Sting / Osaka 2023 / 2CDR

Sting / Osaka 2023 / 2CDR / Uxbridge
Live at Osaka-Jo Hall, Osaka, Japan 9th March 2023

Play sample :

Click Image To Enlarge

Sting has returned to Japan with the latest model “MY SONGS Tour” based on the new work “THE BRIDGE”. The latest original recording that reports on the Japan tour currently in progress is decided to be released at the same time.
This work is the first release of this week. It is a superb audience recording of the “March 9, 2023: Osaka Castle Hall” performance. Since 2019, the “MY SONGS Tour” has returned to Japan for the first time in three and a half years. This time, his son Joe Sumner acted as the opening act, and also performed solo performances in between. In order to organize the situation around that, let’s first review the ongoing schedule for the visit to Japan.

・ March 8: Hiroshima Sun Plaza Hall
・ March 9: Osaka-jo Hall ← This work
・March 11: Ariake Arena
・March 12 “TOKYO 2023 2ND NIGHT”
* March 13: Joe Sumner solo performance
・ March 14: Nippon Gaishi Hall

Above, all 5 performances (+1). The Osaka performance of this work was a concert that was the first two performances. This work recorded at such a show is a superb audience with “super”. After all, it was Mr. “West Japan’s strongest taper” who is familiar with our shop who made this work a thing. “OSAKA 2019 (Uxbridge 1144)”, the last time he visited Japan, which became a hot topic for its superb sound, was also the “strongest” collection, but this work for the first time in three and a half years has not lost at all. The essential performance sound and Sting’s singing voice are “just like a soundboard” itself, the extremely thick and dense core has no sense of distance, and the edge is so tight that you forget the existence of the atmosphere.
Moreover, there is no noise around. As a matter of fact, I can see that there are spectators nearby because I’m sucking in quite a bit of fresh clapping, but it’s wonderful because it doesn’t become a drawback. There is no fuss in the conversational voice that throws water, and even when you clap your hands, it is synchronized with the performance, just like a part of the rhythm corps. Far from being an obstacle, it adds a sense of scale to the performance itself.
That is the full show of the new “MY SONGS Tour”, which is a bit different from the last time (2019), which is spun with the finest sound that seems to be overdubbing the clapping and audience chorus on the outflow sound board. Here, let’s organize it while comparing it with the previous visit to Japan set.

● THE POLICE (8 songs)
・Synchronicity: Wrapped Around Your Finger/King Of Pain/Every Breath You Take
・Others: So Lonely/Roxanne/Message In A Bottle/Walking On The Moon/Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic
● Solo (14 songs)
・Ten Summoners Tales: If I Ever Lose My Faith In You / Fields Of Gold / Shape Of My Heart / Heavy Cloud No Rain (★) / Seven Days
・The Bridge: If It’s Love (★)/Loving You (★)/Rushing Water (★)
・Others: Englishman In New York/Fragile/Mad About You (★)/Brand New Day/Desert Rose/What Could Have Been (★)
*Note: “★” marks are songs that were not performed on the previous visit to Japan (2019).

… and it looks like this. The “THE BRIDGE” number and the new song “What Could Have Been” provided by the soundtrack are the first songs released since the last visit to Japan, but there are also minor changes. “Mad About You” and “Heavy Cloud No Rain”, which have been revived for the first time in several years, are also scattered. Also, one point is “King Of Pain”. His son Joe Sumner joins in on vocals here, adding color to his father’s show.
While being colored by Japanese clapping and chorus, the sound quality is completely official grade. A new masterpiece from Japan that boasts to the world. Please take your time and enjoy.

★ Superb audience recording of “March 9, 2023: Osaka Castle Hall” performance. The latest work by Mr. “West Japan’s Strongest Taper”, who is familiar with our store, and the performance sound and Sting’s singing voice are “just like a sound board” itself. The extremely thick and dense core has no sense of distance, and the vivid clapping is synchronized with the performance, just like a part of the rhythm corps. Far from getting in the way, it adds a sense of scale to the live performance. With the addition of new songs from “THE BRIDGE”, this is a new masterpiece that allows you to fully experience the latest “MY SONGS Tour”, which has become even more colorful.

新作『THE BRIDGE』も踏まえた最新型“MY SONGS Tour”で日本に戻ってきたスティング。今まさに実行中のジャパン・ツアーを速報する最新オリジナル録音が２作同時リリース決定です。
本作は、今週同時リリースの第一弾。「2023年３月９日：大阪城ホール」公演の超極上オーディエンス録音です。“MY SONGS Tour”としては2019年以来、３年半ぶりの再来日。今回は、息子ジョー・サムナーがオープニング・アクトを務め、さらに合間に単独公演も実施しました。その辺の状況を整理するためにも、まずは進行中の来日スケジュールからおさらいしておきましょう。

・３月８日：広島サンプラザホール
・３月９日：大阪城ホール　←★本作★
・３月11日：有明アリーナ
・３月12日『TOKYO 2023 2ND NIGHT』
＊３月13日：ジョー・サムナーの単独公演
・３月14日：日本ガイシホール

以上、全５公演（＋１）。本作の大阪公演は、序盤２公演目にあたるコンサートでした。そんなショウで記録された本作は「超」の付く極上オーディエンス。何しろ、本作をモノにしたのは当店お馴染みの名手“西日本最強テーパー”氏。極上サウンドで話題となった前回来日の『OSAKA 2019（Uxbridge 1144）』も“最強”氏コレクションでしたが、３年半ぶりの本作もまったく負けていない。肝心要の演奏音もスティングの歌声も「まるでサウンドボード」そのもので、極太で密度の高い芯には距離感など微塵もなく、エッジも大気の存在を忘れさせるほど超タイトです。
しかも、周囲に喧騒がない。実のところ、生々しい手拍子も結構吸い込んでいるので間近に観客もいると分かるのですが、それが欠点にならないから素晴らしい。水を差す会話声も騒ぎがなく、手拍子にしてもビシッと演奏にシンクロしており、まるでリズム隊の一部。邪魔どころか、演奏そのものにスケール感を付加させているのです。
それこそ流出サウンドボードに手拍子や観客の合唱をオーバーダブしかのような極上サウンドで紡がれるのは、前回（2019年）とはひと味違った新生“MY SONGS Tour”のフルショウ。ここでは、前回来日セットと比較しながら整理してみましょう。

●THE POLICE（８曲）
・シンクロニシティー：Wrapped Around Your Finger／King Of Pain／Every Breath You Take
・その他：So Lonely／Roxanne／Message In A Bottle／Walking On The Moon／Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic
●ソロ（14曲）
・テン・サマナーズ・テイルズ：If I Ever Lose My Faith In You／Fields Of Gold／Shape Of My Heart／Heavy Cloud No Rain（★）／Seven Days
・ザ・ブリッジ：If It’s Love（★）／Loving You（★）／Rushing Water（★）
・その他：Englishman In New York／Fragile／Mad About You（★）／Brand New Day／Desert Rose／What Could Have Been（★）
※注：「★」印は前回来日（2019年）には演奏しなかった曲。

……と、このようになっています。『THE BRIDGE』ナンバーやサントラ提供の新曲「What Could Have Been」は前回来日以降にリリースされた初お目見え曲ですが、それ以外にもマイナーチェンジ。数年ぶりに復活した「Mad About You」「Heavy Cloud No Rain」も散りばめています。また、ワンポイントなのが「King Of Pain」。ここでは息子ジョー・サムナーがヴォーカルで参加し、父のショウに彩りを添えているのです。
日本らしい手拍子と合唱に彩られつつ、サウンド・クオリティは完全オフィシャル級。まさに世界に誇る日本発の新名盤。どうぞ、じっくりとご堪能ください。

★「2023年３月９日：大阪城ホール」公演の超極上オーディエンス録音。当店お馴染みの名手“西日本最強テーパー”氏の最新作で、演奏音もスティングの歌声も「まるでサウンドボード」そのもの。極太で密度の高い芯には距離感など微塵もなく、生々しい手拍子もビシッと演奏にシンクロしており、まるでリズム隊の一部。邪魔どころか、生演奏にスケール感を付加させています。『THE BRIDGE』の新曲群も加え、さらに多彩になった最新“MY SONGS Tour”をフル体験できる新名盤です。

Disc 1 (53:54)
1. Intro
2. Message in a Bottle
3. Englishman in New York
4. Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic
5. Band Introductions
6. If It’s Love
7. Loving You
8. Rushing Water
9. If I Ever Lose My Faith in You
10. Fields of Gold
11. Brand New Day
12. Shape of My Heart
13. Heavy Cloud No Rain

Disc 2 (58:59)
1. Seven Days
2. Mad About You
3. What Could Have Been
4. Wrapped Around Your Finger
5. Walking on the Moon
6. So Lonely
7. Desert Rose
8. King of Pain (with Joe Sumner)
9. Every Breath You Take
10. Roxanne
11. Fragile

Sting – Vocal, Bass, Guitar
Dominic Miller – Guitar, Vocal, Bass
Zach Jones – Drums
Kevon Webster – Keyboards
Gene Noble – Backing Vocal
Melissa Musique – Backing Vocal
Shane Sager – Harmonica, Vocal

Uxbridge 1863