In brief: We join tens of thousands of fans to enjoy the artistry of Sting
We don’t usually build a trip around a concert. But we had the chance to hear a legend, Sting, performing on a beach at the charming town of Figueira da Foz. So, we made a weekend out of it, joining up with friends who live in the north of Portugal.
We found a charming apartment south of the Mondego River at Figueira, in the suburbs of Cova and Gala.
Empty beaches, tranquil streets, and ample space made this a great choice.
Plus we could travel to the concert by boat, using the quick ferry across the river. Now that’s how we want to go to concerts in the future.
And the concert? Would Sting at the age of 74 just “phone in” a performance, trot out the hits of the past or perhaps still show he was a challenging artist? The opening act was strangely weak, uninteresting and derivative musically. Why would Sting have opted for this group, we all wondered.
But, after a short break, on he came with just two other band members – lead guitar (Dominic Miller) and drums (Chris Maas) – along with his bass guitar and vocals.
Immediately, with an assured wall of sound, he lit up the beach with a few classic songs, singing in surprisingly good voice.
And, like a great artist, he led the group with appealing instrumental riffs and adaptations to enliven the classic songs. The tens of thousands of fans kept dancing.
In the middle of the set, he challenged attention with newer songs of both arena appeal and introspective poetics.
Finally, ninety minutes later, after a few more classics like Roxanne (which the band embellished with a Moroccan interlude), the set concluded with Sting alone, strumming a guitar solo and singing “Fragile.” An intimate finish to a terrific concert.
We then caught the ferry back to our apartment and finished the evening in a festive glow with hours of conversation.
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