Rock Paper Scissors Tour

Peter and Sting’s Rock Paper Scissors tour started on 21 June 2016 in Columbus, OH and consisted of 21 shows. Throughout the run of dates the tour received great reviews.

“Just because this was a musical match made in heaven didn’t mean either headliner skimped on his set. On the contrary, both Gabriel and Sting brought about fifteen songs apiece to the affair. And they all came off great.” – Examiner.com

“The musicians and audience alike clearly having a blast — a fitting end to a night where even familiar songs played hundreds of times felt and sounded invigorated and refreshed.” – UltimateClassicRock.com

Below are some images taken by York Tillyer at the initial band rehearsals that took place in London in late May / early June.

This was the moment when the discussion on which songs to be played on the tour was started and ideas formed. It was also the start of working out how the two bands would interact with each other on stage.

These ideas were then developed further and the final running order of the show really came together at the production rehearsals in Columbus prior to the first show.

The first show took place on 21 June at the Nationwide Area in Columbus, OH. Many thanks to Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for letting us use his images from that first show below…

“Great videos and production values, too, not overdone, and excellent sound… if you can get into MSG on Monday night, it’s worth every penny. You’ll come out humming, of not outright singing and banging anything that sounds like a drum.” – Showbiz411.com

“It was hard to argue with the idea of having Gabriel open the show with The Rhythm of The Heat before Sting followed up with his own If I Ever Lose My Faith In You and so it went back and forth from there with slick lights, video screens and projections all night long as the backing band grew to as big as 14 including three drummers, a violinist, and a cellist.” – Toronto Sun

“Two, hit-soaked sets were intertwined to shape a sprawling, singular performance project… Neither of the stars left the stage for long; while one rocked a few of his tunes with the shared a band, the other often supplemented the jam, or even took lead to add a new wrinkle.” – NJ.com

“The second half of the show was a string of hits that stand the test of time. Split vocal duties on Gabriel’s “Big Time” and Sting’s “Englishman in New York” got the nearly sold-out audience on its feet and it stayed there.” – DCIST.com

“Sting and Peter Gabriel may be a combo for the ages… a marriage made of uncommon respect and enthusiasm. If it evolves over the course of its travels, it will be one to remember for a long time.” – The Columbus Dispatch