Sting in Dijon: It's a smooth ride...

Sting hasn't lost any of his brilliance. At 71, he remains an outstanding musician and his voice is still at its best. But the show he gave on Friday, October 14th, at the Zenith in Dijon lacked a bit of warmth.

We'll no doubt have the eternal debate after Sting's performance Friday in Dijon. Fans will have largely appreciated it. Others will have found the performance rather sanitized. A quick tour and then he's gone, to sum up. An hour and a half, goodbye and thank you. At 71, Sting hasn't aged a day.

A week after Mathieu Chedid's incredible concert, the Zenith had a date with an international icon. Sting, of course, is Police. Hits that should even be listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites, in a way: English Man in New York, Roxane, and Message in a Bottle... among others.

But hits or an artist's personality aren't everything. In an hour and a half, the songs flowed one after the other. Without even a moment for applause. It was finely crafted, not a single note off-key, not even improvisational. In an hour and a half, a string of hits.

Sting isn't known for being overflowing with warmth. Nevertheless... this long-awaited performance - postponed twice due to Covid - deserved to be remembered, not only for the perfection of the performance, but also for the interaction that could have been experienced.

The fact remains that everyone left the venue with the feeling of having encountered the immense Sting at least once in their life. And for that reason alone... Sting is surrounded by exceptional musicians. It makes sense.

(c) JHM by Christophe Bonnefoy