just saw Sting and the boys last night, and they were in fine form this time around; last year they kinda...stunk (although it was only the 9th show of their first tour in 25 years...). but a year of touring has done em a world of good; they were tighter than a gnat's arse and had all kinds of new arrangements and musical little interplay moments. they did all the hits, yeah (yawn) but did throw in Voices Inside My Head/When The World's Running Down, Driven To Tears, Reggata De Blanc, Demolition Man (!), Next To You, Invisible Sun, So Lonely, and Hole In My Life, which fuckin' SMOKED. Stingboy had a salt'n'pepper beard, yikes, but played and sang well and at one point urged the crowd to get louder, saying, 'c'mon now, this isn't LA or San Diego or Sacramento.' Andy took some ripping and coherent (i.e. not as outside-jazzy-atonal as he can sometimes be..) solos, and Stew not only hardly sped up at all but just in general smashed with his characteristic authority and snap. man, that dude rips. the sync's a little off on this clip, but it's a great version: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L1WvZUhtFvI

got there too late for Elvis & the Imposters (d'oh!!), but at least my date gave me a smooch. i've had worse nights.