Photos by Andy Argyrakis

The idea of Sting returning to a trio configuration, even if wasn’t in the reunited format of The Police, was potentially thrilling enough that it sparked no less than four shows at the landmark Auditorium Theatre.

As far as the local “3.0” Tour kick-off was concerned, it was indeed a charm and very much worth whatever it costs to catch the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer on either October 29, November 1, November 2 or as many dates as possible.

That’s because the nearly two-hour set isn’t only stocked with solo smashes and his previous band’s best, but there seem to be at least a few subtle changes whenever the singer/bassist, longtime guitarist Dominic Miller and drummer Chris Maas (Mumford & Sons, Maggie Rogers) get together.

The 73-year-old legend sounded and looked superb as he sent a “Message In A Bottle” and wondered “If I Ever Lose My Faith In You” with the latter’s trademark line, “you could say I’d lost my belief in our politicians,” earning a particularly hearty cheer.

Nonetheless, the sold out house put their trust exclusively towards this “Englishman In New York,” well, more like the Windy City, though the geography was quickly forgotten as he cast the spell of “Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic.”

Sting also explored a handful of album-oriented tracks from the 1980s, ‘90s and 2000s, including “Never Coming Home,” “Mad About You,” “Seven Days” and “I Burn For You,” plus debuted the entirely new romantic rocker “I Wrote Your Name (Upon My Heart).”

The Police pulled up in the rearview mirror again come “Walking On The Moon” and “So Lonely,” followed by his own world beat-flavored “Desert Rose” leading the way to the group’s iconic “King Of Pain, “Every Breath You Take” and of course “Roxanne.”

As is customary, Sting calmed everyone down with the gentle, almost lullaby-like strums of “Fragile,” surely sending them home feeling rejuvenated after having encountered the superstar in this somewhat intimate and exceptional setting.

For additional information on Sting, visit Sting.com.

For a list of upcoming Live Nation concerts, visit LiveNation.com.

Upcoming concerts at the Auditorium Theatre include Sting (Oct. 29 and Nov. 1-2); “Bram Stoker’s Dracula” In Concert (Nov. 9); Chelsea Cutler and Jeremy Zucker (Nov. 15); Bobby Weir & Wolf Bros featuring The Wolfpack & Chicago Philharmonic (Nov. 17-18); Amos Lee & Chicago Philharmonic (Nov. 20); “Mean Girls” (Nov. 26-Dec. 1); Mavis Staples (Dec. 6); “Love Actually” In Concert (Dec. 7); Dave Koz And Friends (Dec. 12); Joss Stone & Chicago Philharmonic (Dec. 18); “Too Hot To Handel: The Jazz-Gospel Messiah” (Jan. 11-12) and “Black Panther” In Concert (Jan. 18). For additional details, visit AuditoriumTheatre.org.

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