Message, for instance, was followed by another radio staple in Englishman In New York, but it was delightfully refreshed by a breakdown where the drums hit extra hard, and Sting charmed this very white audience – possibly against its better judgment – into joining him for the first of several “woah-oh-oh-oh”-style reggae chants. There was a lot of energy in this room – having one of the world’s most famous people in it will do that – and Sting harnessed it masterfully throughout most of the two-hour performance.

The old Police hit sounded as vital as ever, with Sting’s clear, high voice intact, and his bass playing a marvel – a string slap here, a counter-melody there, it wasn’t the last song where the bottom-end shone brighter than it did on the original recording. It’s a hope confirmed as soon as Sting and his band of drummer, guitarist, keyboardist, harmonica player and two backing singers launch into Message In A Bottle. The thrill is undeniable as the 71-year-old with the battered brown bass guitar walks onstage.įor this particular septuagenarian has been part of the soundtrack of our lives for 45 years – whether you like it or not – yet the washboard abs visible beneath his T-shirt promise an artist still at the peak of their powers.Īt the peak of his powers: Sting at Aware Super Theatre, February 15 Wolter Peeters

Review: Sting, Sydney’s Aware Super Theatre, February 15

The thrill the thrill lyrics