Sting at the castle...

Burg Clam was the location for Sting's second Austrian gig. Our car was ready this time, so we came to the village of Clam very soon before the show. The stage was built on the meadow just under the Clam castle. It was a very nice place. The day was very hot, so we lay down on the meadow and watched what happened on the stage. We saw Danny and co and even Sting, who came to see if everything was OK. Before the sound check we had to leave the area and wait by the barriers till 6:30 pm. We had another little problem though, this time with the tickets.

Although we had bought them early in March, something terrible happened just few days before the show. My friend had had two of our four tickets in his jeans, and his mother washed them! Believe me, they really didn't look like tickets after that. These were the pieces of paper glued together. Luckily we had an invoice and the Austrian security were understanding.

This time we managed to stand in the first row just in front of Sting. He and the band appeared at 8:30 pm. Sting didn't wear the sleeveless black T-shirt as usual (he had a green one with short sleeves), but he was as sexy as usual. They all looked so relaxed and in good spirits. The best moment of the evening came just before 'Seven Days'. Sting looked at me and smiled - at me! He started to speak in German. He said something like, ''Das ist ein schönes Schloss'' (it's a nice castle).

Then he continued saying that the castle reminded him of his Lake House. At the end of his speech he looked at me once again, made one of his beautiful grins and said ''zu klein'' (that this castle is too small for him). I was in seventh heaven. I still see his face as beautiful as day. It's easy to remember, remember my love that way. What's more, after 'When The World...' I got Dominic's guitar pick! This was definitely the best Sting show I've ever seen and I Hope that he will come back to Europe next year.

(c) Stepanka Krizova for Sting.com

Ex-'Police'-Frontmann Sting rockte auf Burg Clam Gesang als Schlachtruf...

Mit altem und neuem Liedgut gefiel Dienstagabend der britische Musikpädagoge Sting auf Burg Clam. Vollge-stopft mit geschickt konfektionierten Megahits (wir hörten alle: 'If You Love Somebody', 'Englishman in New York', den Eisbärerwärmer 'Every Breath You Take'), blieb jeglicher Überraschungseffekt freilich aus.

Diese Stimme! Schon sie allein hätte das herrliche Freiluftareal unterhalb der Burg Clam akustisch gefüllt. Und streckenweise bedurfte es des Klangteppichs, den Stings solide 6-Mann-Combo rund um den krass unterforderten Jazz-Drummer Manu Katché entrollte, auch tatsächlich nicht: Etwa bei 'Roxanne', einer unverwüstlichen 'Police' - Ode auf ein besonders nettes leichtes Mädchen, mit Stings nasalem Falsettgesang als Schlachtruf, begleitet einzig vom eigenen Bass. Oder der wunderschönen Ballade 'Fragile'. Der letzten von drei Zugaben, zu der Sting selbst nur auf der 'Akustischen' kongenial die emotionale und sonstige Zerbrechlichkeit des Individuums Mensch ausdrückte.

Doch der Reihe nach. Sein Tagwerk begonnen hat Mister Sumner 105 Minuten davor im Freistil, irgendwo zwischen energetischem Rock, gefühlvollem Großstadtblues und Jazz. Mit Einsprengseln aus Rap und Reggae, mal leicht country - mal stark ethno-angehaucht. 'Desert Rose', vielbejubelter Hit aus dem der Tour ihren Namen gebenden Album 'Brand New Day', war dafür das beste Beispiel: Sting als Muezzin, der sich inmitten von roten Papier 'Flammen' und tiefblauen Scheinwerfern, die stimmig das Flair einer arabischen Nacht vermitteln, als Rufer in der Wüste betätigt. Dazwischen unternimmt der gelernte Lehrer, dessen Songs als pädagogisch wertvoll, weil politisch korrekt gelten, auch weniger gelungene Ausflüge ins ernste Fach: 'Moon Over Bourbon Street', just intoniert, als über 6,000 Zufriedenen der Mond aufgeht, mit Mackie Messers 'Haifisch' Ballade aus recht/Weills 'Dreigroschenoper' als Intro. All das wurde vom 48-Jährigen in muskelbetontem beigem Ruderleiberl durchaus mit Engagement dargeboten. Der Unterschied zwischen CD und 'live' wurde freilich nicht immer ganz klar.

(c) Neues Volksblatt by Andreas Hutter

Pop star Sting fought against transience on Clam...

Ah, the changing times. Who doesn't fondly remember the bittersweet, never-again-felt anguish of puberty?

Sting promoted his new record on Tuesday in the arena of Clam Castle. It's called 'Brand New Day,' and the title track features the lines: How many lonely, sleepless nights? How many lies, how many fights?

We've heard this before. Where else? From Sting, for example. If the lyrics are taken seriously, the good man's sweetheart has already left him countless times. Which is highly unfair, because Sting is committed to supporting minorities and the rainforests. The gray photos of his recent albums therefore signal: Sting is a) thoughtful, b) sensitive, and c) an artist.

Yes, the changing times. At the end of the 70s, the BBC boycotted "Roxanne" by "Police" because the song is about a prostitute. The same applies to "Can't Stand Losing You," which deals with suicide. Sure, MTV would do the same today. But back then, those were the days. Back then, it boosted sales if a rock star took massive amounts of drugs.

Nowadays, he's not allowed to have any chest hair.

Enough of the nostalgic grumbling. Gordon Summer, known as the iconic Sting, is a controversial phenomenon. He set standards with "Police." Before the pop industry realized this, the group disbanded (the later best-of albums are irrelevant).

Sting returned, as a solo artist. Like Phil Collins - albeit without ever approaching Collins's lulu-pop - Sting sang about love and politics. And in doing so, he still fell into the clutches of the entertainment machine. He knows that, so why bother trying to be credible? Looking at Clam Castle, he remarked, aptly and sarcastically in German: "A beautiful castle, smaller than my house."

Otherwise, there wasn't much time for talking. Sting dips his songs deep into synthesizer sauce or fiddles over them with funky sounds. The result is pleasing morsels that easily make their way from the ear to the listener's brain. 'Fields of Gold' was once again tear-jerkingly beautiful, and 'Roxanne' still rips. 'Every Breath You Take' was dutifully performed, G-rated, without any titillating eroticism.

Anyone looking for a cosy two-hour treat was in good hands with Gordon "Der Stachel" Summer. Small consolation for incorrigible complainers: At least the mosquitoes had fun with sweaty bodies on this sweltering evening.

(c) Upper Austria News by Christian Pichler