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Symphonicity: The Critically-Acclaimed World Tour Extends To Include Additional Dates Throughout Europe This Summer - Performances Confirmed In Germany and Poland...

Mon, 14 Feb 2011 08:33:16 -0500

Sting Performing his Greatest Hits, Re-imagined for Symphonic Arrangement Accompanied by a symphony orchestra and band.

Live Nation is pleased to announce that Sting - accompanied by a symphony orchestra and band - will extend his celebrated Symphonicity world tour with additional dates across Europe this summer. Following sold-out performances throughout North America, Europe and Australia, the Symphonicity tour will perform at a number of festival events in Germany and Poland (itinerary below).

"An outstanding performance." - Bild Hamburg (Germany)
"Sting with an orchestra is rock magic." - La Stampa (Italy)
"...absolutely perfect in every detail...the ideal performance." - Komsomolskaya Pravda (Russia)
"One would say that every little thing he did was magic." - Rzeczpospolita (Poland)
"First rate in every sense." - A-Listed (UK)

Sting.com Fan Club presales for the tour's five German concerts - to take place in Mönchengladbach, Leipzig, Salem, Mannheim and Munich - will begin on Tuesday, February 15 at 10am (local time), and on Wednesday, February 16 at 10am (local time) for the tour's sole Polish concert at Gdansk's Sopot Arena. For all shows, legacy Fan Club members enjoy a one hour advance window at the the start followed by the presale opening to all members at 11am (local time). The public sales for the German shows commence on February 18 at 9am (local time) and for the Gdansk show on February 19 at 10am (local time).

Symphonicity finds Sting performing his greatest hits, re-imagined for symphonic arrangement. Drawing from a diverse and illustrious career that has produced numerous multi-platinum albums, a staggering list of number one songs, countless accolades and worldwide record sales of nearly 100 million, Sting's most celebrated songs have been re-interpreted with brand new orchestrations arranged by Jorge Calandrelli, David Hartley, Michel Legrand, Rob Mathes, Vince Mendoza, Steven Mercurio, Bill Ross, Robert Sadin, and Nicola Tescari.

Selections, created especially for this tour, will include fan-favorites such as The Police hits "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic", "Roxanne", "Next To You" and "Every Breath You Take," to notable songs from Sting's enduring solo career - "Englishman in New York," "Fragile," "Russians," "If I Ever Lose My Faith in You," "Fields Of Gold," and "Desert Rose."

Sting will also be joined by a group of accomplished musicians, comprised of Dominic Miller (Sting's longtime guitarist), Rhani Krija (Sting's longtime multi-genre percussionist), Jo Lawry (vocalist) and Ira Coleman (bassist).

Sting's first venture into the classical realm began with the success of his #1 album "Songs from the Labyrinth," a lute-based interpretation of the music of 16th century composer John Dowland, released in 2006 on Deutsche Grammophon. After completing the enormously successful Police reunion world tour, Sting returned to pursue his passion for combining musical genres with his most recent release "If On A Winter's Night..." which debuted at #1 on Billboard's classical chart.

As a solo musician and member of The Police, Sting has received 16 Grammy Awards, two Brits, a Golden Globe, an Emmy, three Oscar nominations, Billboard Magazine's Century Award, and MusiCares 2004 Person of the Year. He is also a member of both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

To accompany Sting's celebrated world tour, Deutsche Grammophon/Cherrytree Records, recently released a live CD/DVD package, Live in Berlin, featuring the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra, conducted by Steven Mercurio. This exclusive collection features previously unreleased material and many of his greatest hits, such as "Roxanne," "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic," "King Of Pain," "Fields Of Gold," and more, all re-imagined for symphonic arrangement. Featuring special guest Branford Marsalis on select tracks, this live concert experience is quintessential Symphonicity.

Deutsche Grammophon/Cherrytree Records also released a companion studio album, Symphonicities, to critical acclaim. Highlights include fan-favorites culled from The Police songbook such as "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic", "Roxanne" and "Next To You," as well as songs from Sting's solo career including "Englishman In New York," "I Burn for You," "Why Should I Cry for You" and "She's Too Good For Me," among many others.

The world tour is promoted by Live Nation and produced by RZO Entertainment, Inc. in association with Universal Music Classical Management & Productions.

SYMPHONICITY TOUR 2011 ITINERARY:

18 Jun - Sopot Arena, Gdansk, Poland
22 Jun - Hockeypark, Mönchengladbach, Germany
23 Jun - Arena, Leipzig, Germany
25 Jun - Schloss Salem, Salem, Germany
18 Jul - SAP Arena, Mannheim, Germany
19 Jul - Olympia Halle, Munich, Germany

Itinerary subject to change.

Additional cities and venues to be confirmed.

New Sting concert announced in Lima, Peru on February 23 at the Explanada Monumental - Tickets on sale Thursday, January 6 at 9am (local)...

Wed, 05 Jan 2011 11:59:59 -0500

Sting Symphonicity World Tour accompanied by the Orchestra Sinfónica Nacional conducted by Steven Mercurio.

Confirmed today, Sting will perform at the Explanada Monumental in Lima, Peru on Wednesday, February 23, 2011 as part of his critically-acclaimed world tour, Symphonicity. Accompanied by the Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional and conducted by Maestro Steven Mercurio (Pavarotti, Bocelli), Sting will perform his greatest hits, re-imagined for symphonic arrangement.

Tickets are available as of Thursday, January 6 through Teleticket de Wong, Metro y RIPLEY (San Miguel - San Isidro - Jockey Plaza).

Members of the Sting fan club will have the exclusive opportunity to purchase preferred-seating tickets beginning January 6 at 9:00am (local).

To accompany Sting's world tour, Deutsche Grammophon/CherryTree Records, recently released a live CD/DVD, 'Live in Berlin'. This exclusive collection features previously unreleased material and many of his greatest hits, such as 'Roxanne', 'Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic', 'King Of Pain', 'Fields Of Gold', and more, all re-imagined for symphonic arrangement. Featuring special guest Branford Marsalis on select tracks, this live concert experience is quintessential Symphonicity.

Deutsche Grammophon/CherryTree Records also released a companion studio album last summer, 'Symphonicities', to critical acclaim. Highlights include fan-favourites culled from The Police songbook such as 'Roxanne' and 'Next To You', as well as songs from Sting's solo career including 'Englishman In New York', 'I Burn for You', 'Why Should I Cry for You' and 'She's Too Good For Me', among many others.

In addition to the Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional, Sting will also be joined in Lima by a group of accomplished musicians comprised of Dominic Miller (Sting's longtime guitarist), Rhani Krija (Sting's longtime multi-genre percussionist), David Cossin (a multi-percussion specialist in new and experimental music and featured member of the Bang on a Can All-Stars), Jo Lawry (vocalist) and Ira Coleman (bassist).

For complete tour and ticket information, visit: www.sting.com.

Locations & Prices:

Red Carpet $335.00
Platinum Campo $180.00
VIP Campo $125.00
Preferencal Campo $75.00
Tribunas (x2) $50.00

Descuento del 10% por compra con tarjeta RIPLEY los primeros 7 días de venta. (Receive a 10% discount by purchasing with a RIPLEY credit card during the first 7 days of sales.)

Sting Announces Symphonicity Concert in Chile at Festival Internacional de la Cancion de Viña del Mar on February 25, 2011...

Wed, 15 Dec 2010 15:23:50 -0500

Sting - Symphonicity Tour - Accompanied by an Orchestra Conducted by Steven Mercurio.

New Performance in Chile confirmed Festival Internacional de la Cancion de Viña del Mar - Friday, February 25, 2011.

Tickets on sale Thursday, December 16 - 9:00 am (local)

Confirmed today, Sting's Symphonicity tour, featuring his greatest hits re-imagined for symphonic arrangement, will appear at the Viña del Mar Festival in Chile on Friday, February 25.

Considered one of the most important musical events in Latin America, this festival has been held annually since 1960 and features song competitions in two categories (pop and folk), plus performances by renowned International artists.

Sting's performance on Friday, February 25th marks his second appearance at the festival where he previously performed in 1982 with The Police.

Tickets for the Sting Symphonicity concert, featuring an orchestra, conducted by Steven Mercurio will go on sale Thursday, December 16th at 9:00 am. Tickets for all festival dates range from $27.50 through $290.40 USD and will be available at the following ticket outlets and locations:

Puntoticket www.puntoticket.cl Call Center - 600 462 6000 From Mobiles - 02 927 1800 From Outside Chile - +56 2 927 1800

Members of the Sting fan club will have the opportunity to purchase tickets beginning Thursday, December 16th at 10am (local) through Tuesday, December 21st at noon (local).

For complete tour and ticket information, visit: www.sting.com.

Sting in-store signing of 'Live in Berlin' CD/DVD in Milan on December 18...

Sun, 12 Dec 2010 15:26:45 -0500

On behalf of his album (Symphonicities) and new DVD/CD (Live in Berlin), Sting will sign copies of each release at FNAC on Via Torino in Milan on Saturday, December 18 at 9:30PM. To gain access to this special event, fans must purchase Symphonicities and/or Live in Berlin on December 18.

The Police & Wines That Rock, innovators of rock inspired wines, announce the launch of their 4th varietal - The Police's 'Synchronicity' Red Blend...

Fri, 15 Oct 2010 11:48:59 -0400

Wines That Rock looks to capture the quality and spirit of Rock 'n Roll mythology in its portfolio of great tasting wines, iconic album art for labels, earth friendly production and great consumer value. Their commitment to the environment & sustainable farming earned them "America's Greenest Winery" by Forbes Magazine. Everything about Wines That Rock, from the locally owned farms where premium Mendocino County fruit is grown to iconic labels printed with soy-based ink and recycled paper is done to preserve the environment. In addition to their environmental commitments, Wines That Rock has officially partnered with the TJ Martell Foundation. A portion of the proceeds from every "Synchronicity" Red Blend goes directly to the Foundation's efforts for Leukemia, Cancer & AIDS research.

Winemaker Mark Beaman, whose passions are quality, sustainability and Rock 'n Roll, started the process for making "Synchronicity" by listening to the legendary Police album to uncover the layers needed in its wine. "The term Synchronicity, Sting's magnetic vocals and the theme of light and dark in the music were the main influences on the wine," Beaman said. "Synchronicity as a meaningful mix of seemingly unrelated events resulting in a significant sum, lead me to a red wine blend of varieties not commonly seen together. The light and dark nature of the music pointed to a blend that could represent both a friendly and heavy side, along with sexy aromatics to lure people in, but with the flavor profile and structure to hold people's attention."

Wines That Rock had this to say about teaming up with The Police - "As Wines That Rock continues to grow its portfolio of well-priced, award-winning wines and expand retail distribution throughout North America and Europe, we thought it was perfect timing to launch a varietal that represented a very important time in rock music - the late 70's to mid-80's," said Ron Roy. "The Police encompassed so much of what the New Wave movement was all about through infusing a variety of musical styles into a core creation of a singular song. The Wines That Rock team thought long and hard about our next wine and 'Synchronicity' became an obvious choice to compliment our classic rock fueled varietals launched last year."

The Police "Synchronicity" Red Blend made its official public debut October 10, 2010 at Food Network's New York City, Wine & Food Festival and is currently available to the public at www.winesthatrock.com and retail locations nationwide.

Music On... Photography - Andy Summers, December 4, Washington DC...

Thu, 23 Sep 2010 12:19:41 -0400

Andy Summers of course has compiled an impressive body of photographic work, including his latest book, 'Desirer Walks the Streets', which documents the world as few of us see it.

On December 4, at Grosvenor Auditorium at National Geographic Washington, DC, Andy will be sharing the stories behind his riveting images. The event will be moderated by acclaimed photographer Mark Seliger.

For ticket information visit http://purchase.tickets.com.

TROMP Percussion Eindhoven is proud to present and Evening with Stewart Copeland...

Thu, 16 Sep 2010 15:53:24 -0400

TROMP Percussion Eindhoven is proud to present...

An Evening with STEWART COPELAND featuring Ethel, Colin Currie, Daniel Hope, Forrò in the Dark, BEAM and others Saturday, November 13th, 2010 - 20:15 hrs Muziekgebouw Frits Philips Eindhoven, The Netherlands.

World premiere performing Stewart Copelands Mikrokosmos by Elbtonal during Opening Night TROMP Percussion Eindhoven. Copeland will performing with BEAM (Bart van Dongen, Andreas van Zoelen, Guido Nijs, Hans Sparla, Jurriaan Dekker, Simon Bruul, Jasper Staps, Christof May, Pieter Hunfeld), Forro in the Dark and Ethel.

Muziekgebouw Frits Philips Eindhoven, the Netherlands (Eindhoven Airport Zaal).

More info: www.tromppercussion.com.

Tickets: www.tromppercussion.nl/programma-detail/314.

more informations: www.stewartcopeland.net.

The Police - Certifiable: Live in Buenos Aires is now available at digital retailers! Download the concert film exclusively at iTunes, or the audio from the legendary show below from iTunes or AmazonMp3.

Tue, 07 Sep 2010 00:01:46 -0400

The Police - Certifiable: Live in Buenos Aires is now available at digital retailers! Download the concert film exclusively at iTunes, or the audio from the legendary show below from iTunes or AmazonMp3.

iTunes audio: Police "Certifiable" Concert Film.

iTunes audio: Police "Certifiable" Album

Amazon mp3: Police "Certifiable" Album

Andy Summers talks to the Guardian as the Fender Telecaster celebrates its 60th birthday...

Mon, 05 Jul 2010 09:01:42 -0400

"I think it's one of the greatest designs of the 20th century. It has never been bettered - partly because it fits the human body so well. With something like a Gibson Les Paul, it's a very heavy chunk of wood. I always had a problem holding it, especially standing up. But the weight of the Telecaster is just right. And its sound just cuts through everything. Everything I did in the Police was on a Telecaster.

"I actually ended up with a kind of hybrid model, with some added features. Before I joined the Police, I got it in LA: I was teaching guitar, and some kid came in wanting to sell it. It was pretty beaten up, and I got it off him for 200 bucks. I said, "This is a pretty great guitar - are you sure you want to sell it?" But that was the guitar that transformed my life: it brought me back into playing rock, I came back to England with it, and you know the rest of the story. I would never, ever get rid of it: it's like a great talisman.

"In 2007, Fender made 250 clones of my guitar. They took the original to pieces, and photographed it, and made this map of where all the scratches and cracks are. It's like my guitar had babies. I've got six of them. They cost $15,000 each [laughs]."

Read the full article including contributions by other Telecaster fans Sharleen Spiteri, Graham Coxon and Francis Rossi on The Guardian's website.

Deutsche Grammophon/Cherry Tree Announces New Sting CD, Symphonicities, To Accompany His World Tour, Featuring the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra, Conducted by Steven Mercurio...

Fri, 14 May 2010 10:44:09 -0400

New Sting Album, to be Released July 13, Includes Sting's Most Celebrated Songs Re-Imagined for Symphonic Arrangement

First Single, "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic" Currently Available At All Digital Retailers Including iTunes

Today, Deutsche Grammophon/Cherry Tree announces the release of Symphonicities, the companion CD to accompany Sting's highly-anticipated world tour, which begins June 2 in Vancouver, featuring the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra, conducted by Steven Mercurio (Bocelli, Pavarotti). The new studio album, comprised of Sting's most celebrated songs re-imagined for symphonic arrangement, serves as the ultimate commemoration of the live concert experience, with the first single, "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic," currently available at all digital retailers including iTunes.

Created exclusively for the tour and correlating album, Sting's greatest hits have been reinterpreted with brand new orchestrations arranged by Jorge Calandrelli, David Hartley, Michel Legrand, Rob Mathes, Vince Mendoza, Steven Mercurio, Bill Ross, Robert Sadin, and Nicola Tescari. In addition to "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic," highlights include fan-favorites culled from The Police songbook such as "Roxanne" and "Next To You," as well as songs from Sting's enduring solo career including "Englishman in New York," "I Burn for You," "Why Should I Cry for You," and "She's Too Good For Me," among others. Symphonicities was produced by Rob Mathes and Sting, mixed by Elliot Scheiner (Steely Dan, Fleetwood Mac) and Claudius Mittendorfer (Interpol, Franz Ferdinand).

Sting's interest in collaborating with an orchestra began in 2008 following an invitation to perform with the legendary Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and was furthered by the opportunity to join the Philadelphia Orchestra for a celebration of the 153rd anniversary of the Academy of Music. Reworking selections from his expansive catalog, these performances left an indelible mark on Sting and provided the initial inspiration for his upcoming tour.

"Performing with both the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Philadelphia Orchestra was truly a highlight of my career. I am looking forward to the upcoming tour with undisguised glee, having a whole new palate of musical colors to work with and reinventing the songs that have been the staples of my live performances for over thirty years."

This summer, Sting, accompanied by the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra, conducted by Maestro Steven Mercurio, will embark on a world tour. For the first time, Sting will perform two, sold-out concerts at the famed Metropolitan Opera House in New York City, in addition to sell-out performances at prestigious venues such as Red Rocks in Denver, the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles and Chicago's renowned Ravinia Festival, with additional stops in Vancouver, Toronto, Boston, Atlanta and Washington D.C, among other cities. Performances throughout the UK and Europe will be announced soon.

The Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra has previously performed with internationally renowned artists ranging from opera luminaries Andrea Bocelli, Bryn Terfel, Renée Fleming, Kiri Te Kanawa, and the late Luciano Pavarotti to such popular cultural icons as Burt Bacharach, George Benson, Michel Legrand, Diana Krall, Tina Turner, and Randy Newman. The 45-piece orchestra will be featured on all North American concert dates of the tour.

Sting will also be joined by a quartet comprised of Dominic Miller (Sting's longtime guitarist), David Cossin (a multi-percussion specialist in new and experimental music and featured member of the Bang on a Can All-Stars), Jo Lawry (vocalist), and Ira Coleman (bassist).

'Rock'n Roll of Corse' selected at the Cannes Film Festival...

Wed, 12 May 2010 00:54:14 -0400

The movie 'Rock'n Roll of Corse' - a documentary film by Lionel Guedj & Stéphane Bébert about Henry Padovani has been selected as a chosen film at the Cannes Film Festival. The film will be screened on May 21 and the Flying Padovanis will perform later that evening.

Padovani arrived in London in 1976, as the punk era was getting into full swing. What began as a two-week holiday turned into a seven-year stay as the young musician found his niche in this exciting, creative musical period. With Sting and Stewart Copeland he formed The Police in 1977. Padovani was unsuited to the rock star lifestyle, preferring to stay out of the spotlight. His unwillingness to take centre stage makes him an ideal observer of these complicated times.

In Rock n Roll Of Corse, Padovani speaks of his experiences in the '70s and early '80s, joined by a stellar cast of luminaries including Sting, Mick Jones, Stewart Copeland and more. Extensive concert footage includes Padovani joining Sting, Copeland and Andy Summers during a Police reunion tour in France, the reformation of his band, The Flying Padovanis at the Fuji Rock Festival in Japan and more.

Lionel Guedj is a self-taught film-maker from France who is best known for his book of photographs Les Rendez-Vous de la Tour Eiffel for which he took a photograph of the Eiffel Tower every day for a year. His first music film was Mandekalou, which explores African songs of praise.

London 1976: The punk movement came to life at a time when social protest was at its height, a time when the rebellious youth sought a different future than the prevailing sterile artistic and cultural context would have dictated. The movement involved all imaginable forms of rebellion, but music quickly became its chief manifestation. It was against this social backdrop that the young Corsican Henry Padovani first arrived in England. His two-week vacation turned into a seven-year sojourn as the novice musician discovered an entirely new world, whose fresh philosophy he quickly and instinctively adopted. This important era of musical and social history became, for Padovani, a formative period of friendship with those who are today known as the undisputed stars of pop and rock. Sting and The Police, Mick Jones and The Clash, Kim Wilde, Jeff Beck and The Stranglers, all became part of his life. Yet Padovani distanced himself from the spotlight, focusing his life instead on human values. To the big names of rock, Padovani was not simply a musical partner, but also - and above all - a friend; the type who stocked Sting's fridge when The Police were still obscure and broke. And it is precisely through his dedication to friendship, solidarity, and joie-de-vivre that Henry Padovani became an ideal witness of this social-artistic gestation. Thanks to his personality, values, and demonstrated loyalty, Padovani remains the one to whom nothing is denied, the constant observer of these complicated years.

It is this element of human adventure contained in the story of rock during the late 1970s and early '80s that we will try to reproduce in "Rock'n'Roll...Of Corse!" Through interviews and meetings in London and Corsica, we will try to capture the essence of the amazing adventure in order to make sense of the rock'n'roll movement. The descent into hell of Topper Headon (The Clash), the IRS label adventure alongside Miles Copeland (REM, The Bangles, Lord of the New Church etc.), friendship, solidarity, drugs, women and music all belong in this incredible story. From concerts in the historic clubs of the punk/rock London, to unpremeditated reunions and improvised discussions, Henry Padovani's voice will guide us through the maze of this unique period.

We will witness the truth when Henry Padovani - thirty years after the break-up of The Police's original line-up - joins Sting, Stewart Copeland and Andy Summers on the stage of the Stade de France, to play in front of a crowd of 80,000 people.
The film will focus on the elements of Padovani's lifestyle. Whether as a young student or a rock'n'roller, we will follow the details of his life as faithfully as possible. We will meet his family, his friends, and others who knew of the dreams of the young Henry. We will visit his hometown, where it all began, where he realized that music would become his way of life.

At the same time, it seems essential for this type of narration to leave as much as possible to the viewer's own imagination; to uncover the story, and to self-identify with an exceptional life recounted as simply as it was lived. We believe it is important to emphasize both the human aspect that binds all these musicians, as well as the socio-political context in which they evolved. Their music is a "soundtrack" of sorts of those years. We will be considering the idea of life and accomplishment, passion for music in general and rock in particular, social rejection, and openness to others...

We will use original images in which, for example, Sting testifies his deep bond with Henry Padovani, while trying to understand what was happening in this "bubbling" London by walking through the Camden district or through archive footage showing the originality and specificity of those years.

These images (of concerts, etc...) will be a musical and visual testimony and an inexhaustible source of context and perspective that will illustrate the uniqueness of the time. Through exclusive images as the reformation of his band "The Flying Padovanis" in Japan (Fuji Rock Festival) or in Hyde Park (Hard Rock Calling), we will notice that history continues and that music is forever a part of their lives. To them, rock is not simply a phenomenon but an entire lifestyle, a common purpose, an incessant questioning, far beyond dreams.

We will sail back and forth between yesterday and today, between art and society, music and human adventure, memories and historical realities. As both a player and an observer, Henry Padovani is a witness from within, and his hoarse voice will carry us. The memorable melodies of The Clash, The Who, The Pretenders, The Police or The Stranglers will allow us to (re)live, even if for a few moments, a time that has changed the way we listen to music forever.

What is the DNA of a great rock 'n' roll band? Sting, Stewart & Andy all contribute to the BBC's new documentary 'I'm in a Rock 'n' Roll Band!'...

Tue, 04 May 2010 01:43:59 -0400

Some questions: What makes great Rock'n'Roll bands work? Why and how do they do what they do? Why are the best bands more than the sum of their parts? Why do we love them so much?

The answers are to be found in BBC Two's Saturday Night series I'm in a Rock'n'Roll Band.

A phalanx of BBC Music Entertainment's most inquisitive minds have been sent out into the field on a global mission to observe the rock'n'roller at large. Back they have duly returned - to their rain-buffeted multi-story portacabin HQ at the rear of TV Centre - anxious to reveal their findings.

These discoveries are to be disclosed in five documentaries narrated by Mark Radcliffe airing from Saturday 1 May and a live studio finale hosted by Jonathan Ross.

A cross generational collection of some of the most extraordinary war stories rock 'n' roll folklore has to offer have been assembled. Relating them are a preposterously starry cast including Iggy Pop; Dave Grohl; Sting; Roger Daltrey; Jon Bon Jovi; Bob Geldof;Siouxsie Sioux ; Matt Bellamy; Shirley Manson; Jeff Beck; Johnny Marr; Slash; Tony Iommi; Mick Jones; Andy Summers; Wilko Johnson; Tommy Lee; Ginger Baker; Stewart Copeland; Bill Bruford; Peter Hook; Rick Wakeman; Ray Manzarek; Keith Emerson and Jack Bruce.

Befitting the larger than life characters populating the series and the stranger-than-fiction tales they have to tell, we have allowed the shows to venture into novel territory - graphic novel territory to be precise. As some of Britain's top illustrators, feted for their work in comics like Marvel, have added their considerable talents to the mix.

This animation element makes it possible to journey into the private thoughts, childhood memories and backstage lives of some of the great performers of our times. No cameras were there to record what happened on these occasions but, through the power of animation, moments of rock'n'roll history, large and small, can be brought to life.

From Jim Morrison of The Doors coming over all Oedipal in sixties L.A. to how Black Sabbath's Tony Iommi managed to resurrect his fledgling guitar career after chopping off two fingers in a factory accident in the West Midlands.

From the unsettling moment when Sex Pistol Glenn Matlock opened a packet of crisps to find a piece of paper with his name in it, to the honing of The Police's breakthrough hit, Roxanne, from bossa nova original to the taut post punk reggae groove that conquered the world.

The graphic novel feel has created a distinct and contemporary look for the shows. Steve Beaumont has been getting most busy with the charcoals, with back up from Mike Collins. While the ingenious graphic designers at SumCreative under the Creative Direction of Paul Peppiate have turned the sketch material into animations created on After Effects.

Guiding 50 plus animated sequences through the circuitous process of conception, story-boarding, sketching, inking, colouring and finally animation is a brain-mashing exercise in logistics.

But fortunately any thoughts along the lines of 'I must have been mad to pursue this idea, is it too late to drop it?' are completely blown away by those 'You have mail' moments when new sketches and animations arrive. The ability to capture the likeness (and just as importantly the essence) of some of the great names in rock'n'roll to order is startling. How lovely it would be to have a proper talent like that.

Vote for your favourites at bbc.co.uk/rocknrollband

By John Piper, Series Producer of I'm In A Rock'n'Roll Band

Part 1 - repeated on BBC2, 11.40pm May 6 (The Singer)
Part 2 - BBC2, 9.45pm May 8 (The Guitarist)
Part 2 - repeated on BBC2, 11.20 May 14 (The Guitarist)

Subsequent episodes premiered Saturday nights and repeated the following Thursdays.

Sting to perform at New York City's famed Metropolitan Opera...

Wed, 07 Apr 2010 06:47:33 -0400

We are pleased to announce the addition of two concerts at New York City's Metropolitan Opera to the forthcoming "An Evening With Sting featuring The Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra Conducted By Steven Mercurio" tour. Sting's two-night engagement will take place on July 13th and 14th and will mark his debut at this legendary opera house.

Sting commented: "The Metropolitan Opera has such a rich cultural history in supporting and celebrating a truly diverse range of artists. It is both an honour and a thrill to have the opportunity to perform at this renowned landmark."

Presale tickets to these special performances will be available to members of the Fan Club beginning Thursday, April 15. Legacy members will have a one hour advance window when presales open at 10am (local time) with the presales then open to all members at 11am (local time). Tickets will be available to the public starting Friday, April 16.

Also announced today, Sting will bring his tour to New Orleans' UNO Lakefront Arena on June 26th, with Fan Club presales beginning Tuesday, April 13 at 10am (local time). These newly announced Fan Club presales join the previously scheduled presale for Sting's second concert at Atlanta's Chastain Park, which begins today, Wednesday, April 7 at 10am (local time).

On Sale Dates

(All 10am)

Date
City
Venue

Public

Fan Club

Jun 2
Vancouver, BC
Centre For the Performing Arts
Mar 8
Mar 5

Jun 4
Portland, OR
Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall
Mar 15
Mar 10

Jun 5
Portland, OR
Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall
Mar 15
Mar 10

Jun 6
Seattle, WA
White River Amphitheatre
Mar 22
Mar 17

Jun 9
Morrison, CO
Red Rocks Park &
Amphitheatre
Mar 8
Mar 5

Jun 10
Salt Lake City, UT
USANA Amphitheatre
Mar 22
Mar 17

Jun 12
Concord, CA
Sleep Train Pavilion
Mar 15
Mar 10

Jun 13
San Diego, CA
Cricket Wireless Amphitheatre
Mar 15
Mar 10

Jun 15
Los Angeles, CA
Hollywood Bowl
Mar 8
Mar 5

Jun 16
Irvine, CA
Verizon Amphitheatre
Mar 15
Mar 10

Jun 18
Las Vegas, NV
MGM Grand
Mar 15
Mar 10

Jun 21
St. Paul, MN
Xcel Centre
Mar 22
Mar 17

Jun 23
St. Louis, MO
Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
Mar 22
Mar 17

Jun 25
Houston, TX
Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
Mar 22
Mar 17

Jun 26
New Orleans, LA
UNO Lakefront Arena
Apr 16
Apr 13

Jun 28
Atlanta, GA
Chastain Park
Mar 27
Mar 24

Jun 29
Atlanta, GA
Chastain Park
Apr 10
Apr 7

Jul 2
West Palm Bch, FL
Cruzan Amphitheatre
Mar 29
Mar 24

Jul 3
Tampa, FL
Ford Amphitheatre
Mar 29
Mar 24

Jul 6
Uncasville, CT
Mohegan Sun Arena
Mar 22
Mar 17

Jul 9
Atlantic City, NJ
Borgata
Mar 20
Mar 17

Jul 10
Camden, NJ
Susquehanna Bank Centre
Mar 22
Mar 17

Jul 11
Bristow, VA
Jiffy Lube Live Amphitheatre
Mar 27
Mar 24

Jul 13
New York City, NY
Metropolitan Opera
Apr 16
Apr 15

Jul 14
New York City, NY
Metropolitan Opera
Apr 16
Apr 15

Jul 16
Detroit, MI
DTE Energy Music Theatre
Mar 29
Mar 24

Jul 17
Chicago, IL
Ravinia Festival
Apr 22

Apr 19

Jul 18
Chicago, IL
Ravinia Festival
Apr 22
Apr 19

Jul 20
Cincinnati, OH
Riverbend Amphitheatre
Mar 29
Mar 24

Jul 21
London, ON
John Labatt Centre
Mar 22
Mar 17

Jul 23
Toronto, ON
Molson Amphitheatre
Mar 22
Mar 17

Jul 24
Montreal, QC
Bell Centre
Mar 15
Mar 10

Jul 25
Ottawa, QC
Scotiabank Place
Mar 22
Mar 17

Jul 29
Mansfield, MA
Comcast Center
Mar 15
Mar 10

Jul 30
Bethel, NY
Bethel Woods
Mar 15
Mar 10

Jul 31
Saratoga, NY
Saratoga Performing Arts
Centre
Mar 29
Mar 24

The newly announced Fan Club presales join the previously scheduled presale for Sting's second concert at Atlanta's Chastain Park, which begins at 10am on Wednesday, April 7.

Want to take part in Fan Club presales, but not a member of Sting.com? Join today for presale ticket access, complete coverage of Sting's latest world tour, admission into Sting's worldwide fan community and more!

Premium Packages will be available during the Fan Club presales for those interested in attending as a VIP. Priced at 5 over the face value of the concert ticket, packages include a ticket located within the first 15 rows, a exclusive Sting concert shirt, a collectible tour poster, an official tour program and a commemorative laminate.

Backed by the 45-piece Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra and a quartet consisting of longtime Sting guitarist Dominic Miller, David Cossin (multi-percussionist), Jo Lawry (vocalist) and Ira Coleman (bassist), Sting's new tour will see him performing his most celebrated songs re-imagined for symphonic arrangement, conducted by Steven Mercurio (Pavarotti, Bocelli). Among the reinterpreted selections with brand new orchestrations are fan-favorites such as "Roxanne," "Next To You," "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic" and "Every Breath You Take," along with notable songs from Sting's enduring solo career, including "Englishman in New York," "Fragile," "Russians," "If I Ever Lose My Faith in You," "Fields of Gold," and "Desert Rose."

American Express® cardmembers will also have the exclusive opportunity to purchase advance tickets from a separate allotment for some shows with details mailed to cardmembers weekly directly from American Express®.

More Concert Dates Added today To Summer Tour; Presales Begin Tomorrow For nine Shows...

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 02:45:01 -0400

We are pleased to announce nine new shows in Eastern Canada and the US to the forthcoming "An Evening With Sting featuring The Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra Conducted By Steven Mercurio" tour.

New dates in Canada (London, Toronto and Ottawa), in addition to the nine US shows announced March 9th (see below grid), will be available for presale to Fan Club members tomorrow, Wednesday, March 17. There will be no American Express® presale offered for the Canadian concert dates.

The six newly announced US dates - shows in West Palm Beach, Tampa, Bristow, Detroit, Cincinnati, and Saratoga - will be available for presale to Fan Club members beginning next Wednesday, March 24. Sting's previously announced concert at Atlanta's Chastain Park will join the newly announced US dates with its own Fan Club presale on Wednesday, March 24.

On Sale Dates

(All 10am)

Date
City
Venue

Public

Fan Club

Jun 2
Vancouver, BC
Centre For the Performing Arts
Mar 8
Mar 5

Jun 4
Portland, OR
Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall
Mar 15
Mar 10

Jun 5
Portland, OR
Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall
Mar 15
Mar 10

Jun 6
Seattle, WA
White River Amphitheatre
Mar 22
Mar 17

Jun 9
Morrison, CO
Red Rocks Park &
Amphitheatre
Mar 8
Mar 5

Jun 10
Salt Lake City, UT
USANA Amphitheatre
Mar 22
Mar 17

Jun 12
Concord, CA
Sleep Train Pavilion
Mar 15
Mar 10

Jun 13
San Diego, CA
Cricket Wireless Amphitheatre
Mar 15
Mar 10

Jun 15
Los Angeles, CA
Hollywood Bowl
Mar 8
Mar 5

Jun 16
Irvine, CA
Verizon Amphitheatre
Mar 15
Mar 10

Jun 18
Las Vegas, NV
MGM Grand
Mar 15
Mar 10

Jun 21
St. Paul, MN
Xcel Centre
Mar 22
Mar 17

Jun 23
St. Louis, MO
Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
Mar 22
Mar 17

Jun 25
Houston, TX
Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
Mar 22
Mar 17

Jun 28
Atlanta, GA
Chastain Park
Mar 27
Mar 24

Jul 2
West Palm Bch, FL
Cruzan Amphitheatre
Mar 29
Mar 24

Jul 3
Tampa, FL
Ford Amphitheatre
Mar 29
Mar 24

Jul 6
Uncasville, CT
Mohegan Sun Arena
Mar 22
Mar 17

Jul 9
Atlantic City, NJ
Borgata
Mar 20
Mar 17

Jul 10
Camden, NJ
Susquehanna Bank Centre
Mar 22
Mar 17

Jul 11
Bristow, VA
Jiffy Lube Live Amphitheatre
Mar 27
Mar 24

Jul 16
Detroit, MI
DTE Energy Music Theatre
Mar 29
Mar 24

Jul 17
Chicago, IL
Ravinia Festival
Apr 22

Apr 19

Jul 18
Chicago, IL
Ravinia Festival
Apr 22
Apr 19

Jul 20
Cincinnati, OH
Riverbend Amphitheatre
Mar 29
Mar 24

Jul 21
London, ON
John Labatt Centre
Mar 22
Mar 17

Jul 23
Toronto, ON
Molson Amphitheatre
Mar 22
Mar 17

Jul 24
Montreal, QC
Bell Centre
Mar 15
Mar 10

Jul 25
Ottawa, QC
Scotiabank Place
Mar 22
Mar 17

Jul 29
Mansfield, MA
Comcast Center
Mar 15
Mar 10

Jul 30
Bethel, NY
Bethel Woods
Mar 15
Mar 10

Jul 31
Saratoga, NY
Saratoga Performing Arts
Centre
Mar 29
Mar 24

Additional dates and venues to soon be announced.

Members of the Sting Fan Club will have an exclusive presale window for "An Evening With Sting" shows with tickets coming from a separate, members-only allotment. Legacy members will have a one hour advance window when presales open at 10AM (local time) with the presales then being opened up to all members at 11AM (local time).

Not a member of the Fan Club? Join today for presale ticket access, complete coverage of Sting's latest world tour, admission into Sting's worldwide fan community and more!

Sting Premium Ticket Packages will be available during both presales and, where packages remain, during the public sale. To learn more about Sting Ticket packages, click here.

Additional Sting Concert Dates Announced; New Presales Begin Tomorrow...

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 06:52:48 -0500

New concert dates in Seattle, Salt Lake City, St. Paul, St. Louis, Houston, Uncasville, Philadelphia, Atlantic City and Montreal were just added to the forthcoming "An Evening With Sting featuring The Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra Conducted By Steven Mercurio" North American tour.

STING Featuring the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra Conducted by Steve Mercurio Presented by Xerox

Additional dates and venues to soon be announced.

The presale for Montreal, in addition to the other shows announced March 2nd (see above grid), will be available to fan club members tomorrow, Wednesday, March 10. Tickets for the newly announced US shows will be available for presale on Wednesday, March 17. These concerts join the previously announced and currently on-sale dates in Los Angeles, Denver and Vancouver.

Backed by the 45-piece Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra and a quartet consisting of longtime Sting guitarist Dominic Miller, David Cossin (multi-percussionist), Jo Lawry (vocalist) and Ira Coleman (bassist), Sting's new tour will see him performing his most celebrated songs re-imagined for symphonic arrangement. Among the reinterpreted selections with brand new orchestrations are fan-favorites such as "Roxanne," "Next To You," "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic" and "Every Breath You Take," along with notable songs from Sting's enduring solo career, including "Englishman in New York," "Fragile," "Russians," "If I Ever Lose My Faith in You," "Fields of Gold," and "Desert Rose."

Members of the Sting Fan Club will have an exclusive presale window for An Evening With Sting shows with tickets coming from a separate, members-only allotment. Legacy members will have a one hour advance window when presales open at 10am local with the presale then being opened up to all members at 11am local.

Not a member of the Fan Club? Join today for presale ticket access, complete coverage of Sting's latest world tour, admission into Sting's worldwide fan community and more!

American Express® cardmembers will also have the exclusive opportunity to purchase advance tickets from a separate allotment with details mailed to cardmembers weekly directly from American Express®.

Sting Premium Ticket Packages will be available during both presales and, where packages remain, during the public sale. To learn more about Sting Ticket packages, click here.

New Sting Concert Dates Announced On The Eve Of Initial Presales...

Tue, 02 Mar 2010 06:59:01 -0500

New concert dates in Portland, Concord, San Diego, Irvine, Las Vegas, Atlanta, Montreal, Boston & Bethel were just added to the forthcoming An Evening With Sting Featuring The Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra Conducted By Steven Mercurio North American tour.

STING
Featuring the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra
Conducted by Steve Mercurio
Presented by Xerox

Additional dates and venues to soon be announced.

The 10 new shows join the previously announced dates in Vancouver, Denver and Los Angeles - for which Sting.com Fan Club presales begin on March 5th, followed by public sales on March 8th - as well as two dates at Chicago's renowned Ravinia Festival, which go onsale in mid-April.

Backed by the 45-piece Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra and a quartet consisting of longtime Sting guitarist Dominic Miller, David Cossin (multi-percussionist), Jo Lawry (vocalist) and Ira Coleman (bassist), Sting's new tour will see him performing his most celebrated songs re-imagined for symphonic arrangement. Among the reinterpreted selections with brand new orchestrations are fan-favorites such as "Roxanne," "Next To You," "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic" and "Every Breath You Take," along with notable songs from Sting's enduring solo career, including "Englishman in New York," "Fragile," "Russians," "If I Ever Lose My Faith in You," "Fields of Gold," and "Desert Rose."

Not a member of the Sting Fan Club? Join today for presale ticket access, complete coverage of Sting's latest world tour, admission into Sting's worldwide fan community and more!

Sting Premium Ticket Packages will be available during both presales and, where packages remain, during the public sale. To learn more about Sting Ticket packages, click here.

Buchanan's® Forever to 'Present' an unprecedented musical experience with Sting in May 2010 - Proceeds to Benefit the Diageo 'Learning for Life' program that provides education and life skills to thousands of individuals throughout Latin America...

Tue, 02 Mar 2010 01:02:48 -0500

Buchanan's® Forever is pleased to welcome Sting for performances on May 1, 6, and 8, 2010, in Caracas, Bogota and Mexico City, respectively. Sting is the latest addition to the roster of talent who have joined Buchanan's® Forever over the past three years and graced the stage in the name of social responsibility. Artists are chosen to perform with Buchanan's® Forever on the basis of their iconic status, history of philanthropic endeavours and willingness to support Diageo's philanthropic platform LEARNING FOR LIFE, which provides educational tools and life skills to thousands of individuals throughout Latin America & the Caribbean.

"I am pleased to be performing with Buchanan's Forever in support of Learning for Life" said Sting. "Education is really at the heart of improving societies large and small and ultimately the world. I congratulate Diageo for creating this initiative and hope these concerts help raise much needed funds for individuals throughout Latin America."

Sting returns to Mexico for Buchanan's® Forever after having played there three-years ago and to Venezuela following a performance over nine-years ago; moreover, it will be the first time that Sting performs in Colombia. An artist with a career that spans more than three decades, Sting has received 16 Grammy Awards, an Emmy and Golden Globe award, as well as three Academy Award nominations. Prior to his solo career, he was the principal songwriter, lead singer and bassist for the rock band, The Police. He is a member of both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame. He has also been committed to several causes over the years through various organizations including Amnesty International, Elton John AIDS Foundation, and The Rainforest Foundation, which he founded with his wife in 1989 to protect indigenous people and traditional populations of the world's rainforests. His latest performances in Latin America were with The Police in 2007 and in Brazil in 2009.

"Sting is an amazing artist and person whose presence will undoubtedly perpetuate the musical legacy we have created through Buchanan's Forever and enable us to reach our goal of raising 1 million dollars this year for Learning for Life," said Jose Moreno, Vice President for Scotch Whisky, Diageo Latin America & the Caribbean. "For this next edition of the campaign, funds will be raised through several means including tickets sales, product purchase, and on-site silent auctions."

Previous Buchanan's® Forever artists have included Elton John, James Blunt, Jon Bon Jovi, Fonseca, Fito Paez, Alek Syntek, Gerry Weil and Franco de Vita.

Sting will share the bill this year with legendary Latin artists who are joining Buchanan's Forever not only as performers, but as the programs' Learning for Life Ambassadors to help raise awareness and funds for the philanthropic platform.

For more information on Buchanan's Forever, please visit www.buchanansforever.com. You can also interact with us via Facebook on the "Buchanan's Forever" fan page, and on Twitter at twitter.com/buchanans4ever.

Buchanan's® Forever, a unique, intimate musical experience, honours the legacy of Buchanan's founder, James Buchanan, by way of an ongoing community enrichment program which forms part of DIAGEO's regional social responsibility platform, Learning for Life. Buchanan's® Forever will be held this year in Venezuela, Colombia and Mexico and in each country will support a charitable project that will directly impact each of these communities.

About Buchanan's®

Buchanan's® is a premium whisky brand first introduced in 1897, with a portfolio featuring three award-winning whiskies - BUCHANAN'S® De Luxe, BUCHANAN'S® Special Reserve and BUCHANAN'S® Red Seal. The BUCHANAN'S® whisky portfolio represents a range of unique and finely-crafted premium whiskies perfectly blended to suit every occasion, and which share a remarkable 110-year history and a commitment to quality. In 1898, James Buchanan was given the Royal warrant to supply the royal household with Buchanan's Whisky starting with Queen Victoria and the Prince of Wales in 1898. In Latin America, BUCHANAN'S® De Luxe 12 year old is the best-selling premium 12-year whisky.

About Diageo

DIAGEO (Dee-AH-Gee-O) is the world's leading premium drinks business with an outstanding collection of beverage alcohol brands across spirits, wine and beer. These brands include, in addition to Buchanan's, Johnnie Walker, Old Parr, Guinness, Smirnoff, J&B, Baileys, Tanqueray, Red Stripe, Zacapa, Pampero and Navarro Correas wine.

Diageo is a global company, trading in some 180 countries around the world. The company is listed on both the New York Stock Exchange (DEO) and the London Stock Exchange (DGE). For more information about Diageo, its people, brands, and performance, visit us at http://www.diageo.com.

An Evening With Sting - Performing His Most Celebrated Songs Featuring the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra Conducted by Steven Mercurio - World Tour Presented by Xerox...

Tue, 23 Feb 2010 06:59:59 -0500

Live Nation announced today that Sting, accompanied by the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra, will embark on a world tour this summer. The tour will find Sting performing his most celebrated songs re-imagined for symphonic arrangement. The Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra will be conducted by Maestro Steven Mercurio (Pavarotti, Bocelli).

Drawing from a diverse and illustrious career that has produced numerous multi-platinum albums, a staggering list of number one songs, countless accolades and worldwide record sales of nearly 100 million, Sting's greatest hits will be reinterpreted with brand new orchestrations created especially for this tour. Selections will include fan-favorites such as 'Roxanne', 'Next To You', 'Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic' and 'Every Breath You Take', to notable songs from Sting's enduring solo career - 'Englishman in New York', 'Fragile', 'Russians', 'If I Ever Lose My Faith in You', 'Fields of Gold', and 'Desert Rose.'

Presented in a variety of settings, the tour begins June 2 in Vancouver and then travels to numerous cities across North America. Dates announced today include: June 9 at Red Rocks in Denver; June 15 at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles; July 17 and 18 at Chicago's renowned Ravinia Festival. Sting will also perform in New York, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Philadelphia, Portland, Seattle and Washington and return to Canada, with stops in Toronto and Montreal. Additional North American cities, venues and on-sale dates will be announced in the next few weeks, with other territories throughout the UK and Europe to follow soon.

Never afraid to blaze the path of new musical territory, Sting's foray into the classical realm began with the crossover success of his #1 album 'Songs from the Labyrinth', a lute-based interpretation of the music of 16th century composer John Dowland, released in 2006 on Deutsche Grammophon. After completing the enormously successful Police reunion world tour, Sting returned to pursue his passion for uniting musical genres with his most recent release 'If On A Winter's Night...' which debuted at #1 on Billboard's classical chart and remains there.

Sting's interest in collaborating with an orchestra began in 2008 following an invitation to perform with the legendary Chicago Symphony Orchestra. After reworking selections from his expansive catalog, he and several members of his longtime band joined the orchestra in a performance that left an indelible mark on Sting. Eager to explore the possibilities of further symphonic collaboration, Sting was excited when the Philadelphia Orchestra asked him to join them in commemoration of the 153rd anniversary of the Academy of Music.

"Performing with both the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Philadelphia Orchestra was truly a highlight of my career. I'm delighted by this new opportunity to tour with the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra and reinterpret the songs I've been playing for many years," commented Sting.

The Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra has previously performed with internationally-renowned artists ranging from opera luminaries Andrea Bocelli, Bryn Terfel, Renée Fleming, Kiri Te Kanawa and the late Luciano Pavarotti to popular cultural icons including Burt Bacharach, George Benson, Michel Legrand, Diana Krall, Tina Turner and Randy Newman. The 45-piece orchestra will be featured on all North American concert dates of the tour.

Sting will also be joined by a quartet comprised of Dominic Miller (Sting's longtime guitarist), David Cossin (a multi-percussion specialist in new and experimental music and featured member of the Bang on a Can All-Stars), Jo Lawry (vocalist) and Ira Coleman (bassist).

The tour is promoted by Live Nation and produced by RZO Entertainment, Inc. in association with Universal Music Classical Management & Productions.

"We are thrilled to be a part of bringing this exciting and unique tour with Sting to the world," said Arthur Fogel (CEO/Chairman Live Nation Global Touring). "The arrangements, combined with Sting's brilliant songwriting and musicianship, will no doubt result in a magical evening of music."

We are pleased to have Xerox as the tour presenter.

"Our global sponsorship of Sting's 2010 world tour offers an opportunity for Xerox to showcase not only Sting's legendary talents but also the real business of entertainment," said Christa Carone, vice president, Marketing and Communications, Xerox. "Every great performance depends on a smoothly run backstage and that's the role Xerox plays behind the scenes with our customers today. Our technology and services will support the needs of the tour so that they can focus on what they do best: giving Sting's fans around the world a magical evening of music."

We are also delighted to have Starwood Hotels and Resorts as the official hotel partner.

"As one of the most celebrated artists of our time, we're thrilled to be the Official Hotel sponsor of the 2010 Sting tour. This sponsorship provides a distinctive opportunity for us to reward our loyal members by connecting with them through their passion for music," said Phil McAveety, Chief Brand Officer for Starwood.

For complete Tour and Ticket information, Fan Club Memberships, Merchandise and more, visit: www.sting.com and www.livenation.com

STING
Featuring the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra
Conducted by Steve Mercurio
Presented by Xerox

Tour Itinerary:

June 2 Vancouver Centre For the Performing Arts On sale March 8th
June 9 Denver Red Rocks Park & Amphitheater On sale March 8th
June 15 Los Angeles Hollywood Bowl On sale March 8th
July 17/18 Chicago Ravinia Festival On sale April 22nd

Additional dates and venues to soon be announced

American Express® Cardmembers have the exclusive opportunity to purchase advance tickets to Sting for the performances in Denver and Los Angeles from Monday, March 1st at 10am (local time) through Sunday, March 7th at 10pm (local time). Tickets in Los Angeles, Denver and Vancouver go on sale to the general public beginning on Monday, March 8th at 10am (local time).

Sting.com Fan Club presales for the performances in Vancouver, Denver and Los Angeles will go on sale from 10am (local time) on March 5th until March 7th. Legacy members will have a one hour exclusive window on the presales before they are opened up to all members. Sting.com Fan Club members will be able to purchase up to four tickets per show in the presales.

Tickets for the above shows go on sale to the general public beginning at 10am (local time) on Monday, March 8th.

About Live Nation
Live Nation Entertainment is the world's premier live entertainment company, consisting of Live Nation, Ticketmaster and Front Line Management Group. As the world's first artist-to-fan vertically integrated live entertainment platform, the company is improving the fan experience and driving major innovations in ticketing technology, marketing and service. Live Nation is the largest producer of live concerts in the world, annually producing more than 22,000 concerts on behalf of 1,500 artists in 57 countries. In 2008, over 50 million fans attended Live Nation concerts, and the company drove more than 70 million unique visitors to LiveNation.com and other online properties. Ticketmaster serves more than 10,000 clients worldwide in multiple event categories and sold more than 141 million tickets valued at over $8.9 billion on behalf of its clients in 2008. Live Nation is headquartered in Los Angeles, California and is listed on the New York Stock Exchange, trading under the symbol LYV. For additional information about the company, please visit www.livenation.com/investors.

About Xerox
Xerox Corporation is a $22 billion leading global enterprise for business process and document management. Through its broad portfolio of technology, services and outsourcing offerings, Xerox provides the essential back-office support that clears the way for clients to focus on what they do best: their real business. Headquartered in Norwalk, Conn., Xerox provides leading-edge document technology, services, software and supplies for production and office environments of any size. Through ACS, A Xerox Company, which Xerox acquired in February 2010, Xerox also offers extensive business process outsourcing and information technology outsourcing services, including data processing, HR benefits management, finance support, and customer relationship management services for commercial and government organizations worldwide. The 130,000 people of Xerox serve clients in more than 160 countries. For more information, visit http://www.xerox.com or http://www.xerox.com/news. For investor information, visit www.xerox.com/investor.

About Starwood Preferred Guest
The SPG program's breakthrough policy of No Blackout Dates at the world's most sought after collection of hotels, reinvented the hospitality loyalty program when it launched in 1999. By creating a program centered on its members, SPG has developed the most passionate and knowledgeable membership base in the hotel loyalty space. Through its use of new technologies and innovative channels such as SPG.com, SPG.com/stayconnected, SPG.com/flights, thelobby.com and others, SPG continues to innovate and lead the industry. By offering No Blackouts on standard rooms at 940 participating properties, No Blackouts on hundreds of airlines, and once in a lifetime experiences available through SPG Moments at spg.com/moments, the program has proven to be a big draw for the world's most frequent travelers. It is also a significant competitive advantage for Starwood and its nine distinct and compelling brands: St. Regis®, The Luxury Collection®, W®, Westin®, Le Méridien®, Sheraton®, Four Points® by Sheraton, and the recently launched Aloft®, and Element SM. With the world's largest portfolio of upper-upscale and luxury hotels, SPG members enjoy unrivaled access to distinctive, aspirational experiences located in premiere destinations in nearly 100 countries. For more information about Starwood Preferred Guest please visit SPG.com or call (877) - STARWOOD.

The Philadelphia Orchestra celebrates Academy of Music 153rd Anniversary with Grand Concert and Ball on January 30, 2010 - Sting headlines stellar concert with The Philadelphia Orchestra...

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 07:00:01 -0500

The Philadelphia Orchestra celebrates Academy of Music 153rd Anniversary with Grand Concert and Ball on January 30, 2010 - Sting headlines stellar concert with The Philadelphia Orchestra, performing a collection of greatest hits from the Police and his solo career...

"King of the high C's" Juan Diego Flórez performs classical masterpieces under the baton of Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos, who returns to stage of his North American debut 40 years earlier. Anniversary Ball follows at the Park Hyatt Philadelphia at the Bellevue

World-renowned singer/composer/actor Sting will headline the spectacular Academy of Music 153rd Anniversary Concert on Saturday, January 30, 2010, in performance with The Philadelphia Orchestra and his own quartet of outstanding jazz/pop/rock musicians, conducted by David Hartley. The classical portion of the program will showcase Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos, chief conductor and artistic director of the Dresden Philharmonic, leading The Philadelphia Orchestra in a program of masterpieces featuring guest tenor Juan Diego Flórez, a thrilling performer famous for his high C's. The Academy Ball, chaired by Mrs. Fred L. Hudson III and Mr. Joseph A. Frick, immediately follows at the Park Hyatt Philadelphia at the Bellevue.

Rock'n'Roll Confidential: Mojo talks to Stewart Copeland...

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 04:42:18 -0500

You'd think Stewart Copeland might have taken a break after the Police reunion tour - 158 gigs, 921,000 paying customers, $297 million gross. But since their final Madison Square Garden show on August 7 last year, in addition to his TV and movie soundtrack "day job", he's written two more "classical" pieces and the two items for which he spent part of September in London - his autobiography, Strange Things Happen, and the score to the arena spectacular Ben Hur, premiered at the O2 a couple of days after our encounter (he is its The Narrator too).Copeland greets MOJO in his hotel. full of laughter and fulmination as ever, discoursing on the Middle East - where his father, Miles Sr, a CIA founder, conducted opaque ops while Stewart grew up - and the Republicans'folly in savaging Obama's health care reforms while dissing our wondrous NHS.

The book says you didn't play drums for 10 years after The Police broke up.

Yeah, my colleagues had convinced me I was a menace and a detriment and that I should fuckin' give it up.

It was even more unexpected that you started writing operas.

Classical music was always going through my head. Even when I listened to Hendrix I imagined strings around him. I was never into opera, though. I had a problem with the singers. That exaggerated vibrato. It obscures the melody. Then I saw Wagner, Parsifal, and I got it - over wrought dramatic subjects and overwrought dramatic music sobbing with emotion.When the opportunity to write one came, I thought, "There's nothing wrong with opera that a good opera wouldn't fix." [His debut for Cleveland Opera, was Holy Blood And The Crescent Moon, 1989, a Crusades epic.]

You feel comfortable standing alongside Puccini and Wagner? Absolutely. I prefer my music to Wagner's. Of course I do! slay myself. Always have. It may seem arrogant. It's not. It's rare to find a musician 'fess up to it, but it must be the natural order of things. ln my catalogue now I've got something for every mood. It hits the spot!

Turning to the reunion, the clash with Sting does seem to come down to musical differences.

We differ about what music is for. Polar opposite viewpoints. Sting is an artist with a capital 'A' who conceives a beautiful, perfect vision. As a film composer I'm totally in accord with working to the strict parameters of the director's vision. But the drummer guy's different.

Different how?

Live, drumming is a visceral, animal expression and my job is to get everybody's hair standing on end, (shouts) "Fucking wake up! Burn the building down!" Well, at one of the dreaded band meetings Sting gets Andy lined up and they tell me I'm a liability, I'm screwing up. I say, "Excuse me, have you read a single fucking review? Nobody says I'm playing too loud, too fast, too much. In fact, I have been singled out for praise because of my energy. So fucking get off my back both of you, don't fucking tell me to stop doing what I'm here to do..." Band meetings withered away (laughs).

Did you resolve it between you?

Not until we had our showdown in Singapore [February 4, 2008, the 100th gig] when I was able to say, "Stingo, I am not your problem, you don't need to worry about whether I'm making too much noise, nobody else is worried about it. You may not like it, but that's because you think you're stuck with it. You're not. The end is near. But isn't this fun? Stop resisting it, stop trying to change me and mould me into something you can use. You can't use me because I'm fucking out of here! Don't worry!"

Did he stop worrying?

It took a while, but he did. And by the end of the tour I was proud of our band. When we played Hyde Park [June 29, 2008] I just felt we did it, we're from this city, these people made us what we are and we are one with them and this is it. Earlier in the tour I was not proud of our band, I thought we were faking it, that I could get a better groove with any bass player other than this motherfucker who's just not listening...

"This motherfucker who's just not listening"?

Of course, I'm telling my side and Sting had his own perfectly valid viewpoint,.. But finally we got over that: mistakes weren't mistakes, they were life. You know, I get excited when I reminisce, but actually I'm very happy about it all. We had to go through this and I love my two colleagues and I understand where they're coming from and there's not a trace of bitterness now. It was about what hadn't been said that I wished I'd said - I stopped playing drums for 10 years because I hadn't said it. So the glorious thing about the tour was it all got said.

Tell us something you've never told an interviewer before.

"I can't answer that question."

© Mojo by Phil Sutcliffe