Sting, who has been performing in large arenas, even football stadiums when with Billy Joel, switched things up by signing up for a five-night run at the beautiful Art Deco style Wiltern Theater near Hollywood, California.
Named the Wiltern due to being located on the corner of Wilshire and Western in the large LA neighborhood of Koreatown, the theater architectural details and exquisite sound has made it a favorite for musicians since it opened nearly 100 years ago.
Fans of Tom Petty, for example, might know of the aquamarine colored theater as being where he recorded much of his live album and corresponding DVD Pack Up The Plantation in 1985.
More recently, boy band aficionados may recall The Wiltern was the venue where NSYNC reunited this spring during a special Justin Timberlake gig.
While definitely impressive, Sting's five-night stand at the 2,000 seat music box is by no way near the longest residency of late. In 2019, Madonna performed there for ten November nights during her Madame X Tour.
On Tuesday (11/12), Sting played a crowd-pleasing collection of his solo hits, a few deep cuts, and favorites from his years with The Police.
Of the 23 tracks he, guitarist Dominic Miller and drummer Chris Maas played on opening night, 10 were Police tunes. He calls the group Sting 3.0.
One classic tune from the Police days the 73-year-old Grammy winner doesn't perform as often as you'd think is the dark Synchronicity single "Wrapped Around Your Finger."
So when Sting turned to Miller and asked what song he'd like to play next, and the guitarist called for the tune about the Devil's apprentice turning the tables on the fallen angel, the audience applauded.
"A popular choice there," Sting said, reluctantly.
While not as popular as the major smash hit from the fifth and final Police's album released in 1983, it is just as ominous as the stalkery "Every Breath You Take" and as sultry as the even less-performed "Tea in the Sahara."
"Wrapped Around Your Finger" was the second single from the Album of the Year nominee (Thriller, um, beat it), and it's video has an impressive 41 million YouTube views.
"Every Breath You Take," the first single from the classic album, and 1984 Grammy winner for Song of the Year has been streamed over 1.3 billion times.
Despite this year being the 40th anniversary of The Police's breakup while at the peak of their career, the bassist and main songwriter of the group told LA Times Music Critic Mikael Wood this week that the popular notion about the band's demise has been misinterpreted.
LA Times: When you left the Police —
Sting: I never left the Police.
LAT: OK?
Sting: I didn’t.
LAT: When you stepped away from the Police —
Sting: I didn’t step away from the Police.
LAT: Took a pause from the Police? What would you call it?
Sting: I’m not sure what I did. I just made a record — as the others had done — and enjoyed it more than I did being in a band.
How much does the musician and actor born Gordon Sumner love The Wiltern? This is not the first time he has done a five-night engagement at The Wiltern.
During the Soul Cages Tour, Sting played at the exquisite music hall five times in the winter of 1991.
When this run is through he'll have performed there 15 times. That would place him in a tie with his peers, The Jerry Garcia Band, for the most gigs at the Wiltern.
Sting's last three shows at the venue are his last of the 2024 tour, then he takes a couple of months off before a very busy 2025 schedule.
Will he return to the Wiltern next year to beat Jerry and turn the joint into The Stingtern? Get tickets on his website to find out in person.
