Me, i was just in cloud 9 being able to see the band. I as many others grew up loving their music.
They played for a good lenght of time (2 h) thats a plus, played most of their top songs which is something hard at that level of supergroups although there were a couple of songs with weird renditions different from the originals but nothing to be upset about. Didnt interact much with the public but I really didnt go for Sting to talk to me, I went to hear my favorites songs and thats what I got.
No backup singers, no extra musicians, just them 3 and it sounded great, best stadium audio I have ever heard. Off course less quality than an arena concert that was to be expected but pretty good, better than the last stadium concert I attended (U2).
Went this past friday in Chicago at Wrigley. I thought it was a great concert. We didn’t get there for the opening as I heard from a friend the night before that it was terrible. Got there just before they went on and they were awesome. I couldn’t believe how long they played and just the 3 of them without all the bells and whistles you see so many performers have today. I was surprised that it was getting bad reviews because I thought they were great and the crowd was really into it. Overall, I was impressed and had an awesome time!
I think is like movie reviews, if you believe the critics you will miss 75% of the good movies out there.
In Miami it had 2 opening groups, Fiction plane (sting’s son) and Maroon 5. M5 was really good and they interacted with the public pretty well, they sang for like 1 h. We missed the fiction plane performance and got there like 5 minutes before M5 was to take the stage which is what we wanted anyways i wasnt about to crash or get a ticket to get there on time, plus it was like 105 degrees and sunny when it all started.
I dont care what the “experts” say i had a great time and ended up deaf and with no voice… that says it all.
peace
Sting’s son was the opening act in Chicago and we heard from friends it wasn’t great and so instead of getting there at 7, we just got there closer to 8:15 to see The Police.
I do agree with you on critics, it seems like they never like anything!
I didn’t get a chance to go but would have loved to see them in LA (with Foo Fighters opening up BTW)…anyway, just talked to my buddy last night who drove up from Columbus, OH to Wrigley to see them. He said it was good, I think the thing that dissapointed him, was they played the songs, nothing more, nothing less. Was kind of hoping for a jam session or 2, maybe a solo or 2. There’s no secret that the 3 can barely stand each other, so he didn’t think there was that closeness you see with some bands. Overall though, a solid performance. He said the Wrigley set up was very cool too.
They jammed a couple of songs. Roxanne, So lonely and another I think that were pretty long and got some guitar solos and copeland playing his weird assortment of gongs, shells etc… and the crowd singing.
They really didnt seem to be in love with each other specially sting and andy summers, copeland is always fun and looks like he is having a blast plus he is extremely skillful to say the least not just noise coming from the drums.
Saw them at Wrigley Field on Thursday. I went in with minimal expectations. I’m not a big Police fan, don’t go to concerts very often, worked at a concert venue for 8 years for well over 200 concerts (so I find myself scanning the audience, looking at exits, looking for trouble,etc), and was going mainly to join up with some friends and go out for a well-needed night on the town with my wife). I thought the show was great. 20 songs - no breaks, lots of energy - the fans were really into it (average age seemed to be about 40). Mistakenly read the reviews afterwards - what a lousy job to have - going to review bands that you don’t like when you really should be renewing your antidepressant prescription- Anyway, great show, had a great time.
Slightly related topic . . . I think the reviews were mixed at best, but I think the Dowland CD String just put out is great. I’m obviously missing something.
Saw them in Denver - they rocked - Sting’s son’s band was crap…wrong music genre for the crowd.
The mPolicp played all their known songs, with enthusiasm and energy…crowd was rocking…worth the money
As far as reviewers - they are probably too young to appreciate The Police - in fact the local wag commented that they were not one of the “classic” rock bands!..
I’m going to see them at Citizens Bank Park next week.
From the bootlegs I’ve heard, they are definitely NOT playing the way they did in '83. They are using different keys and tempos than what we’re used to and this gives the songs a completely new feel.
Example: Slowing “Please Don’t Stand So Close to Me” and taking it down a key makes it a very dark and sinister tune … You get the feeling now that the “young teacher” was actively pusing the girl and she’s the one singing the chorus. It becomes nearly the sister to “Every Breath You Take” which Sting has always claimed to be about obsession and possession.
I do kind of wish they had stuck to the promise they made at the press conference to mix up the setlists, but when you haven’t played your catalog for 24 years, you might not want to take chances.
The Police 07/06/2007 Wrigley Field, Chicago IL
Message in a Bottle, Synchronicity II, Walking On The Moon, Voices Inside My Head, When The World Is Running Down, Dont Stand So Close To Me, Driven To Tears, Truth Hits Everybody, Beds 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, Cant Stand Losing You, Roxanne, King Of Pain, So Lonely, Every Breath You Take, Next To You
I have not seen them live but it must be said. Stewart Armstrong Copeland is a thunder god. One of the best rock drummers ever. I would put him at a razor thin second behind John Bonham.
Listen to him on Don’t Stand So Close To Me and feel his mojo.
I just saw them in Miami at Dolphins Stadium. I should say that I don’t like crowds or stadium concerts where you can’t see anything on stage and have to look at the monitors. They were not using the JumboTrons, probably due to cost. The delay between seeing it on the little monitors and hearing it through the sound system was a little distracting.
My thoughts:
Thirty dollars to park is really an affront to sensibilities.
Pot smells MUCH stronger than I went to college.
Sting can’t hit the notes in ROX-anne anymore.
Hearing so many of their songs in a row points out the “One Trick Pony” aspect of Sting’s voice, lots of OOOO-oooo. Pronounced “o”.
Summers is no pyrotechnic.
Copeland and Sting are very talented.
Sting uses his thumb a lot when playing the bass. I haven’t really noticed anyone else doing that,
unless they were popping. Tibbs, perhaps you can inform me on that.
They make a lot of sound for three people.
I will not go to a stadium concert again just to please someone.
Stewart Copeland is one of my favorite drummers of all-time. I also agree that Sting is under-rated as a bassist (excellent bass line in “Bombs Away” as an example).
I flew down to St. Louis to see them after missing out on the chance to see them (my favorite band) on the Synchronicity tour. (I was something like 13 and would have had to go with my brother’s friends brother and his friends who were 19…plus it would have cost all the money I had) The show was fantastic, I even have a great audio copy of it and they sound great. Now some notes based on comments in this thread:
FictionPlane was pretty good. Sting’s son sounds just like him.
Copeland is the second best rock drummer behind Peart…and if you have played the drums that is without question.
Randy, the issue with “Don’t Stand So Close To Me” is, according to Stewart, that they have never been able to find an arrangement they are comfortable with in a live setting. That’s why they re-did it for the greatest hits cd and why they have a sort of mixed version between the original and the re-mix. Changing keys and tempos on some songs is inevitable, most bands do it as they progress and certainly guys this old will do it. Keep in mind this is a band that once played 12 songs in 15 minutes live.
Monk, Sting’s bass playing style (with the thumb) is more of a jazz style. Andy is not “pyrotechnic” but then he never tried to be…even in their early stuff. He is simply a great guitarist who plays some fantastic harmonics and can rock out when needed.
We didnt get so see fiction plane as most people fighting highway traffic to get to a concert at 6:30pm going with the rush hour flow would end up getting there past 7pm.
As someone mentione $30 parking is arm robbery but thats what they charge for Dolphin games if you dont have a parking pass. Thats is $10 cheaper than some of the parking lots close to AAA charge for Miami Heat games.
Copeland is outstanding with the drums and hes jazzy style suits stings bass playing pretty well. I dont think they could have achieved some of their best music with a pure rocker type drummer.
The “Dont stand so close to me issue” has been the most discussed of all in everything I have read or heard. It really didnt bother me much, its really hard to compare studio recording to live play.
For a stadium concert the sound was outstanding, compare to stuff i went to lets say 10 years ago. I think they didnt use the jumbotron which are full HD, because they are so far up and at the endzones that based on the position of the stage you would have had to watch the whole concert on the screen never looking at the stage, as opposed as looking at the stage and getting the closeups mainly from the three consecutive screens that were on top of it.