MINNEAPOLIS — Sting 3.0 is shorthand for Stripped Down Sting.

The Rock & Roll Hall of Famer’s 2-year-old trio goes for a minimalist sound, even more so than his famous trio, the Police, did. And a minimalist approach.

On Tuesday night at the sold-out Orpheum Theatre in Minneapolis, Sting eschewed the strategies of other legacy artists who add musicians (sometimes orchestras), outfit changes and career-spanning videos to pump up their performances.

Not Sting.

Like Bob Dylan, Sting reimagines his deep catalog of tunes with less. It was all about groove and space on Tuesday, with Sting’s bass upfront in the mix, as he explored 20 selections in 105 minutes. While Dylan’s reworkings might be radical and improvised, Sting’s are studied and sophisticated, with the songs always being recognizable and, as with Dylan, newly inspired.

It was a richly musical concert that dragged in the middle with less familiar material but ultimately was rewarding thanks to Sting’s personality, sturdy voice and mix of favorites from his Police and solo catalogs.

Sting has been around for a long time. It’s been nearly 50 years since he emerged in the Police and 41 years since he launched his solo career.

Always musically ambitious, he has toured with Peter Gabriel, Paul Simon and Shaggy, and assembled outstanding road bands, notably his brilliant first solo group in 1985. It featured saxophonist Branford Marsalis, keyboardist Kenny Kirkland, drummer Omar Hakim and bassist Darryl Jones, who now plays with the Rolling Stones.

Now it’s back to a trio format. Sting must love this setting because his bass, voice and personality are upfront, with longtime guitarist Dominic Miller and new drummer Chris Maas adding colors and shading. But the sound was clearly about Sting’s bass as lead instrument.

The British superstar prudently opened with a Police classic, “Message in a Bottle,” to the delight of the fans who sang along in a call and response. As he did much of the night, Sting engaged in jazzy vocal riffing near the end of the song.

Right away, Sting said he was “very proud of this city” without mentioning what Minneapolis went through with Operation Metro Surge. It was a perfect introduction to “If I Ever Lose My Faith in You,” his 1993 Grammy-winning song. When he got to the line, “I lost my belief in politicians,” the audience roared.

Sting was not overly political on his first of two nights in Minneapolis. He was talkative, explaining that theaters allow for that but arenas, stadiums and amphitheaters do not.

He admitted that he wasn’t overly religious and then cited and quoted a Bible verse.

He mentioned the Police’s early gigs in Minneapolis at the Longhorn in 1979 and later at the Armory. (His last local performance was 2018 with Shaggy at the Armory.)

He introduced “Fields of Gold” mentioning his house in the English countryside. “It’s a castle,” he said, correcting himself, a line he’s used so often in concert that it’s become a dad joke. And, oh yeah, he lives right next to Stonehenge, he added. (Insert your “Spinal Tap” joke here.)

At 75, Sting looks three decades younger, a fit specimen in a tight T-shirt, tighter leather jeans and chunky boots.

Problematic pacing

The pacing of the show was problematic. After a thrilling start with two Police numbers (“Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic” was the other) and three solo hits (including “Englishman in New York” and “Fields of Gold”), Sting opted for a series of deep tracks for nearly 45 minutes, starting with the downtempo ballad “Never Coming Home.”

The musician, who does yoga for an hour daily, even opted to sit on a stool, his right leg propped on a wooden box, for most of this segment. He finally stood and kicked into gear for the Police’s “Driven to Tears.”

Things perked up for the final stretch that included “Shape of My Heart,” “So Lonely,” a reimagined “Desert Rose” with both flamenco and Middle Eastern guitar passages by Miller, and the inevitable “Every Breath You Take.”

Throughout the concert, Miller, who has toured with Sting for 35 years, contributed mostly painterly passages, though he stood out with his bluesy and space-age solos on “Never Coming Home” and his jazz-fusion journey on “Driven to Tears.” Drummer Maas, who has played with Mumford & Sons and Maggie Rogers, was solid but not spectacular.

Sting’s voice was strong throughout. He was able to hit most of his high notes and pulled off a couple of impressive held notes. His frequent jazzy vocal riffing at the end of songs felt right in the moment and not the least bit indulgent.

During the encore, Sting mentioned that he has a custom of closing with a quiet and thoughtful number. Switching to classical guitar, he dedicated the song to Renee Good, Alex Pretti and Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis (though he mentioned only their first names).

He delivered the aptly named “Fragile,” a 1987 reflection on vulnerability that never sounds dated. It was a fitting exclamation point to a bass-heavy evening of space and groove.

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