TEN's SPOT: Sting Pier Six Pavillion Baltimore (some quick thoughts,Pics and vids)

It was a warm and humid evening last night. Just after 8pm Sting and his band hit the stage to a packed house at Pier Six Pavillion in Baltimore.

The crowd was mostly an older probably somewhat affluent crowd. Even the Mayor of Baltimore was there. She arrived a couple of songs into the set and sat right next us.

Sting himself alluded to his on wealth half-jokingly when introducing “Fields of Gold” saying one day he was at his house, “well, it’s not really a house, it’s more of a castle..”

Overall, the show was very professional. The core of the band , have been playing with him since 1990

Dominic Miller on guitar

Vinne Colauita on Drums

and David Sancious on keyboards

Young violin player Peter Tickell brought a youthful enthusiasm with horn-like stabs to his instrument.

Pretty and talented backing singer Jo Lawry rounded out the group.

At his age (he turns 62 in October!) and with his level of wealth, Sting is obviously a settled and contented man.

I prefer music to have a little angst, edge, desperation, and urgency to it.

At this point, Sting’s music lacks some of those elements. It is understandable that he wouldn’t be the same as he was when he was 29. He can’t fake that he is a desperate young man trying to make his way in the world. The music is a pleasure for him. He seems to be enjoying himself, especially when the band goes off on some tangents, jamming a bit, trying throw each other for a musical loop.

Frankly the high point were the Police hits. The crowd enthusiasm rose when he played them.

“Message in a Bottle”

(snippet)

“Roxanne”

(snippet)

and especially “Every Breath you Take” took the show to another level.

(snippet)

Solo hits like “Shape of My Heart”, “Fields of Gold” and “Fragile” were much mellower and reflective, but pleasant.

Whether intentional or not, “Driven to Tears” was played at a similar pace and key as “Demolition Man” played earlier in the evening . He also threw in some “Driven to Tears’ chording and pacing into “Roxanne”;showing some insight into how repetitive the writing process can be.

There is a quote by, I think Ray Davies, who says “when you copy other’s work it is “stealing”, when you copy from yourself it is “style”.” So Sting seems indeed to have a “style” to his writing....

Straping on a nylon string acoustic/electric guitar, he ended on a soothing note with an encore of “Fragile”

After the crowd stayed and cheered for what seemed a full five minutes, the house light remained down, adding to the possibility of him returning for one more, but it was not to be. But after a full two hour show, the crowd left satisfied.