After 18 long years, Sting returns to Manila
By Pocholo ConcepcionPhilippine Daily Inquirer
STING performs on Dec. 9 at the Mall of Asia Arena.
The leak about Sting performing on Dec. 9 at the SM Mall of Asia (MOA) Arena—posted last week on Twitter—has been confirmed by promoter Renen de Guia of Ovation Productions.
“My only request,” he told the Inquirer by phone, “is that you publish your story today, so that nobody else jumps the gun because we will have a simultaneous announcement on Sting’s website, the Ovations website, and other online news sites.”
It’s been 18 years since the multi-talented singer-songwriter and front man of the disbanded New Wave rock trio The Police first performed in Manila. That concert, also mounted by Ovation, was held in 1994 at the old Ultra open field.
The MOA Arena show is part of Sting’s 2011-2012 “Back to Bass” world tour, which heads to Asia in December. The tour, which will feature Sting playing again his principal instrument, the bass guitar (hence, the tour’s title), is in support of his recently released 3 CD-DVD box set collection, “Sting 25 Years,” and a 12-track CD retrospective, “Sting: The Best of 25 Years.”
His website, sting.com, said that the ongoing tour also features a tight three-man band composed of Sting’s favorite sidemen Dominic Miller (guitar), David Sancious (keyboards) and Vinnie Colaiuta (drums), plus Peter Tickell (electric fiddle) and Jo Lawry (vocals)—“performing his most celebrated songs, stripped down.”
A sample set list, posted online from the tour’s performance on March 19, 2012 at the HMV Hammersmith Apollo in London, contained choice cuts from Sting’s work with The Police as well as those from his solo albums: “Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic,” “Driven To Tears,” “Demolition Man,” “Every Breath You Take,” “Message in a Bottle,” “All This Time,” “Seven Days,” “Fortress Around Your Heart,” “Fields of Gold,” “Heavy Cloud, No Rain,” among others.
According to Ovation, tickets to the MOA Arena show will be on sale starting Sept. 21 at 12 p.m. at all SM ticket outlets and online at smtickets.com.
James Morrison
British singer-songwriter James Morrison performs on Oct. 9 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Morrison gained fame in 2006 with the release of the single, “You Give Me Something.” His debut album, “Undiscovered,” debuted at the top of the UK album chart and won him a BRIT Award in 2007 for best British male solo artist.
“The Awakening,” his latest record, came out in 2011. Call 911-5555 or log on to ticketnet.com.ph.
Creed
American rock band Creed performs on Nov. 11 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Composed of lead vocalist Scott Stapp, bassist Brian Marshall, drummer Scott Phillips and guitarist/vocalist Mark Tremonti, the band is one of the most prominent post-grunge acts, having sold more than 50 million albums worldwide.
One of group’s hit singles, “With Arms Wide Open,” won as best rock song in the 2011 Grammy Awards.
Call 921-8883 or 0929-2603399.
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