red lights

Sting Delivers

The Riverside Theater
Milwaukee
December 7, 1999

Sting

Story and Photo by Phil Bonyata

Today's Sting may be a bit mellower than the Sting from his Police days, but his wit and edge remain largely intact. If you were one of the lucky ones at the Riverside Theater December 7th in Milwaukee who saw Sting's intimate performance you'd probably agree. Sting apparently isn't just doing this for the money or he probably wouldn't have played almost every song from his new album, the sleepy and introspective Brand New Day. Of course, he played the ubiquitous Police classics "Every Breath You Take", "Message In a Bottle", "Everything She Does Is Magic" and "Roxanne", but it was the new music that had more weight and urgency. Much of Sting's music is full of multiple layers and personal introspection, but he is also quite capable of some hip-shakin' rockers like the honky tonkin' "Fill Her Up". Sting, looking every bit as youthful as in his Police days, mixed-up some jazz, gospel and even some Middle Eastern rhythms into an effective musical cocktail. What the audience witnessed last week was a 48 year old man still in the prime of his artistry.

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