"Sting" Review @ Mohegan Sun

A Great Concert and a Not-So Great Audience

Place: Mohegan Sun Arena
Event: A Concert
Performer: Sting

First Review - The Concert
I have loved Sting's music from his beginnings with the Police to his years of eclectic music post-Police. His performance was with a minimal group of outstanding musicians and was two hours of music that was both rocking and cerebral, spanning the simplicity of "Do Do Do, Dah Dah Dah" through to the complexity of "Seven Days." It was truly an incredible 2-hour concert.

I think Sting's music is truly an aquired taste - especially his solo volumes. From a jazz musician's point of view, the combination of odd time signatures, complex chordal structures, and solos that travel beyond rock's limited expected "riffs" provided entertainment for the mind, body and soul. It would have been one of the best concerts I have ever been, if not for the audience.

Second Review - The Audience
Audience concert standards have stooped to a new low. Mohegan Sun, listen read:

Suspect #1 - Some crazy "whack-a-doo" dressed in a cowboy hat, green outfit with green superman cape who was allowed to run, dance, and travel thoughout the dark arena - both sides, up and down the stairs, and quite distracting. Hello, Mohegan Sun, have you assessed the possible liability of this? Poor guy - 40 years old and needs the attention of 12,000 people. Where is Belleville Hospital when you need it?

Suspect #2 & #3 - Two guys talk loudly constantly behind us. I guess they think that their conversation is more important than those of us in a 20 feet radius. It was so bad, security had to ask them to stop, the couple behind me left they were so frustrated, and police were ready to remove them if we asked. Have we come to be such a self-obsorbed society that we can't let others around us enjoy a show they bought expensive tickets for? But there's more...

Suspect #4 - after being 1/2 hour late, and as the concert begins, she asks the row that I'm in to stand for her group of six to stand and let them by. She did it again later because, heaven forbid, she should be allowed to sit down at a time that didn't bother others.

Suspect #5 - aah, "Mr. Device Man" (Suspect #4's boyfriend sitting next to me). He was so interested in the concert, that he had to tweet, check mail, and find the Bruins score. Not once, not twice, but often. So, it wasn't enjoyable trying to enjoy the concert while shielding my eyes from the bright white light next to me over and over again.

Have we gotten so selfish, inconsiderate, and entitled that our own personal needs trump the needs and general audience expectations of a generally civilized group of people? I hope not. For those few who didn't pay attention, they missed one heck of concert.

That's all for now. That's enough don't you think?

Binbin