Sting 3.0 Tour Echoes Early Days
I know what you’re thinking, “Hey, weren’t The Police a trio?” Why, yes, they were. And true fans picked up on several Andy Summersesque guitar licks by Miller and even more Stewart Copelandesque drum fills by Maas.
I know what you’re thinking, “Hey, weren’t The Police a trio?” Why, yes, they were. And true fans picked up on several Andy Summersesque guitar licks by Miller and even more Stewart Copelandesque drum fills by Maas.
A crowd favorite was the Drive-By Truckers track “Danko/Manuel,” Isbell’s song when he was with that band. It’s a sad tale written about the end of The Band as depicted in ‘The Last Waltz.’
The sound of the ‘Cuffs has matured and evolved since the first release some 16 years ago. On Rails, their fourth studio album, the band visits a glam/indie 70s universe, creating a fresh edge on each track.
Marr kicked off the show with “Armatopia,” a climate change warning for the world, “So let’s dance to the sound of our time running out / And watch the smoke on the breeze of rising seas.”
The most revealing aspect was the band’s brotherhood. Creative and stress-induced differences led to three decades of ups and downs, always overshadowed by forgiveness and strengthened friendships.
For fans of 80s music, it’s about time. The subtitle of the album reads, “Stepping back into the future.” Appropriate for a man who is simultaneously reminiscing and looking forward to what’s next.
As Torq sings on the title track, “Twenty years asleep before we sleep forever.” Well, it’s 20 years later and there will surely be little rest as the band is out promoting the anniversary of their third album kicking off in the northeast U.S. then continuing through much of Canada and the U.S. West coast.
Promoting the band’s eighth studio album has illustrated that famous Finn passion for entertaining and connecting with fans. For almost four decades, this evolving group of musicians has created some of pop music’s most lasting memories and there appears to be plenty of fuel left in that creative tank.
The genre-bending trio has seemingly matured with age, and as a result experienced the riches of self-confidence and assuredness. The culmination of each musician’s life-experience in music is evident and refreshing here.
Call Gustaf what you will: art-punk, post-punk, no-wave…there’s no one out there sounding like this. Gammill exudes a Harley-Quinn-meets-Emma-Stone vibe from which you cannot look away.