Symphonicity tour: A few thoughts on Sting and strings

A poetic taunt has been hurled frequently at the milkman's son from Newcastle who qualifies as the New Wave era's most aspirational pop star. Oh Sting, where is thy depth? (The great critic Charles Shaar Murray seems to have originated the punsult, around the time the Police released the album Ghost in the Machine.)

There's no doubt that Sting puts on airs in ways that rankle the sensibilities of many rock fans. His taste for smooth jazz and country estates, not to mention a songbook packed with detailed explorations of the creepiest corners of the egomaniacal male soul, blurs the line dividing exquisite songcraft, literary cleverness and self-indulgence.

Yet one must admit that few millionaire musicians look inward for profundity with the diligence and care that Gordon Sumner brings to the practice. The 58-year-old singer and songwriter always has challenged himself musically, revisiting his catalog in new settings that make a case for the flexibility and wide appeal of his catalog's greatest hits. And while his uplifting songs sometimes veer toward sentimentality, those character studies can be pretty devastating. Plumbing his own depths, Sting has made some genuinely enduring music.

Still on the path, the singer-songwriter has taken a classical turn of late (see "Sting's classical effect"), working with London's Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra to rework material from throughout his career. He brought the Symphonicity Tour to Southern California this week, performing at the Hollywood Bowl on Tuesday and at the Verizon Amphitheatre in Irvine on Wednesday. I headed down to catch his Bowl show and found just what I'd expected from this reliable innovator: expertly realized ideas, soothing sounds and the occasional real insight.

A traffic mishap prevented me from seeing the whole show; The Times will have a full review of the Irvine performance. But I can make a few observations after catching two-thirds of the set.

First, Sting's collaboration with conductor Stephen Mercurio should give pause to the many rockers lapping up the current trend for hooking up with a string section (or more). These efforts can be exciting but just as often come off as under-rehearsed and conceptually half-baked. Not so this show; an all-star cast of arrangers reworked the songs, and time clearly had been spent making sure the pop musicians and orchestral players onstage would work together to create a genuinely hybrid sound. Sometimes, the drums and percussion overtook everything. But I feel that's appropriate, since rhythm is a central element in Sting's songwriting, even when he's reeling out a ballad.

Second, not all symphonic music is classical music, and Sting need feel no shame in invoking other orchestral traditions.  Many of this evening's most effective reinterpretations, such as the grand "Fields of Gold" and the Kurt Weill-inspired "Moon Over Bourbon Street," recalled really fine film music -- a realm where pop and classical motifs have met for nearly a century.

"Desert Rose," with its Arabic flavor, had a big, blowsy arrangement that skirted the Bollywood sound. Another highlight was the faux-folk song "You Will Be My Ain True Love," which Sting wrote for the film "Cold Mountain" and was originally performed with characteristic understatement by Alison Krauss. Rendered here as an eerie duet with background singer Jo Lawry, it sounded more like cutting-edge classical music than anything on the program -- but was still very pop, using big strokes to create a haunting mood.

Third, dear Sting, your fans still want to dance. There's no doubt that the well-toned epicure appeals to the upper crust -- this entire project began, after all, because a couple of super-rich Chicago Symphony donors persuaded Sting to play a concert with that ensemble, giving him the big-band bug. Many fine bottles of wine were undoubtedly sold at the Bowl, and most folks in attendance probably liked sitting for most of the concert. In the end, though, the aggressively rock-flavored arrangement of "King of Pain" had them bursting out of their seats. They stayed up, and even sang along, for "Every Breath You Take."

The impulse to travel in new directions is nearly always healthy for artists, and Sting is one of rock's greatest exemplars of staying fit by keeping on the move. Perhaps he didn't enjoy the Police reunion, and standing in front of all that lovely curved wood and catgut felt more appropriate now than leading "just" a band. Still, he really should remember that the rock idiom has a lot to offer -- not least of which is its ability to fill his fans with joy. As he journeys onward in his pursuit of the deep, let's hope he doesn't forget the place he was (musically) born.

-- Ann Powers

Photo: Sting at the Hollywood Bowl. Credit: Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times

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Comments

[Kim G]

This concert didn't meet my expectations. It was a little too subdued and musaky for me. I was expecting a bigger sound, bolder arrangements and more energy. Desert Rose, Russians, Next to You, She's Too Good for Me, and Roxanne were the highlights for me.

I also found the female singer to be a distraction. Her voice was shrill at times (perhaps she just needs to remember to pull back from the mic on the big notes) and I didn't feel her voice meshed well with Sting's. I would've loved My Ain True Love with a different female voice.

And, I know Sting is 58 and has earned his accolades but could he maybe be a little more energetic and appreciative of his audience. He gave the air that he's doing you a favor by performing. I did like the background he gave for some of the songs and his story about how he writes a song.

[Stella]

Why was there not a review of Melody Gardot's show on Tuesday night?
Sting has been reviewed a million times in this paper.
How about someone new and truly unique and talented?

[auto-de-fe]

Aura in a piece of artwork is it's place in time and space! -Walter Benjamin

Sting's Aura:
Anytime you try and redo a piece of artwork in whatever medium you loose that sense of initial strike-original tone...it's place in time and space! Why does this guy keep going backwards! I recall him saying that in the future he hope to be challenge by artistic risks in his work. I am a fan but still waiting for the 'new territory in soundscapes'!

[VERONICA PAMOUKAGHLIAN]

I had seen Sting during the early nineties in Uruguay and I also saw The Police in BA two years ago.
The Symphonicity Tour was BY FAR the best of the lot.

This concert was heaven at the Hollywood Bowl, an articulate Sting opened gates into his mind in between songs that sounded just PERFECT.
Amazing that he could still maintain the voice, the energy, and the charisma after all these years.
I blogged about the concert extensively here:
www.thewanderlife.com/sting

[Andy]

I was at the concert and thought it was beautifully awesome.

However, some more energetic pieces would have been appreciated. It felt like he was teasing us all night, and once the crowd got up and started to move, it would have been cool if that energy lasted a bit longer as opposed to reverting right back to more ballad-esque pieces.

...and I so wanted him to do 'Message in a Bottle'!

[GT]

I had a GREAT time! I hope the rest of you find what you enjoy and go there when he visits again and lets hope; all of us who are fans, that its not another five years between concerts.

[skylar]

I've seen Sting half-a-dozen times over the last twenty years, and thought the Symphony tour was quite good. Sting certainly enjoyed himself, especially compared to that Police tour a couple years ago.

He's getting older, so going back into the catalog, and re-working his stuff from ages ago, must have been fun. I especially liked the "Dream of the Blue Turtle" songs.

Can't wait for the album of this to come out!

[Kristina]

Ann, so glad to read your review. I am "first in line" for the new album and wanted to attend the Bowl concert but I have sworn off the Bowl after having last attended for the Sting/Anne Lennox concert with alas attendees ruining the whole concert for doing what you said. YELLING at me for dancing and then ending up dancing on their own. (How can you not want to dance?) Read his book and you'll see Sting wants you to dance. I could see if the show was at LA Phil...I'm always amazed at the longevity of his songs and how they DON'T always sound the same.

Veronica I'll check out your blog. Thanks!

[Sal Butoni]

stink...please stop the boring mediocrity and glib wonder of just being stink.

Can't think of this muzak-guy without the word "tired" or "interesting so very long ago it's easy to forget". Getting sleepy, must nap, zzzz.

[Fundiphobic]

I wish to start off by saying that, being a Sting admirer for many years and having the utmost respect for him as both an individual, as well as for his humanitarian efforts, I was somewhat disappointed by the much-touted "Songs by Sting Set Symphonically."

As I sat there listening to each "arrangement", and as each song played, I anticipated imaginative arrangements with melodic and creative (not to be confused with dramatic) phrases...but all I heard were run-of-the-mill orchestrations that basically mimicked or repeated the existing melodies. Perhaps it was a lousy mix, but what I could hear from the sizable orchestra was merely a larger or "fatter" version of the synthesizers, etc., already found on the original recordings.

I just get the impression that, despite the hype of having supposedly solicited ideas from a myriad of arrangers, what Sting eventually was settled on seemed banal or, it was hurriedly thrown together.

Sting's onstage persona however, demonstrated that he is one class act.

[Orphie]

Maybe only in this one frame of digitized imagery offered above, but the pose and overall look recalls . . .Ol' Blue Eyes. No?

[linzi]

so what is the name of the female singer accompanying Sting on the tour? I thought her voice and professionalism were outstanding. Would like to hear more of her music, hence if anyone has a name can you share.
Thanks
Linzij