STING : 3.0 LIVE

 

  1. Message in a Bottle
  2. Englishman in New York
  3. Fields of Gold
  4. Seven Days
  5. All This Time
  6. Driven to Tears
  7. Synchronicity II
  8. Every Breath You Take
  9. Roxanne / Be Still My Beating Heart
    Bonus :
  10. Fragile

Label : A&M Records

Venue : various locations

Recording Date : 2024

Release Date : XXX

Length : 48:15

Review (Sting) : Sting 3.0 LIVE is a collection of Sting’s greatest hits, live from the Sting 3.0 tour. Featuring the track “Be Still My Beating Heart,” which Sting has never before released as a live version.

Review (Wikipedia) : Sting 3.0 is a concert tour by Sting, playing in a trio with Dominic Miller on guitar and Chris Maas on drums in the same format as The Police. Concerts took place between May and November 2024 in Europe and North America, covering Police hits and deep cuts.

Review (Spin) : Sting returned to his rock roots last year on his back-to-basics 3.0 Tour. Though former comrades Andy Summers and Stewart Copeland didn’t join the erstwhile King of Pain on the road, Police songs made up more than half of the 20-plus song setlists, evened out with solo favorites and deep cuts. Backed by guitarist Dominic Miller and drummer Chris Maas, Sting used these concerts to reclaim a rock ‘n roll legacy that has been somewhat marred by frustrating sidetracks into adult contemporary material, ill-conceived reggae collaborations, and bloated orchestral interpretations of past glories. Hearing Gordon Sumner strap on the bass and play the hits without additional ornamentation was a dream come true for fans tired of such digressions. Those who purchase the standard CD or LP versions will own a nine-song sampler, featuring mainly the biggest hits. Those who opt for the digital version will also get solo favorite “Fragile” as a bonus track. Additionally, a 2-LP limited version released on Record Store Day appends an extra platter of eight tracks, many of which have never been released before on a live set. But copies of that edition start at around $70 on Discogs and that’s before shipping. Those hoping to hear “Fortress Around Your Heart” or “Be Still My Beating Heart” must be prepared to shell out extra for the privilege. This muddled release roll-out mars what could have been a cherished keepsake for Sting fans. Does anyone really need live versions of “Message in a Bottle,” “Every Breath You Take,” and “Roxanne” circa 2025? You can buy the comprehensive {Live!} (1995) album which features two complete Police concerts from 1979 and 1983, respectively. And Sting played some true rare cuts on this tour, including “I Burn for You,” but that song isn’t available on any version of the album. As for the recording itself, it is a fine collection if you are interested in how Sting interprets his old favorites now. His voice is placed high in the mix, dominating Miller and Maas, whose playing is lean and mean. Sting is also now 73 years old, and his voice is more weathered, unable to hit some of the higher registers familiar to his early material. While the 3.0 Tour seemed designed to reward longtime fans, this strange release strategy is good for no one as even those who buy the deluxe edition don’t get the full experience.

Review (De Muziekplank) : De Britse zanger Sting is van vele markten thuis. Al komt zijn hang naar de periode van The Police telkens even terug. Toch weet Sting zelf de boot tot een volledige reunie af te houden. Nee met de oudleden loopt het niet altijd even vloeiend waarop Sting een tour als trio heeft gedaan. Met gitarist en drummer uit zijn solo band geeft het de mogelijkheid om zowel Police songs als solo songs te spelen. Zo begint het album ‘Message in a Bottle’ waar we direct horen dat drummer Stuart Copeland een unieke drummer is met zijn korte katachtige drummethode. De songs van zijn solo albums zijn gemaakt vanuit het perspectief van een volledige band. Hierdoor worden de bedjes van keyboards in bijvoorbeeld ‘Fields of Gold’ gemist. Al blijven ‘Seven Days’ en ‘Englishman in New York’ mooie songs toch zijn ze hier wat kaal. Tijdens het concert luisteren zal het minder opvallen dan wanneer we het nu terug horen. Het mooie aan dit album is de diversiteit van songs. ‘Driven To Tears’ en het ‘Synchronicity II’ in combinatie met ‘Fragile’ en ‘Every Breath You Take’ maakt dat dit live album een soort best of Sting Live is geworden.