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Dan |
It was okay. Any questions? |
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Strange_Stray_Cat |
quote: Dan wrote:
It was okay. Any questions?
Was it ok? |
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glencar |
Did they do any solo Stink stuff? |
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Strange_Stray_Cat |
Did they refer to Paris' thong? |
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voodoopug |
quote: Dan wrote:
It was okay. Any questions?
How was the attendance? |
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Dan |
quote: glencar wrote:
Did they do any solo Stink stuff?
No, thankfully. He is still a wanker and the weakest link. |
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Dan |
quote: voodoopug wrote:
How was the attendance?
20,000 and a new attendance record for the venue. |
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voodoopug |
quote: Dan wrote:
20,000 and a new attendance record for the venue.
Its sad that the Stones don't own this record... |
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Dan |
quote: voodoopug wrote:
Its sad that the Stones don't own this record...
The 2 times I saw the Stones there they didn't use the seats behind the stage so they may very well not even be in the top 10. |
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voodoopug |
quote: Dan wrote:
The 2 times I saw the Stones there they didn't use the seats behind the stage so they may very well not even be in the top 10.
Young Jacob still found a way to make the venue look full even with thousands of seats unsold and thousands more "papered" |
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Strange_Stray_Cat |
How about ticket prices? |
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voodoopug |
quote: Strange_Stray_Cat wrote:
How about ticket prices?
I believe the Police Tour is a Cohl run endeavor, no? |
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Saint Sway |
quote: Dan wrote:
Any questions?
Have you ever kissed a girl? |
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Joey |
quote: Dan wrote:
It was okay. Any questions?
W- W- W- What ?!
www.thepolicetour.com
http://www.azcentral.com/members/Blog/ConcertReview/1371
" The Police rock US Airways Center, June 18, 2007 "
The Arizona Republic
" The Police haven't played a major concert tour in 23 years, but that didn't stop the legendary trio from reaching far beyond tried-and-true versions of their '80s rock classics Monday at US Airways Center in Phoenix .
Bassist Sting, drummer Stewart Copeland and guitarist Andy Summer updated virtually 90 percent of their 20-song set list, with varying degrees of success.
At the best moments, including "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic," "Wrapped Around Your Finger" and "Can't Stand Losing You," the reunited bandmates added energy and complexity to songs that have been played nearly to death on classic-rock radio.
On the other end of the spectrum, "Don't Stand So Close To Me," "Roxanne" and "So Lonely" were uneven and should have been left alone. The Police apparently didn't hear the largely negative response to their reworking of "Roxanne" at this year's Grammy Awards, and they veered toward that ill-fated blueprint on Monday.
The British group is facing a quandary on this seven-month global outing: Fans are paying up to $250 per seat to hear the catalog that made the trio rich and famous, and many of those listeners want to relive the magic of two decades ago. They're not necessarily looking to be challenged by the song arrangements.
"If you want to tour every 25 years, you do it my way," said disappointed concertgoer John Rosenthal of Cave Creek after the two-hour show. "If you're touring every year or two, then do it your way."
Sting and his bandmates, less than eager to play the human jukebox, no doubt disagree.
As VH1 executive Rick Krim, who worked at MTV during the Police's heyday, recently said, "For their own sake, the Police are not trying to pretend it's 1982."
The concert started out on a strong, familiar note. After warming up the audience, which was weighted toward fans 35 and older but included a smattering of curious teens and 20-somethings, with Bob Marley's "Get Up, Stand Up," the trio started out with a Copeland bang of the gong and a straightforward take on 1979's "Message In a Bottle."
Sting, 55, outfitted in a white, sleeveless shirt, pendant, dark pants and lace-up boots, was in fine voice on the opening song and throughout the evening. Summers, 64, worked his Fender Stratocaster with his usual dexterity, and Copeland, 54, wearing a headband and wire-rimmed glasses, attacked his drum kit with even more ferocity than he did decades ago.
The crowd responded with an impressive roar, as it did in several other spots of the well-paced set.
The ever-popular rocker "Synchronicity II," followed, with the major change being an extended lead to showcase the skill of Summers, who ventured into jazz, New Age and ambient music after the Police broke up.
"It's nice to be back in Phoenix. We've been coming here for many, many years," Sting said, perhaps blurring the line between Police tours and his successful solo career.
The singer later mentioned that he had climbed Camelback Mountain at 6 a.m. Monday. (Both he and Copeland are in great physical shape.)
Hints of what was to come emerged in another favorite, 1979's "Walking On the Moon." An lengthy instrumental jam spotlighted Sting, who walked all the way around the oval stage to wave at fans who watched his backside most of the night. The singer then repeated the phrase "Walking back from your house" over and over and over as Summers dabbled in some spacey guitar. The crowd enjoyed a Marley-like call-and-response with Sting.
The wide-open stage, with video screens hung high above, emphasized that the night would be about music, not bells, whistles, flames and fireworks.
A sped-up version of "When the World Is Running Down, You make the Best of What's Still Around" started off shaky but was rescued when Copeland's drum mastery guided the song to a funky, danceable climax.
Throughout the night, Copeland dazzled both behind his drum kit and when he migrated to a wall of percussive toys and an array of kettle drums. He remains among rock's drumming elite.
Summers had his moments, but somehow seemed under-utilized. He was given the spotlight in measured doses, including a wailing solo during one of the night's most well-executed songs, "Driven to Tears."
Sting, of course, had much of the spotlight, and he did a decent job of trying to keep the entire 18,000-plus in attendance involved.
In contrast, one of the night's low points came when the orginally-defiant "Don't Stand So Close To Me" got muted treatment, courtesy of a darker arrangement of chords.
Other missteps included a lackluster take on "De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da" and rote vocals by Sting on the first encore song, "King of Pain."
These were the only two instances when the front man's singing seemed to say, "These are two songs I've just grown weary of performing." To his credit, Sting maintained a smiling enthusiasm through even the most ancient hits the rest of the night.
The trio achieved mixed results as it challenged concertgoers by varying rhythms and including lengthy bass and guitar solos on the reggae-heavy "The Bed's Too Big Without You."
Extra instrumentation came together just fine in the rocking "I Can't Stand Losing You," and a slower, more mellow approach to "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic" also worked. The crowd took over vocals for Sting in the middle of the latter.
An extended encore version of "Every Breath You Take" provided a nice moment for the couples in the crowd, who swayed and happily echoed Sting's chants of "Whoa-oh-oh" in the middle.
Despite all the tweaking of songs, the concert started and ended with nothing-fancy versions of Police favorites. A rocking version of the raw early track "Next to You" wrapped things up, as if the Police were trying to hedge their bet.
Like the recent ending of HBO's "Sopranos" series, this concert and tour promise to spark a debate between those who want their art in a clear-cut, predictable form and those who are open to artists putting sometimes-flawed spins on their work.
The Police certainly could please more fans by playing at least a few more songs closer to their original form, which would be a wise move that doesn't require abandoning their overall desire for artistic evolution.
But like David Chase, creator of the "Sopranos," Sting, Copeland and Summers ultimately get the final cut.
Opening the show was Fictionplane, a trio led by bassist Joe Sumner, son of Sting (who was born Gordon Sumner).
The younger Sumner, who sings in a voice mirroring his father's, did a good job of getting the crowd to overcome its suspicion about how his 4-year-old band landed its gig.
He and guitarist Seton Daunt and drummer Pete Wilhoit are trying to put a more modern spin on the power trio, and their set showed promise.
Most Police-like and most well-received was the reggae-rocking single, "Two Sisters."
Police set list:
Message in a Bottle
Synchronicity II
Walking On the Moon
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
The Bed's Too Big Without You
Truth Hits Everybody
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
Roaxanne
First encore:
King of Pain
So Lonely
Second encore:
Every Breath You Take
Next to You "
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glencar |
LOL Only on a bus! |
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voodoopug |
quote: Saint Sway wrote:
Have you ever kissed a girl?
If so, was it at the Gwar Concert? |
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glencar |
You 2 shall make peace over the corpse of "Dan"! |
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voodoopug |
quote: glencar wrote:
You 2 shall make peace over the corpse of "Dan"!
If Blue and I can get along.....anything is possible, no? |
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_Boomy_ |
I like the song "Demolition Man" from "Ghost In the Machine".
That's about it. |
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Dan |
quote: Strange_Stray_Cat wrote:
How about ticket prices?
I paid $22.50 on Ebay. |
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Dan |
quote: Saint Sway wrote:
Have you ever kissed a girl?
Not at a Police show. |
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Dan |
quote: voodoopug wrote:
If so, was it at the Gwar Concert?
I find chicks splattered with fake (or real) blood unbelievably sexy, like Dinah Cancer the last time I saw Penis Flytrap. Unfortunately I don't think I saw any chicks at the Gwar show. |
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Joey |
I am leaving the board |
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Joey |
" I like the song "Demolition Man" from "Ghost In the Machine".
That's about it. "
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Dan |
quote: Joey wrote:
"If you want to tour every 25 years, you do it my way," said disappointed concertgoer John Rosenthal of Cave Creek after the two-hour show. "If you're touring every year or two, then do it your way."
I was surrounded by obnoxious people last night. However the dude behind me yelling "sing it right" wasn't one of them. But I enjoy the evidence of obvious disappointment from people who paid way too much for tickets not getting what they thought they paid for. That can be as entertaining as the gig itself!
quote:
Sting and his bandmates, less than eager to play the human jukebox, no doubt disagree.
I agree with the band. Even if the new arrangements sucked.
quote:
Opening the show was Fictionplane, a trio led by bassist Joe Sumner, son of Sting (who was born Gordon Sumner).
They were actually okay. |
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voodoopug |
quote: Joey wrote:
" I like the song "Demolition Man" from "Ghost In the Machine".
That's about it. "
Welcome back my baby Joeykins!!!!
BEST JOEY EVER!! |
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Nellcote |
Roxanne played with gusto, or, the lame-o version of the Grammys? |
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glencar |
quote: voodoopug wrote:
If Blue and I can get along.....anything is possible, no?
We've never fought! Now there is a certain creepy type I'm placing on ignore but I've always liked you. I even sent cashola after the ill-considered bar show... |
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glencar |
quote: Nellcote wrote:
Roxanne played with gusto, or, the lame-o version of the Grammys?
Lame-o, fer sure! |
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Saint Sway |
quote: Dan wrote:
I find chicks splattered with fake (or real) blood unbelievably sexy, like Dinah Cancer the last time I saw Penis Flytrap. Unfortunately I don't think I saw any chicks at the Gwar show.
William Shatner: You know, there's something I wanted to say. Having received all your letters over the years, and I've spoken to many of you, and some of you have traveled... y'know... hundreds of miles to be here, I'd just like to say... GET A LIFE, will you Dan? I mean, for crying out loud! I mean, look at you, Dan, look at the way you're dressed! You've turned an enjoyable little job, that I did as a lark for a few years, into a COLOSSAL WASTE OF TIME!
[ a crowd of shocked and dismayed Trekkies.... ]
I mean, how old are you people? What have you done with yourselves?
[ to "Dan" ] You, you must be almost 30... have you ever kissed a girl?
[ "Dan" hangs his head ]
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