Sting triumphs at the Parco Ducale...

Last night, Sting was at the Parco Ducale in Parma; anticipated for two years, it was supposed to be the flagship event, but in the Cittadella, of "Parma Italian Capital of Culture." Sting in Parma means that, like Bob Dylan in 2010 and Deep Purple and Ray Charles before him, one of the greatest figures in international music of recent decades (be it soul, rock, or pop) was finally in our city. The audience, far less "homegrown" than usual, clearly understood how international this event was, and how much it was desired was evident from the years of anticipation, filled with uncertainty and hope. Last night, finally, at the last event of the "Parma Cittadella Musica" festival (organized by Puzzle Srl of Parma and Intersuoni Srl of Turin, in collaboration with the Fondazione Teatro Regio di Parma, the patronage and co-organization of the Municipality of Parma, and the support of "Parma io ci sto!"), the event became a certainty and a reality.

On the only Italian date of the "My Songs Tour," which he's touring across Europe this scorching summer, Sting was accompanied by his trusty Dominic Miller on guitar and a superb band featuring the young Josh Freese on drums, Rufus Miller on guitar, Kevon Webster on keyboards, Shane Sager on harmonica and backing vocals, and finally backup singers Melissa Musique and Gene Noble.

After his son Joe opened the show in front of 6,500 spectators (exactly as many as his friend Zucchero a week ago), he kicked off with "Message in a Bottle," quickly followed by "Englishman in New York"; the Police and his solo career, close by, a past that never gets old and a level many can only dream of. Because these are "his songs," revisited on the 2020 album that also gave the tour its title and formed the setlist. But if the new versions on record didn't add much, live it was a whole different story. With his 71 years, divinely represented in both body and voice, he immediately captivated the audience, who responded with chants and handclaps. The Police/Sting alternation continued with the powerful yet elegant duo of "Every little thing she does is magic" and "If you love somebody, set them free." The splendid finale of the latter demonstrated that Sting still has a lot of fun with his music and that he still manages to add something to his songs live. "I'm very happy to be in Parma for the first time," he said in Italian before "If it's love," the first of a series of songs from his solo repertoire that culminated in the delicate "Fields of Gold." Class, charisma, experience, talent, and passion are all essential elements for an artist who wants to reach the top, but it's the songs that make the difference, and when your songs are "Wrapped Around Your Finger," "Walking on the Moon" (sung in chorus by the entire audience), "So Lonely" (perhaps in a medley with Bob Marley's "No Woman, No Cry" like she did last night), "Desert Rose," "King of Pain" in a duet with her son Joe, "Every Breathe You Take," "Roxanne," and "Fragile," then it's no longer a question of success, career, album sales, or followers. It's magic. And that's exactly what we needed.

(c) Gazzetta di Parma by Pierangelo Pettenati

Sting, a resounding success at Parma's Parco Ducale...

Sting's show was pure magic, a painful and long-awaited kind of magic. It was just what we needed.

In his only Italian performance of this scorching summer, the charismatic gentleman from Newcastle wowed the approximately 6,500 spectators at the Parco Ducale, who had flocked to see him from all over Italy and Europe.

The event, the most important of the "Parma Italian Capital of Culture" program for summer 2020, was initially scheduled for the Cittadella. It was organized by Puzzle Srl of Parma and Intersuoni Srl of Turin, in collaboration with the Fondazione Teatro Regio di Parma, with the patronage and collaboration of the Municipality and the "Parma io ci sto!" (Parma, I'm here!) movement.

Then Covid arrived, and the risk of everything being cancelled was palpable, as was the case with many other events.

A long wait, lasting almost two years, marked by uncertainty and hope.

And finally, on the evening of July 19th, the fear of cancelling a concert so eagerly awaited gave way to the cheers of joy and applause that accompanied the legendary Gordon Matthew Sumner, known for over forty years as Sting, "The Sting," on stage from the very beginning.

He was supported by a highly respected, well-oiled line up: along with his lifelong right-hand man, guitarist Dominic Miller, many talented young musicians, such as Zack Jones on drums, backing vocals Gene Noble and the beautiful Melissa Musique, Chewy Sager on harmonica, keyboardist Kevon Webster, and Rufus Miller on guitar.

The evening opened with Joe Sumner, Sting's eldest son, who, at 9:15 PM, welcomed the lucky audience with the iconic Message in a Bottle. This was followed by "Englishman in New York," "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic," and "If You Love Somebody Set Them Free": a truly impressive hat trick! The stories of The Police and Sting as a solo artist are inexorably intertwined, evoking a glorious past studded with timeless hits that inspire the dreams of both young and old. This is timeless music, which only the experience of Sting can enliven with ever-new and enjoyable arrangements: this is the essence of the album My Songs.

There's no doubt that it's the old hits that make the audience leap out of their seats, unstoppable even for the stewards; but the more current songs also win everyone over: such is the case with "If It's Love" and "Rushing Water," two singles from the new album, "The Bridge," released last November.

And we go back in time with "If I Ever Lose My Faith in You" and the evocative "Fields of Gold," two gems from the 1993 masterpiece Ten Summoner's Tales. Sting thanks them (in Italian), and continues his run of successes with "Brand New Day," a song recorded in 1999 with the "help" of a certain Stevie Wonder on harmonica. And, after the romantic "Shape of My Heart," we return to the hits of the Police's golden age with "Wrapped Around Your Finger," "So Lonely" (enriched by a medley of Bob Marley's "No Woman No Cry"), and "Walking on the Moon": the audience is literally in raptures, especially because the sensual "Desert Rose" comes next.

"King of Pain" is the gem from Synchronicity, an album that has influenced entire generations of musicians; it contained an absolute masterpiece, The Police's signature song, "Every Breath You Take," perhaps the most anticipated by the Parma audience, now at the feet of King Sting.

The concert closed with the inevitable "Roxanne" and "Fragile."

(c) MessinaWebTV