The legend of Sting dazzles the Arena - The packed audience sang and enjoyed the sound of the British musician...

A legend enchanted the Navarra Arena this Saturday, December 16th. One of the world's most important rock names, Sting, performed some of his most famous songs in front of more than 8,000 people, who were captivated by the harmonies of the British musician's songs.

The earliest risers in the audience arrived at the Navarra Arena very spaced out from the 8:00 p.m. doors opening, skipping the lines.

The first entry was Joe Sumner, Sting's son, who, although he has been in the music world for years as the bassist and singer of the band Fiction Plan, came to Pamplona to present songs from his first solo album, Sunshine in the Night.

He came on stage at 9:15 p.m., greeting everyone in Spanish: "Good evening, Pamplona. I'm here to play my songs." Bearing a strong resemblance to his father, more so physically than vocally, he also delivered a repertoire of guitar and vocals, albeit with the aural support of a full instrumental base, including choruses, in a very mainstream pop-rock style.

By 9:20 p.m., the Navarra Arena was 80% full with an audience of all ages, mostly people over forty, although there were also entire families with young children of 10 or 12.

Joe displayed character and friendliness in his short interventions, speaking in Spanish. The themes of some of his songs were dedicated to his family, wife, and children, such as Juliet and Jellybean, with some phrasing and vocal projections very much in the style of his father. For the song Hope, several musicians from his father's band came on stage to accompany him on vocals and light percussion.

And yes, Gordon Matthew Thomas Sumner Sting took the stage with British punctuality, at 10 p.m. as scheduled, with one of the great classics not only of The Police but of the history of popular music, Message in a Bottle. Supported by what was expected at first glance: excellent sound, well-balanced in detail and sonic planes, Sting looked fantastic at 72 years old, with his chipped Fender Sting Precision Bass Artist Series bass from 1957.

The lighting was spectacular, supported by great moments of audiovisual production on the two video screens flanking the stage.

The audience's following in the wonderful "Englishman in New York" was fantastic, with a harmonica acting as the clarinet's famous phrasing. Everyone, even the youngest, sang along to the choruses of "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic," including the "Iyoho, Iyoho."

After a much more soulful version than the well-known "If You Love Somebody Set Them Free," he took the opportunity to introduce the band and say hello in Spanish: "Good evening, Pamplona. We're very happy to be here, it's the first time." He continued with The Police's well-known "Spirits in the Material World," showcasing that spectacular bass line that has earned it the distinction of being one of the trio's best songs of their career.

The rhythmic piston slowed down a bit to face the mid-tempo ballad "The Hounds of Winter," with spectacular guest appearances by backing vocalist Melissa Mussique, in a very soulful-gospel style. The concert, which mirrored the repertoire he had played on Friday in Madrid and at other times during his tour, continued with the song "If I Ever Lose My Faith in You," in which Sting once again engaged the audience in the chorus.

He was accompanied on the set by Dominic Miller (guitar), Josh Freese (drums), Rufus Miller (guitar), Kevon Webster (keyboard), Shane Sager (harmonica), Melissa Musique, and Gene Noble (backing vocals). Dominique put down his electric guitar to accompany and partly star in the wonderful ballad "Fields of Gold"—undoubtedly one of the best of his entire career.

And with that desire to give his musicians space and prominence, he asked his harmonica player Shane Sager if he was capable of emulating Stevie Wonder on the song "Brand New Day" (as he had done when he released the song). Shane answered with a measured but resounding "yes." He did so in another harmonica display. That emotional and musical crescendo rose even further with the grand gospel-soul finale of "Heavy Cloud No Rain," featuring the groundbreaking Melissa. Another inspired "Shape of My Heart" followed, allowing his other vocalist, Gene Noble, to shine, singing those haunting and painful lyrics that, translated into Spanish, read: "He deals the cards to find the answer. The sacred geometry of opportunity. The hidden law of the probable outcome... the numbers lead a dance..." It was a concert in which the beauty of the sound took you by the hand, and the audience could only scream with emotion, amazement, and empathy, accompanied by the sting of popular music.

After the beautiful "Why Should I Cry for You?", it was time for "All This Time," giving the concert a rhythmic edge. The candles were lit on the central screen with the beautiful "A Thousand Years," which Sting took the opportunity to sing while sitting on a high stool...

Image and sound went hand in hand in a technically truly spectacular concert, with exquisite artistic treatment. This was the case with another Police song, "Walking on the Moon," which rhythmically turned into reggae with the choruses launched into a spectacular segue into "So Lonely," a seminal song from The Police's early days, which was sung loudly by the audience.

"So Lonely" grew and grew. In one of those stylistic twists, Sting also took it to reggae to paraphrase and pay homage to one of Bob Marley's best-known songs.

On the screens, the images fused into three or four simultaneous layers, both from the cameras capturing the musicians' movements and from the figurative ornamental motifs. It was time for the beautiful and ethnic "Desert Rose." This was followed by "King of Pain," in which his son Joe came on stage to accompany him on backing vocals and sing lead vocals for the final part of the song. The guitar continued to do its thing with the riffs and riffs, and Sting directed his emotional missiles of harmony how and where he wanted.

And yes, the final moment arrived with Every Breath You Take, which reached an unstoppable crescendo with spectacular lighting and a visual execution equal to that of the same level. The audience went wild and performed everything the great Sting asked of them in terms of harmonies and choruses. It was a beautiful finale that once again created a spectacular, detailed, and well-balanced sound.

The handshake of all the musicians at the edge of the stage brought them backstage in a short space of time, less than two minutes. But the encores were ready, and the first was the tremendous Roxanne, in which the new song became a spectacle of new harmonies with a fantastic reggae-inspired bridge and improvisation, leading to a tremendous final rush.

For the final encore, he swapped his old bass for an acoustic guitar to perform a delicate and exquisite "Fragile." His voice and intonation were perfect, the fingerpicking he himself created beautiful, and a great ending to a concert of enormous quality.

Sting, true to his fame, lived up to expectations. He, and of course all his magnificent musicians and technical team, put on an excellent show.

Sting, a legend in perfect physical and vocal shape, a staple in popular music, delivered perhaps the best concert at the Navarra Arena in 2023.

(c) Diario de Navarra by Santi Echeverría

Sting dazzles the Navarra Arena...

Tickets had sold out several months in advance, and it was no wonder, as Sting's visit to the Navarra Arena had all the hallmarks of becoming a historic event to be remembered for decades. It should be noted that chairs had been placed on the dance floor, so the capacity wasn't the usual 12,000 people, but was instead around 8,000. In any case, this doesn't diminish the event's significance in the slightest. The founding member, singer, and songwriter of The Police arrived in Pamplona immersed in his My Songs tour, with which he has been touring the world for the past four years. At seventy-two years old, the Briton is comfortable with this show, which revisits the greatest hits of his career, from the beginnings of his seminal band, back in 1977, to his latest album recorded to date, entitled My Songs, in which he recreated 15 gems from his extensive career, adapted to his current musical desires.

The packed Arena audience came prepared to enjoy a legendary figure, belonging to those unrepeatable generations that have offered so much and so much good to the world of music. David Bowie, John Lennon, and Lou Reed are long gone, but we still have Paul McCartney, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Bob Dylan... or Sting himself, who, despite all artistic differences (and age, as he's somewhat younger than the previous ones), also belongs to that golden age of rock 'n' roll when artists held a special place in people's lives. Before him, Joe Sumner, his eldest son, who leads the band Fiction Plane, but is currently presenting his first album outside the band, Sunshine in the Night, performed. It's his solo debut, and he performed solo, dressed in a cowboy shirt and armed with an acoustic guitar. He did, however, bring pre-recorded bass and drum sounds and he played them, so the sound wasn't at all stripped down. Joe bears a striking resemblance to his father, both physically and, especially, in his voice. He addressed the audience in broken Spanish, but managed to connect and garner much applause, especially with his version of "Who Do You Love," originally by Bo Diddley. For the final performance, "Hope," several members of his father's band came out to accompany him on backing vocals and percussion.

Sting's performance was scheduled to begin at 10:00 p.m., and the Briton was punctual. The first thing that caught everyone's attention was his appearance, much more youthful than his seventy-two birthday, which he turned on October 2, would suggest. Slim, lanky, wiry, and muscular, dressed in tight pants and a tight T-shirt, with his thinning blond hair and everlasting blue eyes, he opened fire with a Police classic, "Message in a Bottle," which brought the entire hall to its feet. No one sat down during the next set, "Englishman in New York," one of his biggest solo hits. That first part of the concert featured hits from the group with which he rose to fame: "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic" and "Spirits in the Material World."

The stage was spectacular, as had been suggested during his son's performance, although it was with Sting that he shone in all his splendour. Elegant spotlights aimed at the musicians and the audience, projections in the rear, and two large side screens ensured every detail was captured. The sound was also outstanding, exquisitely equalized, allowing every nuance of all the instruments to be savoured. The foundation was set by the trio of guitar, drums, and Sting's bass, but they embellished it with keyboards and three backing vocalists, one of whom also played the harmonica (with effects from other wind instruments).

The middle of the show focused on his solo albums. The quality of the show was maintained, but the songs weren't as well-known, and the audience's spirits slowed down. Even so, during this stretch, there were few songs that were more intense, such as "If I Ever Lose My Faith in You," "Brand New Day" (with Shane Sager playing Stevie Wonder on the harmonica, with whom Sting performed this song years ago), or the magnificent ballad "Shape of My Heart," which once again demonstrated the sublime sound. At press time, with the concert already exceeding sixty-five minutes, the audience was still on its feet, singing and clapping. And the Police's greatest anthems were still to come ("So Lonely," "Every Breath You Take," "Roxanne," etc.).

(c) Noticias de Navarra by Javier Escorzo

Sting, an English lord who also reigned in Navarre...

The bassist, at 72 years old and with a tour of more than 300 concerts already stretching four years, leaves Pamplona acclaimed with his hits and classics by The Police.

A few weeks ago, the Royal Spanish Academy (RAE) added the word "alien" to the dictionary, among others, so this article can now legally use it to talk about Sting's acclaimed concert at the Navarra Arena in Pamplona this Saturday. This Englishman from Wallsend, near Newcastle and Hadrian's Wall, has not only visited New York but, at 72, has toured his My Songs Tour in more than three hundred cities in Europe, America, and around the world since it began back in May 2019. The visit to Pamplona concludes a brief stay in Spain, where he currently has no events scheduled for 2024.

Several hours before the concert, the Navarra Arena began to receive a trickle of spectators. The venue's establishments and those at the nearby Osasuna stadium were packed, and there were no parking spaces left. The city buses had been reinforced, and getting a taxi ride was a miracle. The Foral Police were deployed around the perimeter. The official merchandisers were looking to make a killing in December with 20-euro mugs and 90-euro sweatshirts. Anyone who approached the box office received a sneaky visit from those looking to resell a ticket at the last minute. Prices were around 70 euros. Sting, actually Gordon Summers, had a grand setup. Half a dozen black five-axle trailers and as many luxury buses registered in Austria made up his entourage. The anticipation was such that there was even a minister among those present, the new head of Social Security, Elma Saiz.

With British punctuality, at the announced time (10:00 PM), Sting and his band were already on stage. In fact, by 9:58 PM, the lights had already gone out. "Message in a Bottle" was chosen to kick things off. The dance floor audience, who had numbered tickets on folding plastic chairs, stayed settled until they realized staying there would mean not seeing anything. The music continued with "Englishman in New York," with projections of the Empire State Building and the Chrysler Building on the large screens next to the stage.

That's how far the organizers granted permission for cameramen and photographers to take pictures of the event. Why these limitations when a very high percentage of the audience was recording every sound coming from the artist's bass with their cell phones? This article can't possibly include a photograph of the colourful display of 'So Lonely' or of Sting calling his son to join him on 'Every Breath You Take,' a hymn to jealousy celebrating its fortieth anniversary. But all of that is already circulating on TikTok, Instagram, or YouTube, or perhaps has reached readers via WhatsApp or Telegram.

The singer sought to engage his audience in Spanish. He had practiced the night before in Madrid. This tour has also stopped in Bilbao and Vigo, as well as the Canary Islands. However, the language still comes out with an Italian accent. Sting, wearing a tight-fitting short-sleeved T-shirt, gave the spotlight to his companions almost one by one throughout the evening. And the audience responded with applause for their skills. The man with dishevelled hair who wandered alone around the restroom before the concert turned out to be the guitarist who finished off a highly acclaimed "Fields of Gold."

It was at 11:23 p.m. when his six-year-old son took the stage. It was more of a return. Joe Summer, active since 1999, is the opening act for the main concert of the entire tour. A long version of "Every Breath You Take" brought the recital to a close, but the audience, standing and speaking Basque, shouted, "Beste bat! Beste bat!" And there was more. The red lights went up for "Roxanne," the first single from The Police's debut album. At 11:45 p.m., after 90 minutes plus stoppage time, the audience began to evacuate the Navarra Arena, which was quickly dismantled to resume their routine of pelota and other sports. Backstage, the organizers couldn't hide their satisfaction with the concert's sound quality and the elegance of the English gentleman who reigned over Navarra for one night.

(c) El Diario by Rioja Andueza