No experiments, just hits, hits, hits...

Forty-five years ago, Sting began his career with The Police; his songs are now world-famous. "My Songs" is also the name of his current album and the tour that brought Sting to the Spandau Citadel. Simon Brauer actually got to hear a lot of hits – too many, actually.

It starts off promisingly: Sting takes the stage with a seven-piece band and, without comment, blasts the Berlin audience with three smash hits: "Message in a Bottle," "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic" by The Police, and his solo hit from the 80s: "Englishman in New York."

The audience in the sold-out Spandau Citadel sings, dances, and claps along euphorically. The older the songs, the greater the enthusiasm at this Thursday evening concert in Berlin. And indeed: In keeping with the name of the tour – "My Songs" – Sting delivers a pure greatest hits show, without experiments, without jazz or classical excursions, which the now 70-year-old Brit has already dared to do in the course of his long career.

What's irritating is that Sting doesn't have a regular microphone on stage, on a regular microphone stand, but sings into a headset microphone, the kind used by musical performers, solo entertainers, or pop stars who have to dance an elaborate choreography. Sting, on the other hand, moves his bass a maximum of three steps forward, backward, right, or left – and apparently hasn't realized that headset microphones are pretty uncool.

The disappointment of the evening: Sting has absolutely nothing to say between his songs – the activist, who has been fighting for human rights for years, among other things, doesn't say a word about climate change, the coronavirus, or Ukraine – he doesn't even have a short Berlin anecdote to offer. Only the occasional "Thank you!" and a quick return to the greatest hits comfort zone.

Everyone in the band is allowed to step to the edge of the stage for a solo, into the spotlight, but then quickly back and just don't disturb anyone. During the Police songs, Sting simply ironed out the wild drum breaks of original drummer Stewart Copeland.

After just under 90 minutes, the fun, including the encores, was already over. This concert was too clean, too tame, too rehearsed – it's a good thing that even an uncool Sting can't completely ruin The Police's great songs.

(c) rbb24 by Simon Brauer