Busy as a bee, Gordon Sumner—aka Sting—is picking up the bass that got him started and hitting the road for considerably smaller venues than he’s been used to during the past 30 or so years.
Celebrating his 25th anniversary as a solo artist, Sting brings a five-piece band to the Tower Theater on Oct. 26-27. The Back to Bass Tour will be a true treat for fans who want the hits—stripped. The tour could be called Back to Basics, as he’s leaving the orchestra and lutes (from recent years) behind and playing the songs in their formative shapes. The small venues make it an even more intimate and special affair.
The legacy of the Police cannot be denied, but it’s quite amazing to also realize the impact of Sting’s solo career. Fittingly, the man has just released a five-disc box set called 25 Years, with a single disc to follow in mid-October called The Best of 25 Years. His 1985 release, The Dream of the Blue Turtles, had four Top 20 singles, and it’s extremely likely they’ll be heard during this show—“If You Love Somebody Set Them Free,” “Russians,” “Fortress Around Your Heart” and “Love Is the Seventh Wave.” Me? I’ll be shouting out for my fave: “I’m So Happy I Can’t Stop Crying”!
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The Police will be represented with songs like “Message in a Bottle” and “Roxanne.” As it’s unlikely that the Police will reunite ever again (they tried a couple of years back and got on each other’s nerves), this show offers the chance to hear some of these hits by a rock band, rather than accompanied by violins and cellos.
Sting played a concert on the eve of his 60th birthday (Oct. 1) at the Beacon Theatre in New York, with all proceeds going to the Robin Hood Foundation. The Back to Bass Tour starts Oct. 21 in Boston and goes through early December.
SHOW INFO
When: Oct. 26-27, 8 p.m.
Where: Tower Theater, 69th and Ludlow streets, Upper Darby.
Tickets: $67-$75. Visit livenation.com or the Tower box office (day of show). Call (800) 745-3000.
