| The Boston Globe | Sting, Lennox prove to be a powerful pairing
By Tom Kielty, Globe Correspondent | June 29, 2004
MANSFIELD -- In a season that has found countless musical acts rethinking their tour plans, the success of Sting and Annie Lennox's co-headlining "SacredLove" tour is nothing short of astounding.
Performing for a nearly full house at the Tweeter Center last night (there is a second show tonight), the two musical chameleons once again redefined themselves and proved that artists with impressive catalogs of songs can still draw devoted fans.
Even if, in the case of Sting, he seemed intent on examining only the most obvious choices from his older work. And, unfortunately, many of the songs he showcased from his latest album, "Sacred Love," were lightweight. This was never more obvious than on the duet "Whenever I Say Your Name." Performed with backing singer Joy Rose (Mary J. Blige sang the recorded version), the song came across as a campy cabaret act with Sting holding Rose's hand as he sang and gazed into her eyes.
Sting's seeming disdain for his work with the Police was evident as well. "Roxanne" was slowed down so considerably that it illustrated just how rudimentary the bass line truly is. His jazz scatting and passing references to Police classics "King of Pain" and "So Lonely" added insult to injury.
The highlight of his set was a guest appearance by Lennox on "We'll Be Together." Slithering from the side of the stage, she demonstrated a smooth and seductive sexiness that had captivated the audience during her own hourlong set.
During her portion of the show, Lennox gladly provided a tour through her own impressive past. At 49, her voice has not lost an ounce of the power that endeared her to audiences, and her stage presence is commanding.
Among Lennox's finest moments was the haunting "Here Comes the Rain Again," which built to a ferocious conclusion. Lennox did not deny her post-Eurythmics career, delivering the Academy Award-winning "Into the West" from the film "Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" to massive adulation. She seemed unburdened by her past, and the result was a dynamic set that was consistently engaging. |
| Journal Pop | For the record, Sting lacks that old sting
In opening the night, Annie Lennox shows classic range and a strange stage presence on a mix of old and new songs.
01:00 AM EDT on Tuesday, June 29, 2004
BY RICK MASSIMO
Journal Pop Music Writer
MANSFIELD, Mass. -- Sting, like all of us, is only as good as his material. Last night at the Tweeter Center, he leaned heavily on material from his latest record, and the weaknesses of Sacred Love were on full display.
Sting's mostly a genial performer, and that helped the more ponderous material seem less so. But too many of his recent songs, particularly off Sacred Love, are semi-exotic non-events that didn't translate well to the big outdoor venue. The opener, "Send Your Love," never really took off; "Sacred Love" was never as funky as it threatened to be, and "This War" was far too stately.
"Never Coming Home" did manage the elegant mix of pop, jazz and funk that Sting's so often shooting for, with a nifty tapping intro from guitarist Dominic Miller and an extended ending workout featuring a nimble piano solo from Jason Rebello and popping bass playing from Sting. And backup singer Joy Rose did a tremendous job on "Whenever I Say Your Name," the duet that, on record, Sting did with Mary J. Blige.
Sting threw in three Police favorites, and strong ones; unfortunately, they huffed and puffed through "Synchronicity II," never reaching the frenetic tempo of the Police's original. "Roxanne" got the by-now-usual improv middle section, which had its moments, particularly when Miller (virtually a co-star with Sting) let loose, but didn't go very far afield. A just-fine "Every Breath You Take" was a predictable encore.
A keyboard-driven version of "An Englishman in New York" had an energetic reggae bounce, but the real highlight of Sting's set came when Annie Lennox joined him for a rip through "We'll Be Together Tonight."
Lennox preceded Sting, and while traffic prevented me from hearing the whole set, her sunlit performance was much more energetic. The former Eurythmics singer used to have a reputation for being an icy performer, but, dressed in jeans and a T-shirt, she showed a classic range and an almost-spastic stage presence while doing new songs and old favorites. A solo piano version of "Here Comes the Rain Again" was a highlight, showing that the synth-driven Eurythmics version was hiding a classic ballad of romantic yearning.
The latter part of her set rocked, as guitar came to the forefront for crunching versions of "Missionary Man," "I Need a Man" and "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)." |
| Boston Herald | Hot Lennox takes some Sting out of a spectacular evening
By Dean Johnson
Tuesday, June 29, 2004
Sting got stung last night.
The Tweeter Center's double billing of Sting and Annie Lennox was the kind of one-two punch that would make most boxers envious.
But last night, at least, opener Annie Lennox got the upper hand in a near sell-out performance.
The former Eurythmics lead singer was into only her second night on tour, but she laid out a dazzling, near-flawless set that touched on almost every phase of her career. Looking half her age in a form-hugging tank top, bare midriff and low-cut jeans, Lennox cut a slyly sensual figure onstage.
Her show mixed grit and grace and was alternately playful and inflammable. Lennox displayed a sheer exuberance that was impossible to ignore, whether she dipped into a sumptuous, slinky ballad, performed a stripped-down version of``Here Comes the Rain Again,'' or roared through rockers such as her hip-swiveling version of``I Need a Man.''
Her melismatic yowl at the start of ``Missionary Man'' was one of the most riveting moments of the night. Lennox's lush vocals and savvy sense of stage dynamics as well as a perfect sound mix contributed to an exceptional performance.
Sting's 100-minute headline set was hardly a bust. He ran through nearly 20 songs and included most of the tunes longtime fans wanted to hear. His backing septet hit all the right moods and colors, and Sting was in fine vocal shape and ever the confident, consummate frontman.
But the overall impression was that he was presenting his music, while Lennox just left her guts on the stage. His material ranged from a straight-ahead version of``Every Breathe You Take'' and a techno rendition of``Roxanne'' to `Fields of Gold,''``Desert Rose,''``Englishman in New York,'' and``Sacred Love.''
That cheeky Sting featured a video of an exotic dancer of the Centerfolds kind during that last number, an interesting mix.
His band's sound was so loud it was muddy in places, and the way he hopscotched through musical genres sometimes gave his set the feel of a World Music 101 class. But there was no mistaking the chemistry when Lennox joined him for a steamy ``We'll Be Together.'' |
