People, people.
Even U2 does this, most bands do!
They are not playing the songs as they will be on stage. Sting is just giving a vocal cue or ghost track so the guys can follow the parts and changes. Stewart is reserving his drumming so the guys can talk through the song, this is how they work stuff out. They are not mellow, they are getting the arrangement s down. Stings drum comments are just how you suggest stuff and try things out...if you listen close you can hear that Sting seems concerned that the rhythm could get lost in that section when Stewart goes to the ride. It music making...the rocking out comes later on stage for you and me!.
If you had to run a desert marathon race that took many days, would you?:
- practice different parts of your run? starts, hills, tough terrain,conditioning etc?
- or would you simply run the full race over and over? You would burn out or injure!
This is just the feeling out stage, relax!!!
They are gonna hit you like a flippin Freight Train when the hit the stage, just wait and see!!!
Lounge Act? Gimmie a break.
Cheers.