I was never a Sting or Police fan, but last night’s second Sting concert at Massey Hall was a pleasant surprise. Not that I’ve been converted at all – I still don’t like his music, but I could relate to him last night as a fellow boomer.
I was part of a sea of 40-plus and 50-plus crowd because I offered to go with a friend who’s a huge fan. Although there were a lot of younger people, it was the enthusiastic boomers, including many men, who gave the 60-year-old British superstar the warmest, most expressive welcome. What connected me with the singer and songwriter is his constant creative process of reinventing himself – from the front man of Police to his accomplishments of composing music in the rock, new wave, country, reggae and even jazz genres. He totally connected with his Toronto audience last night as he explained how he owes his career to an uncle who gave a teenaged-Sting a three-string guitar as a parting gift just before he emigrated to Toronto. He joked about the grandeur of Massey Hall and the rumours of its haunted dressing rooms. He explained the creative process of song-writing and the inspiration behind many of his successful hits.
Just like many other boomer role models, Sting showcased many young musical talents in his concert last night. The twin violinists Jo Lawrie and Peter Tickell were absolutely mesmerizing. The latter’s solo performance received many rounds of standing ovations. Also, like other boomer musicians before him, Sting reminisced how he pictured his own aging process way too early. At age 40, he wrote the song The Hounds of Winter with all the depression and loneliness that could accompany old age. But now, still amazingly fit, attractive and creative at 60, he can still command a passionate audience.
So as I heard him sing last night,
“Mercury falling
I rise from my bed,
Collect my thoughts together
I have to hold my head
It seems that she’s gone
And somehow I am pinned by
The Hounds of Winter
Howling in the wind,”
I couldn’t help but feel that perhaps Sting can now look back and concur that pining about aging when you’re 40 just doesn’t fit with his current reality of feeling much younger than his age!
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