Sting, pure and simple, at Rosemont Theatre

There were no former bandmates from back in the day. No symphony orchestras. No theatrics. No distractions. It was Sting distilled.

Playing a one-night show at the Rosemont Theatre Saturday, this was the Sting, pure and simple. Dressed in a plain gray T-shirt and jeans with a single spotlight on him, Sting was back to basics, or rather “Back to Bass” in a tour designed to celebrate his 25 years as a solo artist.

He started the night with “All This Time,” accompanied by a five-piece band, including father and son guitarists Dominic and Rufus Miller and fiddler extraordinaire Peter Tickell, as well as drummer Vinnie Colaiuta and vocalist Jo Lawry.

The intimate setting of the theater added to the stripped-down atmosphere of the concert. All night long, Sting served up straightforward versions of his hits, including songs from his stint with The Police.

From the country tune “I Hung My Head” to the bluesy “Sacred Love,” Sting paced the audience, bringing them to their feet then settling them back down again with more somber songs like “Ghost Story,” a song he wrote about his relationship with his late father.

At this point in his career (he first played Chicago in 1978), Sting is not afraid to be upstaged by a member of his band. In fact, he seems to delight in it. When 25-year-old Tickell tore into “End of the Game,” he brought the somewhat staid audience to their feet, stomping and cheering. The young virtuoso gave a performance that could very well be remembered 25 years from now.

With a house full of die-hard fans, it should be no surprise that Sting delivered three encores. Police classics like “Every Breath You Take” and “Next to You” were obvious show-ending crowdpleasers, but he delivered them with the raw energy he has been dishing out for more than 25 years.