STING - Back To Bass Tour...

The man’s still got it. That is, that intangible factor that separates regular musicians from living legends. Long ago, the man born Gordon Sumner cemented his superstar status by amassing one hit after another in a career that has spanned decades. And even after taking a long sabbatical from his rock persona - choosing to pursue symphonic and new-age projects in his time - at the HKCEC in his return to Hong Kong with his Back to Bass tour, Sting showed that, after all this time, yes... he's still got it.

Pulling the expected double duty of singer and bassist, he performed a host of his classic monstrous hits permanently etched in our brains both from his early days with The Police and as a solo artist. Backed by a five-piece band, including a rocking violinist, he kicked off the night with 'If I Ever Lose My Faith In You' and 'Every Little Thing She Does is Magic', followed by an all-hit roster stuffed with tunes that have stood the test of time. Peppered in were some ditties that may have been a bit more unfamiliar to the captivated audience, but lacking the ability to sing along verbatim didn't stop the crowd from swaying in their seats and hanging on every word. Strong as ever were his vocals - something that hasn’t waned over the years - which underpinned the entire stellar set and multiple encores.

Very few achieve the longevous musical career Sting has managed and, with his command of the stage and perfect pitch, it is easy to understand why. So Sting, your fans we'll be watching you. Every stage you grace, in every single place, they’ll be watching you.

(c) Time Out by Ilene Frankel