Sting returns to PHL in October
MULTI-AWARDED English musician Gordon Thomas Matthew Sumner, better known by the mononym, Sting, is coming to Manila to perform in a concert on Oct. 2 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Cubao, Quezon City. This is part of his ongoing international tour, My Songs.
On May 24, Mr. Sumner released a new album, My Songs, which features contemporary interpretations of his most celebrated hits. He then commenced on a multi-city tour to promote the album.
“[Mr. Sumner’s] My Songs Tour consists of a rollicking, dynamic show featuring his most beloved songs spanning the 18-time Grammy Award winner’s prolific career with The Police and as a solo artist,” said a press release.
Mr. Sumner, the man behind the hits such as “Englishman in New York,” “Shape of My Heart,” “Every Breath You Take,” and so much more, started his career in 1977 as part of British rock band The Police where he was the songwriter, lead singer, and bassist.
Sting has performed several times in the Philippines, first back in 1994 at the Ultra Outdoor Stadium, and most recently during his Sting Back to Bass Tour Manila concert at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in 2012, and with Chris Botti in 2016 at the Marriott Grand Ballroom.
As a member of The Police and as a solo musician (he embarked on a solo career in 1985) he has received a total of 17 Grammy Awards, Rolling Stones’ Song of the Year for “Every Breath You Take” in 1983, three Brit Awards including Best British Male Artist in 1994, a Golden Globe, an Emmy, and four nominations for the Academy Award for Best Original Song.
In 2002, he received the Ivor Novello Award for Lifetime Achievement from the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers, and Authors. In the same year, he was also inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
The Police was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2003. The same year, Sting received a Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE) from Elizabeth II for his contributions to the music industry.
As an actor, he has appeared in more than 15 films and starred in the 1989 run of The Threepennny Opera on Broadway.
One of his most recent awards was the 2019 BMI award for “Every Breath You Take” which is considered the “most played song in radio history.”
Throughout his decades-long career, Mr. Sumner has sold close to 100 million albums from his combined work with The Police and as a solo artist.
Following his critically acclaimed album, 57th & 9th (2016) his first rock/pop collection in over a decade, Mr. Sumner and reggae star, Shaggy (real name: Orville Richard Burrell) released a collaborative, island-influenced album, entitled 44/876 (2018) that draws from the many surprising connections at the heart of their music.
With its title referencing their home country codes, 44/876 honored the duo’s mutual love for Jamaica: Shaggy’s homeland, and the place where Mr. Sumner penned such classics as “Every Breath You Take.” The release debuted at No. 1 in Germany and Top 10 in the UK. It spent over 20 weeks atop Billboard’s Reggae Album chart in the US, earned Gold certifications in Poland and France and received the Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album.
In 2020, he will headline a Las Vegas residency, My Songs, set to open at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace Friday, May 22, 2020. The show will present a compendium of his songs with dynamic, visual references to some of his most iconic videos and inspirations.
My Songs in Manila will be on Oct. 2 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. Tickets will go on sale starting July 3, 10 a.m., on www.buytickets.asia and www.ticketnet.com.ph. Members of Mr. Sumner’s fan club will be able to purchase pre-sale tickets on July 1 to July 2 by visiting www.sting.com. Ticket prices range from P2,640 to P20,595. — ZBC
