Sting
The Fillmore
Miami Beach, FL
November 12, 2011
Review and Photos by Anthony Cave
The expression past your prime may be true in sports. But for Sting, 25-year-old hit songs still warrant a sellout crowd. Printouts plastered on the Will-Call ticket window read “Sold Out!!!” at the first of two consecutive shows for Sting, both packed to capacity – around 2,700 people.
Like most Miami events, Sting was supposed to start at 8:00 p.m., but the late arriving crowd, from the start of holiday traffic, caused a delay. I came from I-95 North, so I was there on time, even lucked out and pulled into a parking spot on the first floor of a nearby parking garage. It was your typical classy Miami crowd – well dressed, accomplished couples and the occasional kid.
Sting said his music was like sex. He even jokingly motioned to someone in the crowd. The 11-time Grammy Award winner (16 when counted with The Police) served up hit after hit, the shortest of breaks laced with jokes and the occasional profane remark.
“What the f**k is this?” he said after a fan in the crowd threw what looked like a plush animal of some sort at him. He then started to read a phone number out mechanically “954-243,” stopping to ensure the fan’s anonymity.
His musical team also got into the act; a solid solo by the violinist fired up the crowd for Sting’s three encores – yeah that’s right, three.
From “Fields of Gold” to “Desert Rose,” the 60-year-old did not miss a beat. There was also a touching moment or two squeezed in there, as Sting mentioned his father before he voiced “Ghost Story.”
His musical team also got into the act; a solid solo by the violinist fired up the crowd for Sting’s three encores – yeah that’s right, three.
The back-and-forth jabbering started with “Heavy Cloud No Rain,” as Sting shouted the first two words and the audience the latter. This was followed up by the 1984 song of the year and Police hit, “Every Breath You Take.”
The rest of his ensemble bid farewell to the crowd, before Sting ran back on stage, guitar in hand for the closing act, “Message in a Bottle.”
I don’t know what it is about these artists who were more famous in the 20th century, but hey, it works for Sting, and works very well in the 21st century.
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