Review: Sting’s San Diego concert an arresting, full-circle family affair for the Rock & Roll Hall of Famer

Sting came full circle at his alternately rousing and understated concert Wednesday night at Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre at San Diego State University.

On Aug. 14, 1985, the celebrated English musician kicked off his debut solo tour at this very same venue — then known as the SDSU Open Air Theater — after leaving The Police, one of rock’s most successful and creative bands. Sting’s first-born son, Joe Sumner, was 9 at the time. Now, Joe is the opening act on his famous father’s current tour and lends vocal support to his dad on the songs “King of Pain” and “Every Breath You Take.”

On Sept. 5, 1983, Sting performed with The Police at SDSU’s nearby Aztec Bowl, topping a bill that included Oingo Boingo and Madness. Since 1997, the bowl has been the site of the university’s Viejas Arena, about a 5-minute stroll from the Open Air Theatre.

“It’s been a while since we’ve been here,” Sting said Wednesday, following an ebullient, four-song opening salvo that included “Every Little Thing She Does is Magic” and “If You Love Somebody Set Them Free.”

“And,” he added with a smile, “I’m very happy.”

True to his word, Sting sounded like well over a million dollars, if not quite $300 million. That’s the estimated amount he received last year for selling the rights to the more than 600 songs he has written. One of them, the 1983 Police classic “Every Breath You Take” — with more than 15 million airings — is the most played song in radio history.

Sting’s sold-out SDSU concert devoted eight of its 22 selections to his Police days, starting with “Message in a Bottle,” the charged opening number for his two-hour performance. It concluded with his aching 1987 lament, “Fragile,” whose lyrics of loss in a world beset by hatred and tumult are, sadly, even more timely now than when he wrote them.

No less resonant is a couplet from 1993’s “If I Ever Lose My Faith in You,” Sting’s eighth selection. When he sang: “I may lose my faith in politicians,” the 4,700-strong audience roared its agreement.

Sting stayed true to the hushed “Fragile’s” delicate melodic filigrees. On other songs, he was happy to demonstrate that his music remains as flexible as it is durable, deftly mixing elements of rock, reggae, funk, country, Celtic airs, gospel hymn-inspired vocal surges, and — on “Desert Rose” — soaring Algerian raï flourishes.

Sting extended some of his selections, including “If You Love Somebody Set Them Free” and “Roxanne.” The latter number at one point found him slyly singing the chorus to the 1931 Duke Ellington classic, “It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing).”

Some of the added touches were so brief and nuanced they were easy to miss, such as the unison piano, guitar and harmonica line that fleetingly provided counterpoint during part of a verse in “Fields of Gold.” On the bouncy “Brand New Day,” Sting punctuated one of his vocal couplets with shimmering harmonic accents that paid homage to electric bass innovator Jaco Pastorius’ groundbreaking work in the jazz fusion band Weather Report.

A man’s castle is his home

Sting and his band performed with equal conviction, precision and enthusiasm at their Wednesday concert at SDSU.

(K.C. Alfred/The San Diego Union-Tribune)

During his spoken introduction to the luminous “Fields of Gold,” Sting wryly referenced one of the several homes he owns around the world.

“I have a house in the English countryside,” he said, then added: “It’s more like a castle.”

Sting’s stage attire was more veteran rock star than king: dark leather pants, a gray t-shirt. His white hair attested to his having turned 72 on Monday, but his physique is so trim and muscular he appeared to somehow be in better shape than at his 1985 SDSU show.

That concert 38 years ago found Sting backed by a talent-packed jazz band featuring saxophonist Branford Marsalis. On Wednesday, the more improvisational moments came from harmonica ace Shane Sager, whose supple solos indicated he is well-versed with the pioneering work of Toots Thielemans.

Backing singers Gene Noble and Melissa Musique both soared when given the spotlight, while guitarist Dominic Miller and keyboardist Kevon Webster expertly navigated the broad dynamic range and slippery shifts in Sting’s songs. Drummer Zach Jones is a solid replacement for Josh Freese, who this year joined the Foo Fighters.

Sting and his band performed with equal precision, conviction and enthusiasm throughout. His engagement with his music is still palpable after all these years. That made Sting’s parting line Wednesday — “We shall return!” — sound more like a vow than an empty declaration.