Sting Takes Center Stage at BeachLife Festival: A Legendary Performance

I can’t believe I haven’t seen Sting live until now. He has been one of my favorite artists since The Police. I owned the “Synchronicity” vinyl album in the ’80s and often listened to Kasey Kasem’s American Top 40, hoping Sting’s songs would hit number one, like “Every Breath You Take.” In the ’90s, I had his CD “Ten Summoner’s Tales,” and my absolute favorite track from that album was “Shape of My Heart.”

On May 2nd, at the BeachLife Festival in Redondo Beach, I finally got to see the celebrated Englishman and Rock & Roll Hall of Famer perform. The crowd was mostly Gen X, with some boomers, millennials, and Gen Z, and some even traveled from Canada just for the concert. I met a sweet lady named Nikki Benjamin from the South Bay, who brought a whiteboard that read, “Thank you, Sting, for inspiring me to beat breast cancer!” Nikki shared that this was her 13th time seeing Sting. “He’s inspired me my whole life. This past year has been a struggle with breast cancer, but his music got me through it. When I went into surgery, I asked the anesthesiologist to play Sting.”

As Sting entered the stage, the crowd erupted with excitement and cheers. He sported a gray fitted shirt that highlighted his fit physique. Although the shirt had many tiny holes, suggesting it was worn from washing, Sting pulled it off effortlessly, still looking fine, confident, and sexy.

Sting kicked off with “Message in a Bottle,” and the crowd sang along like a chorus. He followed with “Englishman in New York,” released in 1988 as the third single from his second studio album, “…Nothing Like the Sun.” By the third song, the crowd started dancing to the upbeat “Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic.” This was followed by “Can’t Stand Losing You” and his hit “If I Ever Lose My Faith in You,” one of the crowd’s favorites. Then the talented musician gave a hint for his next song. He asked the audience, “If you need somebody, if you want somebody, what do you do?” The audience replied loudly, “Set them free!”

For the next song, Sting shared a story with the audience: “I’m going to sing a song about my house. About 35 years ago, my wife and I bought a little cottage in the English countryside. It was more of a castle, really (chuckles). What’s nice about it is it’s quite near Stonehenge. You know Stonehenge? If you ever go there, head down the hill for about a mile and a half. Come to my house, knock on the door, and I’ll make you a cup of tea—unless I’m on tour. Another nice thing about my house is that it’s surrounded by barley fields, and at harvest time… you see where I’m going with this? At harvest time, it looks like there’s a sea of gold all around the house. So one day, I’m looking out the front door, thinking, you know, there’s a song here.” The audience then fell silent and enjoyed the ethereal tune and soothing melody of “Fields of Gold.”

Sting then asked his band, “Any idea what we’re going to do next?” as his setlist was somewhere far from where he was standing. The band played some notes, and he realized the next song was “Brand New Day.” He responded, “Oh yeah, oh yeah.” He then invited one of his band members to join him. “So this next song is called ‘Brand New Day.’ One of my favorite parts of recording this song was when the great Stevie Wonder played the harmonica. Now we have a young man here who seems willing to step into those shoes.” He was referring to a band member named Shane Sager, whom Sting has known for 25 years. Shane has been playing the harmonica for 15 years. “My friend, it’s Stevie Wonder. Are you certain you can do this?” Shane replied in a low-key tone, “Yeah.” He made an intro and started to play the harmonica part of “Brand New Day,” and the audience was blown away.

After that number with Shane, Sting said, “You just can’t trust the weather these days, right? You just can’t trust it, but sometimes what you really need is for it to rain. Here’s a song about the weather.” Then he started singing “Heavy Cloud No Rain.”

When Sting performed my favorite song, “Shape of My Heart,” it felt like a dream. I was completely immersed, feeling every lyric and note resonate within me. I had to pinch myself to believe that I was so close to the stage, witnessing one of my all-time favorite songs live. That magical moment alone made my trip to BeachLife Festival truly unforgettable.

At some point during the concert, Sting said, “It’s my first time in Redondo Beach on a nice, balmy summer night.” He mentioned that the night was special and emotional for him, adding, “Because this band you’re seeing right now is going to break up… we’re all going to do different things, so this is the last time we’ll play together. So, thank you, guys, really.”

And of course, no Sting concert is complete without “Every Breath You Take,” which captivated the entire audience. Sting’s music transcends generations, blending pop, rock, jazz, and reggae. His exceptional bandmates further elevate the performance, making it an unforgettable experience for all.

A couple from South OC, Dan, and Grace experienced their first BeachLife Fest and couldn’t have been more thrilled, especially with Sting’s performance. “Sting was phenomenal, both in appearance and sound! An hour and a half just wasn’t enough to enjoy all his fantastic songs. It was an unforgettable experience.”

Sting’s setlist was a perfect blend of classics and fan favorites. From the energetic opening with “Message in a Bottle” to the emotional “Fields of Gold” and my personal favorite, “Shape of My Heart,” each song showcased his timeless talent. His storytelling, like the anecdote about his home inspiring “Fields of Gold,” added a personal touch that resonated with the audience.

Sting’s voice remained strong, and his band’s performance was electric, making it a night to remember. His music, spanning pop, rock, jazz, and reggae, continues to captivate audiences across generations. Witnessing one of my favorite artists perform live, especially so close to the stage, was an experience worth every moment.

Setlist

1. Message in a Bottle (The Police)
2. Englishman in New York
3. Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic (The Police)
4. Can’t Stand Losing You (The Police)
5. If I Ever Lose My Faith in You
6. If You Love Somebody Set Them Free
7. Fields of Gold
8. Brand New Day
9. Heavy Cloud No Rain
10. Shape of My Heart
11. Walking on the Moon (The Police)
12. So Lonely / No Woman No Cry / So Lonely
13. Desert Rose
14. King of Pain (The Police)
15. Roxanne
16. Every Breath You Take (The Police)