Review: Sting and Peter Gabriel Conclude Tour at KeyArena

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Born in the early 80’s, many of my early music memories were, of course, songs and images from that period, as I was exposed to all of the popular artists from that era. I really like The Police and Sting, and every time I think of the early days of MTV, “Sledgehammer” is one of the first things that comes to mind. That video was revolutionary for its time and Peter Gabriel‘s former band, Genesis, was a big success in the prior years.

I was very excited to be part of their KeyArena show and was interested how it would work out, knowing that they both are on stage together. Peter Gabriel started the night with “The Rhythm of the Heat,” and Sting came to the stage after with “If I Ever Lose My Faith in You.” That’s how most of the night went on; they would take turns singing, but many times they would provide backing vocals and instrumentation for one another, and a couple times, they took turns singing verses, effectively making the songs duets.

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The show was crafted very well, and the production seemed huge as each singer had their own musicians on stage known as blue (Sting) and red (Gabriel) teams.  The set-list was composed of hit after hit, making the night one big sing-along for the fans. There was a special quest that jumped on stage for “Driven to Tears,” and Gabriel’s “Red Rain.” Yes, you guessed it, the one and only Eddie Vedder ran out to be part of the show, making the fans even happier.

Their songs were like mini jam sessions, extending the lengths to give you more time to enjoy them all. They thanked everyone that’s a part of their tour, as well as their great audience, which makes for great memories. They mentioned that Seattle was their last stop in the States, making it a special night. Gabriel joked in the beginning that he had to go back to yoga after hearing about the tour, and that a couple of weeks later, the crew couldn’t tell them apart.

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As the end drew near, we heard hits “Solsbury Hill,” “Englishman in NY,” and “Love Can Heal,” which Gabriel dedicated to Jo Cox. They later went on to perform “Roxanne,” during which Sting suddenly broke out into a funky “Ain’t No Sunshine” bridge before jumping back into it, ending the main set with “In Your Eyes.” They came back for an encore, playing their biggest hits, “Every Breath You Take” and “Sledgehammer.” This was one of the most enjoyable performances I’ve been to this year. What great performers and musicians to see live.

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Sophia Barkalakis

Music is probably the most important part of her life. Sophia is constantly searching for new material, old and new. Always looking forward to the next live show she can attend, ready to immerse herself in the sound. "There is something so magical about attending a live show that you cannot possibly feel from a recording itself that makes it worth going to", she says. She also says she's lucky to be able to combine her passion for music with her obsession of capturing moments. She finds that being able to look at a photograph and be transported to that second of your life is indescribable and she's so grateful for all those great moments.

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