Garden Party with Sting: Fans Experience the British Legend Up Close...

In a family atmosphere, 5,000 visitors sing, dance, and celebrate with the global star – against the stunning backdrop of the castle and cathedral. The SÜDKURIER asked the visitors in Salem: What is their favorite song?

Car after car after car after car after car before the concert begins. The sun has changed its mind and shines brightly at first, before a few cooling raindrops fall. The Sting concertgoers are in a good mood, standing together or making themselves comfortable on blankets they brought with them. Supporter Giordana Angi sweetens the wait for Gordon Matthew Thomas Sumner, Sting's real name, with half an hour of Italian pop songs starting at 7:30 p.m. Almost 15 minutes of set-up later, cheers erupt.

Now the British artist himself is on stage at the Salem Open Airs. The audience immediately recognizes the song "Message in a Bottle," which Sting recorded with the band The Police, which he founded in 1977. A garden party atmosphere begins under the trees in the standing area. People hum along, sing, dance, and cuddle. Hits and lesser-known songs follow one another. Solemn ballads and rock songs, some with rapid tempo changes, vary. Time and again, the concertgoers join in, and Sting gives them space to sing along.

With such a high level of lyric recollection, it quickly becomes clear: Many guests know Sting from their youth. For example, Peter Rose, who traveled from Sindelfingen with his wife Susanne in a convertible. He knows the star from his time as a member of "The Police." Fred Kegreiss also reveals himself to be a Sting fan. The Böblinger can enjoy the concert in a relaxed manner, as his RV will be available for overnight stays afterward. This is the second time the avowed fan has attended a Sting concert in Salem.

"When a global star like Sting performs in such a small setting and in such a perfect ambiance, you have to seize the opportunity," says Kegreiss. The Böblinger is eagerly awaiting the concert program entitled "My Songs." However, he doesn't have a particular favorite song.

Bettina Birle and Darko Kusenic come from Lindau and Ravensburg, respectively, and both prefer different Sting songs. While she wants the atmospheric song "Fields of Gold," he'd like to hear the catchy Police classic about a prostitute named "Roxanne." Both wishes will come true over the course of the evening.

Likewise, the Tieber couple from Hergensweiler near Lindau's song request for "Fragile" will be fulfilled by Grandmaster Sting. The couple are celebrating their 25th wedding anniversary with the Salem concert experience. "I love Sting," says Rainer Hüther from Uhldingen-Mühlhofen, who received his ticket as a birthday present. Hüther fondly remembers Waldorf school bike rides to Lauro in southern Italy. Sting hits played over and over again on the cassette recorder.

The music of the award-winning singer-songwriter has accompanied Jule Widmann from Konstanz since childhood. The 25-year-old describes Sting's double concert with Jamaican reggae musician Shaggy in Salem six years ago as "one of the most momentous concerts." Back then, she was there with her mother. This time, she also brought her husband, Florian, along. "In theory, I have to be a fan," he says of Jule's family's enthusiasm for the exceptional British musician. In practice, they've long since won him over. "I'm simply impressed by the many styles Sting delivers," Jule Widmann explains her passion. His artistic achievements are impressive. "It's really nice that, despite the artist's stature, it's so familiar here," her husband says, praising the special open-air atmosphere.

Meanwhile, the clock reads 9:45 p.m., and even the audience in the rows can no longer stay in their seats. After a brilliant succession of hits – without a break – the lights go out for the first time. The 72-year-old performer leaves the stage. He is brought back to great applause and enthusiastic whistles. Now he plays the two songs that were certainly awaited not only by the Tieber couple. First, the concert audience dances wildly once again to a long version of "Roxanne."

Then it all goes quiet: With the song about human vulnerability, the global star, who is also politically active, ends his performance in Salem around 10 p.m. Calls for an encore and loud applause fail to bring him back. "Perhaps he'll come back to the castle stage a fourth time? It was fantastic; we would have loved to hear more," says Almuth Schall at the end of the concert, looking forward to the next one.

(c) SÜDKURIER by Martina Wolters