Sting, return to the 'Police'; the tour that arrives in Italy tonight opens in Geneva...

At forty Swiss francs per ticket, eleven thousand tickets sold total approximately six hundred million lire earned in a single evening. The cashier of the soiree is Sting, and the money raised Monday at the Geneva Arena is destined to multiply throughout all the dates of a world tour that takes its name from the latest album, 'Mercury Falling'. Dressed head to toe in Gianni Versace, Gordon Matthew Sumner will be in Italy starting today to kick off a series of ten concerts. Guest of honour at the May 1st concert in Piazza San Giovanni (performing at 4 pm), Sting brings with him three session musicians who, in addition to their uncommon talent, have played on the former Police's last three albums with excellent results. Kenny Kirkland on keyboards, Dominic Miller on guitar, and Vinnie Colaiuta on drums give the audience the same emotions experienced when listening to the album "Mercury Falling," so much so that the first four tracks from the album kick off the performance. "The Hounds of Winter," "I Hung My Head," the wonderful and generous "I Was Brought to My Senses," and the hit single "Let Your Soul Be Your Pilot" leave the audience speechless.

The set is sparse, with only a giant screen taking up the entire back stage, and a series of eidolons positioned behind the instruments show images of withered trees, lines of hands magnified a hundred times, splashes of moving colour, and even images of a woman in sado-masochistic attire (for the song "Roxanne," about a prostitute) telling the former elementary school teacher's poems in music. Sting couldn't have put together a more opportunistic setlist. After a debut dedicated to promoting their latest effort, the songs chosen are mostly from the Police period.

Like a burst of machine gun fire, "If You Love Somebody Set Them Free," "Every Little Thing She Does It's Magic," "Synchronicity," and "Roxanne" are interspersed with a few gems from the latest "Ten Summoner's Tales" albums, like "Seven Days" or "The Soul Cages," like "Mad About You." The only song not announced in the setlist is a reworking of the song "Demolition Man," which served as the opening theme for the soundtrack to the film of the same name starring Sylvester Stallone and Wesley Snipes. After an hour of performance, the audience is in raptures and can barely keep up with the sudden changes in pace.

Reggae, soul, rhythm and blues, pop, and even rock are the genres that constantly intermingle, reminding us that The Police achieved success thanks to a mix of genres and situations. The blond entertainer keeps a small table next to the microphone stand, containing a large glass of water and a bottle of throat drops. Sting frequently drinks the potion that keeps his voice at its peak, and throughout the show, there are no stutters or drops in tone. There's also room for the wonderful musicians, and Kirkland's keyboard solo has the audience clapping their hands raw.

"The Bed's Too Big Without You," scheduled for the show, wasn't heard in Geneva, but Swiss law requires all musical performances to stop by 11:00 PM. It will be fun to hear Sting live. Luca Dondoni The tour: tonight in Bologna, 3/5 in Turin, 4 in Milan, 5 in Bolzano, 7 in Codroipo (UD), 9 in Florence, 10 in Rome, 12 in Acireale (CT), 13 in Naples and 14 in Pescara.

(c) La Stampa by Dondoni Luca