Latest news with #GordonSumner
Wales Online
29-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Wales Online
Sting at Cardiff Castle: Rocker's touching tribute to father as he returns to land of song
Sting paid a touching tribute to his late father as he rolled back the years with a performance full of his career's biggest hits in front of a packed Cardiff Castle crowd. Walking onto the stage about 15 minutes ahead of schedule, wearing skinny black jeans, a printed t-shirt and sparkling bracelets, the former The Police frontman proved that, even at the age of 73, he had not slowed down at all, opening with a rousing rendition of Message In A Bottle that set the tone for the evening. Addressing the crowd, the Wallsend rocker, whose real name is Gordon Sumner, recalled how he had performed at the historic venue two years ago in 2023, describing Wales as the 'land of song'. This time, returning with his Sting 3.0 tour, he came armed with a set full of classics, including the much-loved Englishman In New York, Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic, Fields of Gold and Every Breath You Take. But it was his performance of his 1978 The Police hit Can't Stand Losing You which received the most passionate response by the rocker's Welsh following, which he acknowledged: 'You probably know this one better than me'. (Image: Getty Images) His engagement with the crowd was great throughout, at one point joking: 'We are in Cardiff. You guys can sing, I know that.' The most poignant moment of the evening was when Sting dedicated Why Should I Cry For You? to his late father, recalling how he would tell him 'son, go see the world'. 'This is a song for my daddy,' he told the crowd. (Image: Getty Images) (Image: Getty Images) The star also made sure to recognise the work of those behind him, stating 'a band is only as good as the drummer'. He described one drum solo from Chris Maas as his favourite part of the set as he just 'gets to listen to the drummer playing the songs.' Saving one of his best until last, he sent the crowd home happy by performing Roxanne during his encore, before finishing on Fragile. Sting's performance in Cardiff proved what a timeless performer he is, now four decades into his music career. He has a timeless classic voice which is undeniable, and the mix of young and old in the crowd shows that despite his advancing years, his performances and songs have transcended generations. Sting heads to Luxembourg on Tuesday and will then perform around Europe, but he will be back in the UK at Latitude Festival on Friday, July 25. You can see his full touring schedule by clicking here.
The Independent
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Sting says governments ‘wilfully' neglected North East
Sting has accused successive governments of 'wilfully' neglecting the north-east of England as he announced a donation to a major Tyneside art institution. The former Police frontman, who grew up in Wallsend, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, told the BBC that the North East had been 'wilfully neglected by successive governments for decades'. The comments came as it was announced the singer-songwriter had made a 'generous' donation to the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art in Gateshead, which has been described as the Tate Modern of the north-east of England. Sting told the broadcaster that governments had disregarded the North East, 'ignoring its significant historical contribution to national life, both industrial and cultural', and added that 'levelling up' strategies in the region were 'empty promises'. The musician – whose real name is Gordon Sumner – said: 'The culture of the North East made me who I am, and I am proud of those roots. 'I want to acknowledge how lucky I have been and pay that debt back. 'Giving to Baltic is a way of saying thank you and ensuring that the next generation of young people on Tyneside have access to arts and culture.' Sting, who will also perform at the centre's fundraising gala in October, added: 'This is about investing in the future of the North East. 'It's about unleashing the creativity of children and young people so they can dream and think big.' The centre plans to raise a £10 million Endowment Fund to keep entry free and support its community programmes. Sarah Munro, the director of the gallery, said the donation was a 'major step' towards establishing the fund. She said: 'We are incredibly grateful to Sting for his generous donation, which is a major step in establishing a crucially needed £10 million endowment.' Ms Munro added: 'We are a much-loved gallery, welcoming 400,000 visitors through our doors each year, platforming artists, connecting communities and inspiring children and young people. We need to preserve this for generations to come.' Kim McGuinness, the Mayor of the North East, said: 'Our cultural centres have a huge role to play so it is amazing to see Sting and Baltic come together to launch this new endowment to create exciting programmes and activities for years to come. 'This endowment will make sure Baltic continues to inspire the creative talents we want to see in future generations.' A Government spokesperson told the BBC it was investing £140 million in the seven most deprived towns in the North East, including Washington and Jarrow, as part of a wider £1.5 billion investment across the country. The spokesperson added it would 'fix the crisis we have inherited'.
RTÉ News
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
- RTÉ News
Sting says UK government 'wilfully' neglected North East
Sting has accused successive UK governments of "wilfully" neglecting the north-east of England as he announced a donation to a major Tyneside art institution. The former Police frontman, who grew up in Wallsend, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, told the BBC that the North East had been "wilfully neglected by successive governments for decades." The comments came as it was announced the singer-songwriter had made a "generous" donation to the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art in Gateshead, which has been described as the Tate Modern of the north-east of England. Sting told the BBC that governments had disregarded the North East, "ignoring its significant historical contribution to national life, both industrial and cultural," and added that "levelling up" strategies in the region were "empty promises." The musician - whose real name is Gordon Sumner - said: "The culture of the North East made me who I am, and I am proud of those roots. "I want to acknowledge how lucky I have been and pay that debt back. "Giving to Baltic is a way of saying thank you and ensuring that the next generation of young people on Tyneside have access to arts and culture." Sting, who will also perform at the centre's fundraising gala in October, added: "This is about investing in the future of the North East. "It's about unleashing the creativity of children and young people so they can dream and think big." In 2014, Sting premiered his musical The Last Ship, a passion project which told the story of the shipyards of his hometown of Newcastle. It was staged at Dublin's Bord Gáis Energy Theatre in 2018. The centre plans to raise a £10 million Endowment Fund to keep entry free and support its community programmes. Sarah Munro, the director of the gallery, said the donation was a "major step" towards establishing the fund. She said: "We are incredibly grateful to Sting for his generous donation, which is a major step in establishing a crucially needed £10 million endowment." Ms Munro added: "We are a much-loved gallery, welcoming 400,000 visitors through our doors each year, platforming artists, connecting communities and inspiring children and young people. We need to preserve this for generations to come." Kim McGuinness, the Mayor of the North East, said: "Our cultural centres have a huge role to play so it is amazing to see Sting and Baltic come together to launch this new endowment to create exciting programmes and activities for years to come. "This endowment will make sure Baltic continues to inspire the creative talents we want to see in future generations." A UK Government spokesperson told the BBC it was investing £140 million in the seven most deprived towns in the North East, including Washington and Jarrow, as part of a wider £1.5 billion investment across the country. The spokesperson added it would "fix the crisis we have inherited."
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Sting says governments have neglected the North East for decades
Sting is in a reflective mood. The Grammy-Award-winning singer-songwriter grew up in Wallsend, Newcastle-upon-Tyne and tells me he is "very proud" of his Tyneside roots. But the musician is less complimentary about the way the North East of England has been, as he puts it, "wilfully neglected by successive governments for decades". As he announces a significant donation to an arts institution in Gateshead, he also told the BBC: "The statistics for child poverty in the area are discouraging". It's clear from our communication that Sting wants to give back to the place and the culture that made him. The former Police frontman is donating an undisclosed amount to the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art, sometimes described as the Tate Modern of the North East of England. It's nearly 50 years since The Police released their debut album featuring tracks such as Roxanne and Can't Stand Losing You. Those decades have brought him everything a boy who dreamed of musical success could have wished for; he's sold more than 100 million albums worldwide, as The Police frontman and bassist, and later as a solo artist. In 2022, he also made a reported $300m (£222m), selling his back catalogue to Universal Music Group. The years haven't been as kind to the region where he was raised and where a third of babies, children and young people grow up in poverty, according to recent data from the End Child Poverty Coalition. When Sting was born Gordon Sumner in 1951, the son of a milkman and a hairdresser, the North East still had a proud tradition of shipbuilding. He's previously said that his earliest memory was "a massive ship at the end of my street, towering over the houses and blotting out the sun". But after the decline of that industry, Sting - the yellow and black sweater he wore while performing in a jazz band as a teenager earned him the nickname and it stuck - tells me, despite "all the empty promises of 'levelling up'", for years governments have disregarded the North East, "ignoring its significant historical contribution to national life, both industrial and cultural". In response to Sting's criticisms, a government spokesman said it would "fix the crisis we have inherited". It's investing £140m in the seven most deprived towns in the North East, including Washington and Jarrow, as part of a wider £1.5bn investment across the country and told the BBC it is "taking decisive action to tackle the scourge of child poverty". He remembers a childhood rich in culture, despite his humble beginnings. "We didn't have any books in the house", he tells me by email, but "I was fortunate in the 60s to have had access to Wallsend library". He also recalls access to drama at the People's Theatre in Jesmond, one of the oldest non-professional theatre companies in the UK, visits to the Laing Art Gallery and also making his professional debut as a musician in the orchestra pit at The University Theatre. "All of these institutions gave me a sense of the world beyond the shipyard where I was raised." The River Tyne's most famous shipyard, Swan Hunter in Wallsend, shut in 1993. Sting describes the now disappeared shipyard to me as "a real and symbolic victim of Government neglect if not betrayal". He tells me "I had to leave the area to 'make it'" - he moved to London in 1977 and soon after formed The Police with guitarist Andy Summers and drummer Stewart Copeland - but his ties to the North East still apparently run deep. As a young Wallsend local, he tells me his love of music was fostered when he saw the virtuoso Spanish classical guitarist Andrés Segovia perform with the chamber orchestra that was then still called the Northern Sinfonia, at Newcastle's City Hall aged 14. A year later, in 1967, his mind was blown when Jimi Hendrix played the legendary (and long-gone) gig venue Club a'Gogo. The American guitar prodigy had been brought to the UK by the Newcastle-born bass player of The Animals, Chas Chandler. Fifteen-year old grammar school boy Sumner couldn't believe what he was seeing, later describing how he "lay in my bed that night with my ears ringing and my world view significantly altered". In 2023, North Tyneside Council honoured the cultural impact of his work and his connection to the region, granting him the Freedom of the Borough. At 73, he appears to be thinking deeply about the importance of cultural experiences for children growing up in the North East now. He says he has a debt to the region that he needs to pay back, telling me that art involves "the nourishing of creative sparks that can lie dormant in even the poorest households if not encouraged by exposure to human potential". Which brings him to the Baltic, which, like museums and art institutions across the UK, is facing challenging financial times in an era of diminishing public investment. It opened in 2002 in a converted flour mill, a key part of the regeneration of the Gateshead quayside on the south bank of the River Tyne. The Baltic showcases some of the world's best contemporary art - Anish Kapoor and Antony Gormley were amongst the first to exhibit there - and also takes an innovative approach to enticing people into the artspace. There's a café called The Front Room, with free tea, coffee and biscuits sponsored by a local company and breakfast clubs for hungry children in the school holidays. Sewing circles, book clubs, parent toddler groups and others use the space free of charge. In the past, local pit villages and council estates have been leafleted to advertise the Baltic as a centre for everyone. More than 300,000 children and young people take part in Baltic activities and programmes every year. Sting's donation kickstarts its plans to fundraise for a £10m Endowment Fund of private investment to safeguard free entry to the centre and ensure its community work can thrive into the future. "The creative arts are of vital importance to the wellbeing of the community as a whole," he tells me and the Baltic "should be a beacon of hope for regeneration". He's currently on a world tour with his trio Sting 3.0. Amongst a packed schedule across the US, Asia and Europe, with summer dates in the UK including headlining at the Isle of Wight Festival and Latitude, he'll be heading to Tyneside for one night in October for a gala performance at the Baltic to help raise more funds, with tickets at £10,000 a table. He's been musing on his roots for some time. His concept album turned musical, The Last Ship, was inspired by the Tyneside shipyards of his childhood. It wasn't entirely well-received critically - or at the box office - when it premiered in the US in 2014. But it's since toured the UK, including to Newcastle, and Sting will perform in it again early next year in Paris. He wants to sing more widely about the innovative spirit he sees in the North East, telling me: "Geordies are not strangers to innovation, the steam turbine and the locomotive were developed on Tyneside. Britain's success was largely built on these inventions." Sting: AI-written songs don't impress me at all Sting picks up hometown honour after 13-year wait
BBC News
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Sting: Governments have neglected the North East for decades
Sting is in a reflective mood. The Grammy-Award-winning singer-songwriter grew up in Wallsend, Newcastle-upon-Tyne and tells me he is "very proud" of his Tyneside the musician is less complimentary about the way the North East of England has been, as he puts it, "wilfully neglected by successive governments for decades".As he announces a significant donation to an arts institution in Gateshead, he also told the BBC: "The statistics for child poverty in the area are discouraging". It's clear from our communication that Sting wants to give back to the place and the culture that made him. The former Police frontman is donating an undisclosed amount to the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art, sometimes described as the Tate Modern of the North East of nearly 50 years since The Police released their debut album featuring tracks such as Roxanne and Can't Stand Losing You. Those decades have brought him everything a boy who dreamed of musical success could have wished for; he's sold more than 100 million albums worldwide, as The Police frontman and bassist, and later as a solo artist. In 2022, he also made a reported $300m (£222m), selling his back catalogue to Universal Music years haven't been as kind to the region where he was raised and where a third of babies, children and young people grow up in poverty, according to recent data from the End Child Poverty Sting was born Gordon Sumner in 1951, the son of a milkman and a hairdresser, the North East still had a proud tradition of shipbuilding. He's previously said that his earliest memory was "a massive ship at the end of my street, towering over the houses and blotting out the sun".But after the decline of that industry, Sting - the yellow and black sweater he wore while performing in a jazz band as a teenager earned him the nickname and it stuck - tells me, despite "all the empty promises of 'levelling up'", for years governments have disregarded the North East, "ignoring its significant historical contribution to national life, both industrial and cultural".In response to Sting's criticisms, a government spokesman said it would "fix the crisis we have inherited". It's investing £140m in the seven most deprived towns in the North East, including Washington and Jarrow, as part of a wider £1.5bn investment across the country and told the BBC it is "taking decisive action to tackle the scourge of child poverty". He remembers a childhood rich in culture, despite his humble beginnings. "We didn't have any books in the house", he tells me by email, but "I was fortunate in the 60s to have had access to Wallsend library". He also recalls access to drama at the People's Theatre in Jesmond, one of the oldest non-professional theatre companies in the UK, visits to the Laing Art Gallery and also making his professional debut as a musician in the orchestra pit at The University Theatre."All of these institutions gave me a sense of the world beyond the shipyard where I was raised."The River Tyne's most famous shipyard, Swan Hunter in Wallsend, shut in 1993. Sting describes the now disappeared shipyard to me as "a real and symbolic victim of Government neglect if not betrayal".He tells me "I had to leave the area to 'make it'" - he moved to London in 1977 and soon after formed The Police with guitarist Andy Summers and drummer Stewart Copeland - but his ties to the North East still apparently run deep. As a young Wallsend local, he tells me his love of music was fostered when he saw the virtuoso Spanish classical guitarist Andrés Segovia perform with the chamber orchestra that was then still called the Northern Sinfonia, at Newcastle's City Hall aged 14.A year later, in 1967, his mind was blown when Jimi Hendrix played the legendary (and long-gone) gig venue Club a'Gogo. The American guitar prodigy had been brought to the UK by the Newcastle-born bass player of The Animals, Chas Chandler. Fifteen-year old grammar school boy Sumner couldn't believe what he was seeing, later describing how he "lay in my bed that night with my ears ringing and my world view significantly altered".In 2023, North Tyneside Council honoured the cultural impact of his work and his connection to the region, granting him the Freedom of the Borough. At 73, he appears to be thinking deeply about the importance of cultural experiences for children growing up in the North East now. He says he has a debt to the region that he needs to pay back, telling me that art involves "the nourishing of creative sparks that can lie dormant in even the poorest households if not encouraged by exposure to human potential".Which brings him to the Baltic, which, like museums and art institutions across the UK, is facing challenging financial times in an era of diminishing public investment. It opened in 2002 in a converted flour mill, a key part of the regeneration of the Gateshead quayside on the south bank of the River Tyne. The Baltic showcases some of the world's best contemporary art - Anish Kapoor and Antony Gormley were amongst the first to exhibit there - and also takes an innovative approach to enticing people into the artspace. There's a café called The Front Room, with free tea, coffee and biscuits sponsored by a local company and breakfast clubs for hungry children in the school holidays. Sewing circles, book clubs, parent toddler groups and others use the space free of charge. In the past, local pit villages and council estates have been leafleted to advertise the Baltic as a centre for everyone. More than 300,000 children and young people take part in Baltic activities and programmes every donation kickstarts its plans to fundraise for a £10m Endowment Fund of private investment to safeguard free entry to the centre and ensure its community work can thrive into the future."The creative arts are of vital importance to the wellbeing of the community as a whole," he tells me and the Baltic "should be a beacon of hope for regeneration". He's currently on a world tour with his trio Sting 3.0. Amongst a packed schedule across the US, Asia and Europe, with summer dates in the UK including headlining at the Isle of Wight Festival and Latitude, he'll be heading to Tyneside for one night in October for a gala performance at the Baltic to help raise more funds, with tickets at £10,000 a been musing on his roots for some time. His concept album turned musical, The Last Ship, was inspired by the Tyneside shipyards of his childhood. It wasn't entirely well-received critically - or at the box office - when it premiered in the US in 2014. But it's since toured the UK, including to Newcastle, and Sting will perform in it again early next year in wants to sing more widely about the innovative spirit he sees in the North East, telling me: "Geordies are not strangers to innovation, the steam turbine and the locomotive were developed on Tyneside. Britain's success was largely built on these inventions."
