Songs from a world-famous oeuvre – Sting in Debrecen...

With his modesty and naturalness, he is truly an “alien” among the stars, as he sings in his song “Englishman In New York”.

Like the water during the big rainstorm a few days ago, people flocked around the Főnix Arena on Thursday evening before the Sting concert.

Finding a parking space for those arriving at the last minute was a challenge similar to the needle in a haystack. Everyone was curious about the sixteen-time Grammy Award-winning English musician, singer-songwriter. By the time I reached the door in the crowd, a tingling excitement had taken over me, the bag check, and finding a seat in the packed arena, which can accommodate 8,500 people, all increased this anticipation. I expected an impressive encore, a star with outstretched arms, floating on the stage in a flood of light, and a loud roar of joy from the audience, followed by a short pause before the first guitar strum, but instead the concert simply began.

Sting walked in and started singing, I barely noticed, I was in the middle of a sentence intended for a dear friend of mine. This opening says a lot about the icon, who barely looks fifty, who celebrates his seventy-first birthday on October 2nd, in front of whom his son, Joe Sumner, played. This was a truly fitting entrance for Sting. He sang throughout the evening, with such ease, delicacy, and naturalness as someone else breathes or speaks. His welcome was music without a mask.

He was so restrained throughout the entire production, with few words, filling the one and a half hour performance time with songs flowing into each other almost without a break. While I listened to the world-famous hits Shape Of My Heart, Every Breath You Take, Message In A Bottle, or Englishman In New York, I wondered what the secret was of this modest, well-groomed, but not outstanding-looking, immaculate, but not particularly unique, man with a voice. Only those who have heard him can feel the real answer.

Perhaps we can rationalize it in words after reading about his career: he was born into poverty, and after working other jobs to make ends meet – guide, construction worker, former tax office employee and mill worker – he became who he is today with a lot of practice, study and steadfast faith. In addition to being an excellent singer, he can play the guitar, bass, mandolin, saxophone, panpipes, lute, but he also plays the piano and accordion well, and he has appeared in several films. He and his wife run a yoga center.

The Debrecen event is part of the My Songs tour, on which he brought the most popular songs of his successful career accompanied by guitarist Dominic Miller, drummer Josh Freese, keyboardist Kevon Webster, guitarist Rufus Miller, accordionist Shane Sager, and vocalists Melissa Musique and Gene Noble. The latter two band members – in addition to their impressive voices and singing skills – added a lot to the production with their presence, and I would have liked to have watched their dancing as a separate show. They enjoyed the concert so much that even a non-fan would have become one by watching them. But there were hardly any such (non-fans) in the hall.

In addition to the familiar ones, some new songs were also performed, from the album The Bridge, released last November. Fortunately, Sting did not leave in English, after the applause he gifted the audience with a few more songs, Fragile was performed as a farewell. The last movement was still in front of my eyes for a long time, I can still recall it now. The musician did not strum, he caressed the strings, and it was as if he had patted everyone on the shoulder a little before sending them on their way home. It was such a touch and such a concert experience that it must make you a better, more humble, more compassionate person.

(c) Haon