Sting at the MGM Music Hall in Fenway

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member Sting is currently on tour at smaller venues across the country. He brought this tour to Boston's MGM Music Hall in Fenway on Friday night. On Sunday evening he will be there again for another show. The current lineup, called “Sting 3.0,” consists of Sting and his long-time guitarist and collaborator Dominic Miller. The trio is rounded out by drummer Chris Maas, who previously toured with Mumford and Sons. This current tour is a greatest hits show in every sense. On Friday evening the band presented 22 songs. He went back to his solo material and dusted off some classics from The Police.

At around 9 p.m. Sting and Co. appeared on stage and immediately started with “Message in a Bottle”. Sting is at his best. At 73, he sounds just as good as he did in 1982. He commanded the sell-out crowd masterfully and delivered one of the best shows I've seen in years. The production was great with state of the art lighting and a huge video wall. The video wall was used very creatively. During “Wrapped Around Your Finger,” images of flickering candles danced on the screen, reminiscent of the song's 1983 video. Miller is an absolute beast on guitar. He wrote one of the most famous guitar lines when he wrote “Shape of My Heart” with Sting in 1993 Ten summoner stories. This song was one of many highlights of the evening. As the setlist neared its end. The band mixed one song into the next without a break. One blow after another was struck. “Desert Rose” led into “King of Pain” before segueing into a set that ended with “Every Breath You Take.” The band took their bows, but the Boston crowd hadn't had enough. They returned to the stage to perform two songs as an encore of “Roxanne” and “Fragile.” 5,000 fans left the MGM Music Hall satisfied, having just seen a masterpiece.

There are very few “rock stars” left. Sting is one of them. Go out and see him live. As I mentioned, he'll be appearing here again on Sunday, October 6th at 8 p.m. There are only a limited number of tickets left. Don't miss this. The next time you'll have a chance to see him, maybe next year at the JMA Wireless Dome with Billy Joel. I don't know about you, but I would rather see a show in an intimate setting than in a stadium.

Jazz pianist/composer Eric Lewis, aka ELEW, opened the show with an eclectic set. He opened with a rousing cover of “Heartbeats” by The Knife, followed by a cover of “Diary of Jane” by Breaking Benjamin. Playing Breaking Benjamin solo on the piano doesn't sound like it should work on paper. It works incredibly well. Lewis plays the piano like no one else I've ever seen. He reaches into the piano and strums the strings like a harp or a guitar. He hits the frame of the piano as if it were a drum. It all adds up to something interesting, strange and unique. As part of my Daytripper concert review series, I review both the venue and the concert itself. Seeing a legend like Sting in a 5000 seat venue is a treat in itself. Seeing him at MGM Music Hall is even better. Opening in 2022, the venue is located right next to Fenway Park. The Music Hall, designed specifically for concerts, has no bad seats. The sight lines are clear, the sound is impeccable and the lighting is of the highest standard. Everything about this venue has been carefully thought out. There are four levels, all accessible from the main lobby. The show was sold out, but it didn't feel like a sold out show as there were no lines for drinks or toilets. There is a bar on the ground floor on both sides of the stage. The staff is polite and helpful. There is also plenty of parking space and it is affordable. I parked a block away for $20. For comparison, I recently paid $40 to park in Albany for a show at MVP Arena. The upcoming program at the MGM Music Hall had something to offer for every taste. Do yourself a favor and catch a show here. Thank you later. Check out the full gallery below!