Sting blends charisma, intellect and sonic sophistication on tour: Concert review

OXON HILL, Md. – As we well know, Sting can front a trio quite capably.

He’s toured with large bands – such as last summer’s team on his My Songs outing – well-primed quartets and, in 2018, his unlikely buddy Shaggy.

Of course, Sting’s tenure in The Police is legendary, and his return to a threesome – dubbed Sting 3.0 – finds him as frisky and engaged as ever.

On Oct. 16, at the second of two shows at The Theater at MGM National Harbor, Sting, who earlier in the day donned a suit to perform “Fragile” at Ethel Kennedy’s memorial service in Washington D.C., blitzed through a nearly two-hour, 23-song set with longtime guitarist Dominic Miller and drummer Chris Maas.

At 73, Sting still cuts a perfect rock star pose while hugging his bass, his taut muscles peeking out from the sleeves of his white and gray T-shirt, his charisma and intellect forming the perfect collision.

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Sting turns storyteller

Pacing the stage with his professorial air, Sting chatted frequently, enlightening the crowd with stories behind many of his songs.

Only at a Sting show will you hear about song inspirations from a Bible verse in the Book of Samuel (the esoteric “Mad About You”), a memory of advice from his father to “go see the world and make something of yourself” (“Why Should I Cry for You?”) and a description of the “sea of gold” at harvest time outside his home in the English countryside (“Fields of Gold”).

Sting mentioned in a recent interview with USA TODAY that following his 2021-23 Las Vegas residency, he adopted a preference for a headset mic. The setup allows him to not only freely roam the stage, but use his hands to coach the crowd in the art of his patented “e-yo-ohhs,” clap when not playing his bass and toss his arm in a seductive swoop during “Desert Rose.”

Sting's setlist is a potent mix of Police and solo work

The setlist for this tour is well-stocked with Police classics, Sting’s cosmopolitan solo work – including the infrequently played “I Burn for You,” the first song he said he wrote while he was still a schoolteacher in 1974 – and the new track recorded with this trio.

“I Wrote Your Name (Upon My Heart),” released last month, is an aggressive rocker on record and is even more thunderous live, with Maas slamming a Bo Diddley-esque beat and Sting in full rasp.

The song was well-positioned between the gorgeous “Shape of My Heart,” with Miller’s soft guitar lines circling the melody, and the reggae lilt of “Walking on the Moon,” which, following a hearty smack of the snare drum from Maas, seamlessly transitioned into a driving “So Lonely.”

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Sting's song thrive on diversity

Sting’s catalog is to be admired not only for its longevity – even the jazzy pop bop “Every Little Thing She Does is Magic” holds up remarkably well – but its diversity.

The elegance of “Englishman in New York” and swinging groove of “If I Ever Lose My Faith in You” are musical dichotomies (the “you would say I lost my belief in our politicians” lyric in “Faith” elicited a cheer from the crowd as Sting tilted his head in coy acknowledgment). Likewise the gritty bounce of “Can’t Stand Losing You” and the gliding “Wrapped Around Your Finger,” its caterpillar pacing imbuing the song with sultriness.

The precision and efficiency of this trio isn’t surprising considering the tour started overseas in May, but their potency is still impressive. Sting and his mates will continue their U.S. run into November – and join Billy Joel for a few stadium dates in between – before heading to South America and Europe next year, no doubt continuing to dole out a sturdy selection of sonic sophistication.