Sting proves his voice is timeless with nostalgic set in Cannock Chase...

On a breezy night at Cannock Chase, Sting delivered a career-spanning set as he headlined the third night of Forest Live in Cannock Chase. MARK SHIPP reviews.

"Did you see the police up the Chase," asked my neighbour the other day.

"No, but I did see Sting," I replied.

I'll tell you what's a sting on Cannock Chase - six quid for an ice cream. I could have bought a poorly fish for that.

But that's for another day . . . It was the third night of the Forest Live concerts at Birches Valley following Chic and Snow Patrol. And it was so packed when we got there I was already muttering to any latecomers 'don't stand so close to me'.

As it happened, this one of The Police favourites he didn't perform, having opened with Message In A Bottle, and ending the main set with Every Breath You Take.

In between there was old and new, including other Police tracks Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic, So Lonely and solo hits like Englishman In New York, All This Time and If I Ever Lose My Faith In You.

At the age of 73, the singer hasn't lost his voice, though the wind blowing across the Cannock Chase forest arena did often play havoc with the acoustics - and he did seem to struggle with the high notes at times.

But on his first time on Cannock Chase - "there are very places I've never been to," he told fans - the packed crowd revelled in his appearance. There was a song for his father in Up From The Skies and one he wrote in homage to his own home Fields Of Gold. That, and Shape Of My Heart were the best two delivered songs on the night.

Two songs in the set, A Thousand Years and I Can't Stand Losing You, were chosen by guitarist Dominic Miller, while the stage was lit red as the musicians came out for the opening of the encore for, you guessed it, Roxanne - an extended version at that.

The Cannock Chase concerts have gone from strength to strength since they were launched in 2006. We don't know who we'll get next year, but a return from the waffle van wouldn't go amiss.

(c) Express & Star by Mark Shipp