Englishman in Ergo Arena. Sting and his great hits...

Who doesn't know hits like "Roxanne," "Englishman in New York," and "Message in a Bottle?" Sting returned to Ergo Arena. And, ladies and gentlemen, what a performance he delivered! Anyone seeing him for the first time couldn't have chosen a better route. During "Sting 3.0," the Englishman simply plays his best—his own hits and those from his time with The Police.

Sting is one of those performers who needs no introduction. He's an absolute icon, even an institution in the world of music. One of the most influential performers in history—whether on his own or with The Police. Perhaps not as gigantic and interdisciplinary as David Bowie, but the two men rank very close in the pantheon of all-time greats.

Sting's influence on pop culture is undeniable, but recent years can hardly be called groundbreaking. Especially that strange collaboration with Shaggy, which was neither necessary nor beneficial. At the time, many people wondered what was going on—was this the end of Sting? Fortunately, no. The Englishman has returned to his good habits and is now touring, giving fans an anthology of his best compositions.

Ergo Arena was practically bursting at the seams. Even despite the very high ticket prices, many people couldn't imagine not seeing the multi-time Grammy Award winner live. Sting had already been to the Tri-City area for a concert with the Philharmonic Orchestra, with Shaggy, and at the Forest Opera, but perhaps this was the first time he'd arrived in the way everyone wanted. A vast space, great hits—no frills or frills.

There's no need to elaborate on the sound—the acoustics of this venue are well-known, and it's hard to expect miracles. But it's also worth noting how it works. Well, every performer and their technical crew has something called presets, i.e. already prepared sound settings that they simply turn on and that's it.

Only during the concert are minor adjustments made. And that's it. To match the acoustics of a hall or stadium, everything would have to be set up from scratch – nobody has time for that on tour. Still, it wasn't bad. Really. The album was pleasant; the sound didn't escape as much in the stands as it sometimes does. In any case, I understand listeners who pay a fortune and feel like someone has placed a bucket over their heads. There's just no way around it. That's the charm of performing in large arenas.

Sting came to the Tri-City area as part of his "Sting 3.0" tour, presenting a kind of "best of" tour. We have about 20 songs, divided in half – one part for The Police, the other for Sting solo. This way, the audience gets the best of everything. There were also "Roxanne," "Englishman in New York," "Message in a Bottle," "Fields of Gold," "Fragile," and "Every Little Thing She Does is Magic."
 

Sting himself? Fantastic – musically and vocally. He has a touch of gentlemanliness and British bravado. This combination of extremes creates a fantastic effect. The musician doesn't say much from the stage, doesn't look for insults, doesn't incite the atmosphere with pyrotechnics or other flourishes. It's him, the band, the instruments, and that's it. And that's exactly it – if someone is good, they don't need fireworks to captivate the crowd.

He only needed to move his hand, mutter something under his breath, one almost imperceptible gesture – and the audience was immediately at his beck and call. Vocals, clapping, not to mention singing at the top of his lungs. This concert was a blast to watch and listen to. I truly appreciate performers with such experience who clearly still care and enjoy what they do. Cashing in? To some extent, certainly, but Sting absolutely never lets it show.

Sting is great. That statement is beyond dispute. He's proven this throughout his career so far, and at Ergo Arena, he showed that none of this was a coincidence. He's one of those performers we'll never experience again, because they're incredibly rare, and what's more, the current music scene doesn't need them. Therefore, those who had the opportunity to see him should remember these moments fondly.

(c) Trojmiasto by Patryk Gochniewski