Sting in Poland: a showpiece venue...

Seeing Sting, who has accustomed us to stadium performances, in such a small venue as the Congress Hall is an almost surreal experience. Fortunately, it's one hundred percent real. Although the word "magic" fits the bill perfectly.

Sting arrived in Poland with two concerts from his 'Back to Bass Tour,' where he presents solo songs and songs from The Police's repertoire – though he does so in a rather minimalist format, considering his recent endeavours. He replaced the several-dozen-piece orchestra and impressive stadium ambiance with a quintet of supporting musicians (two guitars, drums, two pairs of violins) and a setting so modest that it wouldn't even make an impression in a small-town community centre. But fortunately, that wasn't the impression he was aiming for.

Unlike during 'Symphonicity,' this time the stage was ruled solely by music, presented in its pure, almost primal form. The concert reminded us of a fundamental truth about rock 'n' roll in its broadest sense. A good, heartfelt rock song is best expressed in a simple arrangement, even if enriched by the sound of violins. And it's then that it's most captivating – this was evident in the enthusiastic reactions of the people who packed the Congress Hall to capacity. It's clear that such events attract more than just fans, but it was truly difficult to spot anyone in the audience who was indifferent to what was happening on stage. So much so that security initially struggled to cope with people getting up from their chairs and blocking the view of others. This wasn't achieved until the third song.

The evening was supposed to be filled with the greatest hits, although that wasn't entirely obvious. Sting, clearly tired of playing some of his hits, allowed himself a few rather bold omissions. It even took away one representative from the incredibly important and popular album '...Nothing Like the Sun,' with 'Englishman in New York' at the forefront. There were a few less obvious tracks, like the country-tinged 'Love Is Stronger Than Justice' and 'I'm So Happy I Can't Stop Crying.' Nevertheless, the big hits dominated, including the ballad 'Fields of Gold' and The Police's "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic" and "Every Breath You Take" were the highlights. The diversity of the songs performed was impressive – from rock and even punk rock, through blues, pop, and country, to world music. But Sting's strength also lies in this openness.

It's worth noting that most of the twenty-two songs performed gained additional power compared to their studio versions. Peter Tickell deserves special praise here, performing truly extraordinary feats on his electric violin – his performances on The Police's "Driven to Tears" and "Love Is Stronger Than Justice" were particularly impressive, receiving a standing ovation. Violinist Jo Lawry also captivated vocally, especially on "Stolen Car (Take Me Dancing)," in which she performed an intricate duet with Sting. The guitarists Dominic Miller, who has collaborated with Sting for 20 years, and his 26-year-old son Rufus Miller were outstanding, as was drummer Vinnie Colaiuta, who duly replaced Stewart Copeland on The Police tracks. In short, pure professionalism!

It would have been useless, however, if the star of the evening had somehow let down or performed half-heartedly. Nothing of the sort – Sting, who turned 60 last year, was impressive in his form. Despite the two-hour concert, there was not a hint of breathlessness, he played bass with computer-like precision, and his voice sounded as powerful as it did twenty years ago – especially in the final, fourth encore, "Message in a Bottle," when he took the stage alone, accompanying himself on acoustic guitar. He also proved to be a superb frontman, easily connecting with the audience. He prefaced some of the songs with humorous and heart-warming stories from his life. Before "The End of the Game," he spoke about a fox eating chickens, and "Stolen Car (Take Me Dancing)" about a car thief with telepathic abilities. 'Ghost Story' was preceded by a touching dedication to his father, who died of cancer…

And since there's no 'Roxanne,' 'Fragile,' or the aforementioned 'Englishman in New York,' they'll probably be back some other time. Sting has a repertoire of songs that allow him to unleash a new one each time, and his live performances will still pack a powerful punch.

This wasn't just another great concert by a great star. It was a true display of artistry, professionalism, and the joy of playing. It's heartening to see that despite the passage of time, the rock sound of Żądło hasn't dulled at all.

(c) Onet.pl by Paweł Piotrowicz