Sting can’t be accused of treading water in his comfort zone. The last few weeks have seen the man born Gordon Sumner continue a 14-month joint headline tour alongside fellow rock legend Paul Simon — a fascinating odd couple defined by duets and performing each others’ songs — and star on Broadway in his own poorly received musical The Last Ship, which sunk and closed early in a sea of debt.
Dubai then was a chance for Sting to step back into his old hit-shaped boots, relax, and enjoy the songwriting riches of the legacy he has carved over close to four decades.
Garbed in impressively tight jeans, an even tighter blue T-shirt, and sporting a substantial beard strangely reminiscent of Tom Hanks in Cast Away, Sting mounted the Jazz Festival stage a few minutes early, ravaged guitar chords and a drum roll announcing his arrival.
The man's intent was clear from the off, launching into a peerless barrage of five singalongs. He opened as he did in Abu Dhabi two years ago, with a handclapping If I Ever Lose My Faith, before stadium-sized renditions of Englishman in New York and Every Little Thing She Does is Magic. Next came an anthemic Fields of Gold and a sprightly So Lonely, its quiet-loud-quiet structure predating grunge by a good decade.
But more than just intent, Sting appeared to have rapture, grinning at his own dexterity as he traced hypnotic fretboard runs, exploring the full sonic palette of his battered Fender bass. Relishing having the stage to just himself again, much of the familiar material was extended, contorted, rearranged to add fresh breakdowns, bridges and solos. The reason Sting still enjoys playing the hits may be because they are subject to a continuous evolution and reinterpretation.
Never was this more clear than set closer Roxanne, which after a single rockabilly-tinged chorus broke down into a huge headbanging bridge, then a deep dub groove, and melded into Bill Withers' Ain't No Sunshine before returning for another chorus of everyone's favourite song about a woman of the night.
The other biggest crowd pleasers were also The Police songs, included an angsty Driven to Tears, Walking on the Moon, and Message in a Bottle, a piece of pop genius here stretched to widescreen proportions, the five-piece band stretching out over the outro as their 63-year-old leader showed off the strength of his voice.
Yet Sting’s greatest strength is his seamless musicianship. Perhaps because he’s a bassist, even his most generic moments are enthused with a dynamic rhythmic sensibility — an interior scaffold of reggae or funk — lacking from most ageing white singer-songwriters.
And as well as still possessing sublime bass chops, powerful vocal chords and an inimitable back catalogue to practice his talents on, it seems Sting has a sense of humour. Encoring with the Arabic-flavoured Desert Rose, he tried a spot of belly dancing, yelling yalla gamely at the crowd.
Sting left the stage for a second time with the most passionless performance, but best received track of the evening — I'd venture the two things are linked — an obligatory Every Breath You Take.
If one detected a slight malaise in that stalkers' anthem, Sting more than made up for it with an unexpected second encore. He closed the set again as he did in Abu Dhabi, by taking a guitar for the first time for a beautiful, minimally backed acoustic ballad, Fragile. A beautiful, stark song with a universally understood message — "lest we forget how fragile we are" — it was a genuinely affecting moment, able to break down the barriers between stage and audience, despite the huge space.
***
In support: Lindsey Stirling
“If you haven’t figured out what I do yet, I’m a dancing violinist,” explained opening act Lindsey Stirling, a couple of tunes in. “And if you’re expecting me to sing ... I’m a dancing violinist.”
That she is. The former America’s Got Talent contestant danced — leaping around the stage like a hyperactive teenager, garbed in a shiny black plastic skirt, trainers and sporting wild Florence Welch-esque hair. And she played violin — attacking her instrument with squealing runs, over an incongruous background of a live drummer and DJ/keyboardist.
A relentless bout of pounding electronic beats and theatrically swelling strings and synths — it felt like the score for a Hollywood action movie, with squeaky violin on top.
The audio equivalent of watching The Dubai Fountain. Again and again and again.
rgarratt@thenational.ae
ASHES SCHEDULE
First Test
November 23-27 (The Gabba, Brisbane)
Second Test
December 2-6 (Adelaide Oval, Adelaide)
Third Test
December 14-18 (Waca Ground, Perth)
Fourth Test
December 26-30 (Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne)
Fifth Test
January 4-8, 2018 (Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney)
The bio
Job: Coder, website designer and chief executive, Trinet solutions
School: Year 8 pupil at Elite English School in Abu Hail, Deira
Role Models: Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk
Dream City: San Francisco
Hometown: Dubai
City of birth: Thiruvilla, Kerala
Day 4, Abu Dhabi Test: At a glance
Moment of the day Not much was expected – on Sunday or ever – of Hasan Ali as a batsman. And yet he lit up the late overs of the Pakistan innings with a happy cameo of 29 from 25 balls. The highlight was when he launched a six right on top of the netting above the Pakistan players’ viewing area. He was out next ball.
Stat of the day – 1,358 There were 1,358 days between Haris Sohail’s previous first-class match and his Test debut for Pakistan. The lack of practice in the multi-day format did not show, though, as the left-hander made an assured half-century to guide his side through a potentially damaging collapse.
The verdict As is the fashion of Test matches in this country, the draw feels like a dead-cert, before a clatter of wickets on the fourth afternoon puts either side on red alert. With Yasir Shah finding prodigious turn now, Pakistan will be confident of bowling Sri Lanka out. Whether they have enough time to do so and chase the runs required remains to be seen.
Dubai Women's Tour teams
Agolico BMC
Andy Schleck Cycles-Immo Losch
Aromitalia Basso Bikes Vaiano
Cogeas Mettler Look
Doltcini-Van Eyck Sport
Hitec Products – Birk Sport
Kazakhstan National Team
Kuwait Cycling Team
Macogep Tornatech Girondins de Bordeaux
Minsk Cycling Club
Pannonia Regional Team (Fehérvár)
Team Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
Team Ciclotel
UAE Women’s Team
Under 23 Kazakhstan Team
Wheel Divas Cycling Team
Tips for entertaining with ease
· Set the table the night before. It’s a small job but it will make you feel more organised once done.
· As the host, your mood sets the tone. If people arrive to find you red-faced and harried, they’re not going to relax until you do. Take a deep breath and try to exude calm energy.
· Guests tend to turn up thirsty. Fill a big jug with iced water and lemon or lime slices and encourage people to help themselves.
· Have some background music on to help create a bit of ambience and fill any initial lulls in conversations.
· The meal certainly doesn’t need to be ready the moment your guests step through the door, but if there’s a nibble or two that can be passed around it will ward off hunger pangs and buy you a bit more time in the kitchen.
· You absolutely don’t have to make every element of the brunch from scratch. Take inspiration from our ideas for ready-made extras and by all means pick up a store-bought dessert.
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Revibe%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202022%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Hamza%20Iraqui%20and%20Abdessamad%20Ben%20Zakour%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20UAE%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Refurbished%20electronics%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunds%20raised%20so%20far%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%2410m%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFlat6Labs%2C%20Resonance%20and%20various%20others%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Seven tips from Emirates NBD
1. Never respond to e-mails, calls or messages asking for account, card or internet banking details
2. Never store a card PIN (personal identification number) in your mobile or in your wallet
3. Ensure online shopping websites are secure and verified before providing card details
4. Change passwords periodically as a precautionary measure
5. Never share authentication data such as passwords, card PINs and OTPs (one-time passwords) with third parties
6. Track bank notifications regarding transaction discrepancies
7. Report lost or stolen debit and credit cards immediately
PRO BASH
Thursday’s fixtures
6pm: Hyderabad Nawabs v Pakhtoon Warriors
10pm: Lahore Sikandars v Pakhtoon Blasters
Teams
Chennai Knights, Lahore Sikandars, Pakhtoon Blasters, Abu Dhabi Stars, Abu Dhabi Dragons, Pakhtoon Warriors and Hyderabad Nawabs.
Squad rules
All teams consist of 15-player squads that include those contracted in the diamond (3), platinum (2) and gold (2) categories, plus eight free to sign team members.
Tournament rules
The matches are of 25 over-a-side with an 8-over power play in which only two fielders allowed outside the 30-yard circle. Teams play in a single round robin league followed by the semi-finals and final. The league toppers will feature in the semi-final eliminator.
If you go
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Seattle from Dh5,555 return, including taxes.
The car
Hertz offers compact car rental from about $300 (Dh1,100) per week, including taxes. Emirates Skywards members can earn points on their car hire through Hertz.
The national park
Entry to Mount Rainier National Park costs $30 for one vehicle and passengers for up to seven days. Accommodation can be booked through mtrainierguestservices.com. Prices vary according to season. Rooms at the Holiday Inn Yakima cost from $125 per night, excluding breakfast.
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
The bio
Who inspires you?
I am in awe of the remarkable women in the Arab region, both big and small, pushing boundaries and becoming role models for generations. Emily Nasrallah was a writer, journalist, teacher and women’s rights activist
How do you relax?
Yoga relaxes me and helps me relieve tension, especially now when we’re practically chained to laptops and desks. I enjoy learning more about music and the history of famous music bands and genres.
What is favourite book?
The Perks of Being a Wallflower - I think I've read it more than 7 times
What is your favourite Arabic film?
Hala2 Lawen (Translation: Where Do We Go Now?) by Nadine Labaki
What is favourite English film?
Mamma Mia
Best piece of advice to someone looking for a career at Google?
If you’re interested in a career at Google, deep dive into the different career paths and pinpoint the space you want to join. When you know your space, you’re likely to identify the skills you need to develop.
At Eternity’s Gate
Director: Julian Schnabel
Starring: Willem Dafoe, Oscar Isaacs, Mads Mikkelsen
Three stars
The BIO:
He became the first Emirati to climb Mount Everest in 2011, from the south section in Nepal
He ascended Mount Everest the next year from the more treacherous north Tibetan side
By 2015, he had completed the Explorers Grand Slam
Last year, he conquered K2, the world’s second-highest mountain located on the Pakistan-Chinese border
He carries dried camel meat, dried dates and a wheat mixture for the final summit push
His new goal is to climb 14 peaks that are more than 8,000 metres above sea level
How to help
Call the hotline on 0502955999 or send "thenational" to the following numbers:
2289 - Dh10
2252 - Dh50
6025 - Dh20
6027 - Dh100
6026 - Dh200
