Historic Sting gig is beamed across the globe

Nov 26 2009 by Joanne Butcher, The Journal

The concert will tonight be screened to a massive American national network audience at 9pm (US time). Leading US broadcaster PBS is scheduling the show as families celebrate the country’s main public holiday – Thanksgiving Day.

And it will then be broadcast in another 14 countries over the coming months, including the UK on BBC1 over Christmas.

Durham tourism bosses have celebrated the screenings as a chance to show off Durham, its music scene, and the magnificent setting of the Cathedral to the world.

Melanie Sensicle, chief executive of Visit County Durham, said: “Sting’s concert shows that major international artists are keen to work in Durham and draw inspiration from our beautiful buildings and magical settings.

“As well as highlighting our capacity to stage major events, it raises the profile of Durham as a cultural centre and gives a tantalising glimpse of what we have to offer to a global audience of quite breathtaking proportions.”

Sting had specifically asked to play at the cathedral and come back to his roots, and he and his entourage stayed in the city between the performances.

Speaking at the time, the Wallsend-born singer, real name is Gordon Sumner, told The Journal: “When I sing in the North East I have no mystique. People know where I’ve come from. To them I’m just Gordon from Wallsend.

“My brother and sister still live here. My brother delivers the milk like my dad did and my sister runs Newcastle airport.”

If On Winter’s Night saw him collaborating with renowned producer Robert Sadin, and several guest musicians including his long-time guitarist Dominic Miller.

It follows his critically-acclaimed 2006 album Songs from the Labyrinth which was inspired by the lute songs of English composer John Dowland.

A DVD of the concert is also being released on Deutsche Grammophon, featuring additional performances and behind-the-scenes footage documenting the concert.