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The PoliceGM Place, Vancouver - May 28, 2007Police kick off reunion tour By JANE STEVENSON -- Sun Media VANCOUVER - And they said it wouldn't happen. The reunion tour that no one ever thought was going to materialize finally did on Monday night as '80s New Wave kingpins The Police opened their 30th anniversary trek with a sold-out show at GM Place in front of some 20,000 ecstatic fans. Singer-bassist Sting, 55, the lone holdout all these years - 23 to be exact since The Police last toured for their last studio album, Synchronicity - seemed genuinely happy to be on stage again with his former bandmates - drummer Stewart Copeland, 54, and guitarist Andy Summers, 64 - who have patiently been waiting for him to return to the fold while he enjoyed a hugely successful solo career. For God's sake, the trio of two Brits and one American even hugged each other in front of the cheering crowd after performing a two-hour, hit-heavy set from their seven year career (1977-1984) that saw them sell a staggering 50 million albums while infighting broke out towards the end. "Tonight is our first official concert in 25 years, we chose Vancouver, 'cause you're Vancouver, alright?" said Sting, who had been rehearsing with Copeland and Summers most recently in a log house on the Squamish Indian reserve in North Vancouver. "I like this city very much." Still, anyone expecting the fierce punk-tinged reggae rock of The Police at their prime when they split up in 1984, instead got a jazzier, more mellow version of the acclaimed trio of accomplished musicians. Many songs got some serious retooling and not always for the better: Don't Stand So Close To Me, Truth Hits Everybody, and Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic were among the disappointments. Still, The Police's show, a comparatively stripped down affair compared to the huge productions put on by the likes of The Rolling Stones and U2, opened strongly with Message In A Bottle, Synchronicity II, Spirits In The Material World and the combo of Voices Inside My Head/When The World Is Running Down, You Make the Best of What's Still Around. But there was a serious lull in the middle portion of the show with plenty of slow songs or ballads - Driven To Tears, Walking On The Moon, Wrapped Around Your Finger, The Bed's Too Big Without You, and Murder By Numbers. At a press conference earlier this year to announce their reunion tour, Sting insisted it would be just "three guys on stage, that's all. Simple but spectacular." Well, he was mostly right. Their in-the-round stage saw the trio playing in a pit with steps up to a semi-circular catwalk behind them so they could play to audience members behind them whenever the mood struck. There was also small steps up to ramps on either side of the stage which Sting used to the delight of the crowd. It has to be said that Sting looked and sounded outstanding with his brilliant blue eyes offset by a nice tan, chiselled arms and a tight-fitting sleeveless white shirt and narrow black pants along with black combat boots. Whenever he performed a scissor-kick at the end of song or stood on Copeland's drum riser and wiggled his bum, the reaction from fans was palatable. But other than genuinely slick lighting and a video screen, onto which footage of a moving dinosaur skeleton was projected during Walking In Your Footsteps, it was a surprisingly simple affair. Musically, the most interesting choices came from Copeland, who looked like a mad scientist behind his enormous drum kit with white gloves, glasses and a head band. He often alternated with a second set of percussion instruments that were placed on a riser above his drum kit, including a gong that he struck to kick off the entire evening. By the final third of the show, such highlights as Invisible Sun, during which warn-torn video of Iraq was shown, I Can't Stand Losing You, Roxanne, King Of Pain, So Lonely, Every Breath You Take and Next To You, saw that old Police magic return. Opening Monday night was Fiction Plane, a rock trio fronted by Sting's 31-year-old son Joe Sumner, whose upper register sounds uncannily like that of his father's. (Also seen in the audience was Sting's second wife, Trudie Styler and L.A Law alum Corbin Bernsen.) Fiction Plane's 45-minute set was perfectly serviceable but hardly exceptional and given the circumstances, they can hardly be blamed for being a little overwhelmed. With the passage of time, they are sure to become more relaxed, and hopefully, the headliners will pick up a little more steam in that troublesome middle section or just change the songs outright. The Police return to the same Vancouver venue for a second show Wednesday night before heading to Edmonton's Commonwealth Stadium on Saturday where some tickets are available - a rarity on the otherwise mostly sold out tour. The trio don't arrive in Toronto until July 22-23 for shows at the Air Canada Centre followed by Montreal's Bell Centre on July 25-26 before a return to the ACC on Nov. 8. SET LIST What The Police played on Monday night at their world tour launch in Vancouver: Message in a Bottle Synchronicity II Spirits in the Material World Voices Inside My Head/When the World Is Running Down, You Make the Best of What's Still Around Don't Stand So Close to Me Driven to Tears Walking on the Moon Truth Hits Everybody Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic Wrapped Around Your Finger The Bed's Too Big Without You Murder by Numbers De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da Invisible Sun Walking in Your Footsteps Can't Stand Losing You Roxanne ENCORE: King of Pain So Lonely Every Breath You Take SECOND ENCORE Next to You |
| Edith |
Great to see some Police here too!
For those who love to see some more: the Police posted a video on MySpace June 1st which is a real special one. Check out this exclusive video of the Police rehearsing at the Steerpike recording studio in Italy. You'll get a tour of this unique studio space where Sting has recorded his last three albums, as well as a peek at the band members rehearsing. After taking in the rich appointments and professional crew at Steerpike it will be clear why the band chose this studio to prepare for the upcoming tour. http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm...individual&videoid=2033283790 |
| admin |
The Police Live at the Giants Stadium New York
what an amazing night probably why the tickets are so hard to get!!! Sting was jumping about all night on top form his voice was the strongest I have heard in years, Stewart started the gig by banging a very large gong behind his kit then got into that mad rhythm only he has. Andy was Mr Cool, calm and collected on stage and showed why he is one of the best guitarists in the world today simply brilliant…roll on Manchester………. Here’s the setlist they played: Message in a Bottle Synchronicity II Walking On The Moon Voices Inside My Head/When The World Is Running Down Don’t Stand So Close To Me Driven To Tears Truth Hits Everybody Bed’s Too Big Without You Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic Wrapped Around Your Finger De Do Do Do De Da Da Da Invisible Sun Walking In Your Footsteps Can’t Stand Losing You Roxanne Encore 1: King Of Pain So Lonely Every Breath You Take Encore 2: Next To You Jimmy Jetlag |
| ALI BIN TABNAB |
Sounds like yer had a blast Jimbo 
Is there any chance you could get the Police to supprt Four Good Men? 
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| FUNFOXYLADY007 |
Hi James and his legs
WOW What a fantastic set list you must have been bouncing the whole night
Glad you had a wicked time FFL I'm on my way
xxxxxxxxx |
| Edith |
Sting as support act.... wow, some great idea's you have Tabsy!
I hope you didn't forget to leave your card, James? |
| admin |
The Police @ M.E.N. Arena
Paul Taylor 18/ 6/2008 THREE men with 176 years between them, The Police may now be better called the Old Bill. But the years fell away as they played for the first of two 18,000 strong crowds in Manchester last night. Rangey and live, Sting looks better than any 56-year-old man has a right to, even with his grizzled beard. Drummer Stewart Copeland, aged 55, still has the demonic energy of the Duracell bunny. And Andy Summers, at 65, is still one of the most intelligent, song-shaping guitarists in rock. There were jazzy excursions to flesh out the set, but the essence of it was such muscular, rhythmically-complex chestnuts as Message in a Bottle, Walking on the Moon and Don't Stand So close To Me. You can't fault the Police's style: 24-years-ago they split up at the very height of their commercial power amid group dynamics so sour they even ran to backstage fisticuffs. Returning to the fray last year they have played a world tour to 2.5 million people. After their final UK gig at the Hard Rock Calling event in Hyde Park, London, on June 29, they play together for the last time ever in New York in August with no chance, they say, of a further reunion. As elegant post scripts to the careers of British rock aristocracy go, it's right up there with the Led Zeppelin and Cream reunions. Swan song Rearranged from last October because of Sting's throat infection these gigs offered Manchester fans something close to The Police's swan song. We have been used to seeing Sting himself back here over the years with bigger bands offering more sophisticated dalliances with the music of other continents. But the appeal of The Police's songbook plus the unique interplay of the rock trio make this the concept in which we want to enjoy the man and his music. Without this reunion there may have been a whole generation who thought of Sting only as a yoga-loving, rain-forest saving practitioner of tantric sex, who did a bit of Elizabethan lute playing on the side. Why do The Police still matter? For a start, the songs endure. Secondly, last night proved that they are still more than capable of delivering. And the ticket sales prove that, like the recently reunited Genesis and the long-enduring Rolling Stones, The Police are one of the rare British bands to have been popular right around the world. |
| AFARR |
Nearly got to go to that gig on the original date sounds like it was a great night. Their songs really are timeless aren't they (Sting seems to look better everytime I see him with or without the beard!)
I was at the M.E.N. on Friday for Whitesnake and Def Leppard. Must be getting old as I had to use me special ear plugs for Def Leppard. It was the Snakes 30th Anniversary tour however I wasn't close enough this time to be called "bad girl" again by Mr Coverdale   Funnily enough though I will be back at the M.E.N. for another 30th Anniversary gig later this year... what a year!!
Blimey I'm startin to feel old now
Andrea x 
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| Loretta |
No Way is Andy Summers 65?..... thought you were jokin.... 
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| ALI BIN TABNAB |
If he's 65, I'm a monkey's left gonad.
Tea In The Sahara etc etc |
| dforbes |
Hoy Seamus,
have you defected to the Police side ya numpty? Ted Finticle |
| AFARR |
Hi James
Just thought I'd let you know that my mates dad was the photographer at the M.E.N. for this gig http://www.stoneimagesrocks.com/gallery_59953.html If you want copies of any of his pics give us a shout and I will see if he can do you a deal. My Whitesnake ones are superb - looking forward to some more at the Liverpool gig!!!: Andrea x
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| ALI BIN TABNAB |
Aye, they're on at the Telewest Arena, Newcastle tonight.
I'll be hearing all about it 2morra 
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