Blondie, Harry Styles, Queens of the Stone Age, Coldplay... there's been a raft of big acts performing in Cardiff this summer and July hasn't really kicked off yet. The latest to add his name to the list is Sting, who took to the stage at Cardiff Castle on Sunday, July 2.
One of the most famous and enduring names in music, the legendary performer and frontman of '70s and '80s rockers The Police is currently travelling the world with his My Songs tour, which included a residency in Las Vegas. And what's good enough for the bright lights of Vegas is definitely good enough for Wales.
My Songs is essentially a showcase of Sting's - and The Police's - greatest hits and from the moment the Cardiff show opened with the ever catchy Message In A Bottle, they just kept coming. In fact, the first four songs alone were some of his most brilliant tracks - the opener was followed by Englishman In New York, Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic and If You Love Somebody Set Them Free.
Sting - aka Gordon Sumner - interacted with his Welsh fans during the set telling them his very good friend had been teaching him some Welsh before he attempted to pronounce 'Caerdydd'. And later, as he performed a mash up of Walking On The Moon and So Lonely (which also included a bit of Bob Marley's No Woman No Cry) and the crowd joined in at the tops of their voices, he shouted: "We're in Wales, you can sing!"
But for Sting it was more about the songs than the banter and his musicianship shone throughout the set while his vocals were just incredible. He may be 71 - yes, really - but his polished performance is as energetic as someone half his age. And he doesn't need any gimmicks - the magnificent backdrop of Cardiff Castle and some clever stage lighting were more than enough. He was supported by a superb band and backing singers and he was even joined on stage by son Joe Sumner for King Of Pain.
After around 90 minutes, which whizzed by, Sting rounded off the night with The Police classic Every Breath You Take before the encore which included fan favourite Roxanne. It may be almost five decades since the former school teacher shot to fame as a rock star but Sting is still a class act.
There are plenty more gigs to come at Cardiff Castle, including those from legendary Welsh perfomers The Alarm on Tuesday, July 4 and Sir Tom Jones who has a number of dates which kick off on Friday, July 21.
