Sting Concert at the Accor Arena: Gims as Surprise Guest and 1 Hour 50 Minutes of Hits...

The former Police frontman gave the 21st concert of his career at the grand Parisian venue. At 74, he appeared fitter than ever.

"Is my future husband here tonight?" Sting isn't asking the question in perfect French. It's his opening act, this Thursday evening at the Accor Arena in Paris. Sophie Grey, a young American unknown to our services—she's the daughter of Sting's manager—presents her first EP, "Retro Electro." It's the 80s, both in look and pop. She wears a sequined corset, half Rabanne, and a guitar keyboard on her back. She sings alone over tapes in a register reminiscent of Kim Wilde, but less energetic. "Are you excited by Sting?" she asks before announcing a surprise. The 14,000 spectators can't believe their eyes when Gims and Sting arrive on stage for a trio version of their 2008 duet "Reste."

Sting's many foreign fans in the audience are told who this "singer with a big voice" is. It's a perfect introduction to an evening dedicated to the number three. Sting returns to Paris as a trio to his favorite venue. This is the sixteenth time the former Police singer has performed at Bercy since his first solo album, "The Dream of the Blue Turtles," in 1985. The previous one, two years ago, made a lasting impression. Despite a sling, he not only put on a show but also sang for two hours with a backup bassist.

This Thursday evening, Sting is in great shape and sharper than ever — to think he's 74 years old! — reconnecting with his French audience after nearly two years of world touring. The "3.0 tour" never ends, and we understand why from "Message in a Bottle" onwards.

The former Police singer rediscovers the essence, freedom, and pleasure of the power trio of his early career. He told us in a recent interview: "I like this challenge because you have to work harder. It gives you a lot of freedom to experiment. Like jazz, it's very flexible. It also allows me to use all my voices, and there are many of them." Accompanied by the faithful Dominic Miller on guitar and Luxembourgish drummer Chris Maas, he proves it with often rejuvenated versions of his classics, both in group and solo. "Englishman in New York" makes the audience jump out of their seats, "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic" and "Desert Rose" make them dance, "Wrapped Around Your Finger" and "Shape of My Heart" thrill them, the rare "When We Dance" - released only as a single and on a best-of album in 1999 - enchants them, and "I Can't Stand Losing You" and "Walking on the Moon" make them sing.

"This is the 21st time I've played here, it's incredible," he enthuses in French. We've seen him on stage almost as many times, but we never tire of it. It's not the show that impresses this time. There isn't one, just close-ups of the musicians and illustrative images. It's the energy and emotion that still emanate from the man, his voice, and his bass. After an hour and a half on stage, he surprises with a sped-up version of "Every Breath You Take," which brings fans flocking to the foot of the stage. As an encore, and as a sideshow, "Roxane" is sung in unison by the entire audience, all standing.

He trades his bass for a semi-acoustic guitar, which he places on his knees. It's a swaying rendition of "Fragile." We don't cry like we did at the Bataclan, where he performed it at the reopening in November 2016. He's been playing for an hour and a half, but there's no bonus track. "Paris, thank you very much. Goodbye," he says in French, all smiles. Just like us. Sting will be in Montpellier this Saturday. Do you think this tireless worker will be lazing around in the South while he waits? This Friday morning, he will host a press conference at the Seine Musicale to present the musical comedy he will perform next February and March, "The Last Ship," about the history of his hometown of Newcastle. In the evening, he will participate in a multi-artist show on RTL2 at the Trianon. Tireless, we tell you.

(c) La Parisien by Éric Bureau