I have more!”, Sting declared. He then launched into “Message in a Bottle”. “I hope that someone gets my … I hope that someone gets my … I hope that someone gets my … message in a bottle.”
Songs performed that night that I managed to jot down.
If I Ever Lose My Faith in You
Englishman in New York
Every Little Thing She Does is Magic
Roxanne
Straight To My Heart
When We Dance
Russians
I Hung My Head
Shape Of My Heart
Why Should I Cry For You?
Whenever I Say Your Name
Fields of Gold
Next To You (my favourite from the Symphonicity CD)
Intermission
A Thousand Years
This Cowboy Song
Tomorrow We’ll See
The Moon Over Bourbon Street
End of the Game
My Ain True Love
All Would Envy
Mad About You
King of Pain
Every Breathe You Take
Encore 1
Desert Rose
She’s Too Good for Me
Fragile
Encore 2
Message in a Bottle
Chiqui*Kat says
You are turning me to poetry (the organized kind, kay our Wruddy-lives are a kind of…) via Sting, Ms Fan! Namit gyud iya lyrics diay oy.
Charina says
ChiquiKat, I think I missed this comment of yours… So are you joining the legions of women as a new Sting fan? Sus. Kay lami jud kaayo, dili lang ang lyrics niya noh!