The Police Concert

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myphx
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The Police Concert

Post by myphx » Tue Jun 19, 2007 11:44 am

I saw The Police last night - it was incredible. They performed as a power trio, rough and raw. Some of the highlights:

An opening power version of "Message in the Bottle". Sting has an incredible amount of energy left in him, I'll have to forgive him for being Sting.

"Synchronicity II" - Complete with the break with Andy Summers squeeling feedback. I think he must have used a harmonizer. Back in the 80's I know he was big on the Eventide Harmonizer.

I think some people got frustrated that they didn't play exact duplicates of their hits and they experimented with them a little.

"Don't Stand So Close to Me" - Was played more like the remake version they did in 1986.

Some people thought that "Every Little Thing She Does is Magic" was changed, but It was just that it didn't have the keyboard/synth background.
I thought it was interesting how Summers pulled that off.

I think if people want exact duplicates, they can just listen to the CD's. The artists can play their music anyway they want.


To have to shift from 4/4 rock, to reggae, then to an African "Walking in You Footsteps" has to be difficult to execute - Stewart Copeland is in the elite of drummers.


I find it pretty mind-boggling how they could come up with those songs, they are incredibly original. Where did they think of this stuff? Especially coming up with so many memorable ones in a span of 5+ years. Plus, their music seemed to grow and evolve with each successive album. The way the bands and the industry is now, it's sad to think we may never see a breed like them ever again.

A pretty pricey show for sure,......but twenty five years from now, how many people are going to pay $90-$220 to see Deathcab for Cutie?...........

....taking inflation into account of course,.......

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Post by Jeff White » Tue Jun 19, 2007 11:58 am

I am so friggin' psyched to see them... TWICE... Philly and NYC. I'm kind of putting it out of my head for right now so that it puts me in a state of shock when I finally do get to see them... but I definitely appreciate your post!

Jeff

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Post by bed eternity » Tue Jun 19, 2007 12:01 pm

anyone go to bonaroo?

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Post by Johnny B » Tue Jun 19, 2007 5:16 pm

bed eternity wrote:anyone go to bonaroo?
No, went to TapeOpCon instead. Seriously. I'm still trying to decide if I want to brave Dolphin Stadium to see these guys. I've been disappointed with enough reunion gigs that I'm not sure I want to spend the 100 bucks to see them in a football stadium...

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Post by cgarges » Tue Jun 19, 2007 5:58 pm

bed eternity wrote:anyone go to bonaroo?
Just got an email from a buddy of mine who recorded audio from the main stage remote truck. (He also provided several broadcast feeds.) Haven't heard specifics about the Police performance yet.

I'm so glad to hear that the show was good. After Stewart's amusing online bashing of the first few gigs, I was curious to see how it shaped up. Got my tickets for Wrigley Field in two weeks. Can't wait!

Thanks for the review!

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Stadiums

Post by myphx » Wed Jun 20, 2007 1:25 am

Johnny B wrote:
bed eternity wrote:anyone go to bonaroo?
I'm not sure I want to spend the 100 bucks to see them in a football stadium...

I don't know if the effect would be the same outdoors. The arena I saw them was packed, it almost felt like a small venue.

My sister saw them during The Synchronicity tour in 1983 and she swears they played better now. Because back then it seemed like it was all about the "Sting Show". She said they seemed more like band now, Andy Summers got to crank it up a little more.

Most of the bad reviews or complaints seem to center around how they changed the versions of a few songs. I heard the same complaints when they performed "Roxanne" at the Grammys, That they "jazzed" it up to much. People wanted EXACT duplicates of the songs for the money they spent. My sister informed me that they were always known to alter their songs in the early 80's. Besides that everyone alters their songs when they play live.

Having to spend so much money on a concert leaves people with a lot expectations, and sometimes they get a little unreasonable.

I think people wanted the same feeling they got 24 years ago. The Police are real musicians who have moved on, they've done so many projects on their own since. They have grown as people and as musicians. 24 years ago was another lifetime. Who was it that said,..."You can never really go back",.....


I didn't even think of this as a "reunion" at all. There wasn't any light shows, background synths, vocals, glitzy production and pomposity,....It was like seeing three guys just coming out and playing their asses off. Yes, it was rough around the edges here and there, but they were rough around the edges when they played CBGB's in 1978.

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Post by stevebozz » Wed Jun 20, 2007 6:54 am

when I saw the pixies on their reunion tour, my complaint was the songs were performed almost exactly as on the CD. I agree, I go to see a band live to see how they've re-invented songs, created transitions and otherwise surprise me.

Being in a band for many years, playing the same old songs the same way has got to be boring, let the artists do their thing!
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Re: Stadiums

Post by cgarges » Wed Jun 20, 2007 7:28 am

Johnny B wrote:I'm not sure I want to spend the 100 bucks to see them in a football stadium...
I think it's freaking awesome that they're playing baseball stadiums and old ones at that. I was terrified that they would be doing sheds. I'm SO glad they're not.

Apprently, they're traveling with a different stage setup for the outdoor shows, so hopefully it will be a little more customized to that kind of experience.
myphx wrote:I think people wanted the same feeling they got 24 years ago.
The funny thing is that they always played the songs differently, even 24 years ago. There's nothing new about that. Anyoen who gripes about that ought to be flogged.

So, what did they decide to do about background vocals?

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Post by Meriphew » Wed Jun 20, 2007 1:25 pm

My first concert ever, when I was a kid, was The Police on their Ghost in the Machine tour. Awesome.

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Post by vvv » Wed Jun 20, 2007 1:44 pm

I saw them in the Champaign,IL basketball stadium (IMPE) on the Synchronicity tour; a fave memory.

I believe the Trick opened? And maybe Loverboy?

Alas, I've not the time, $, nor babysitter this go-round. :cry:
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Re: Stadiums

Post by Johnny B » Wed Jun 20, 2007 5:25 pm

cgarges wrote:
Johnny B wrote:I'm not sure I want to spend the 100 bucks to see them in a football stadium...
I think it's freaking awesome that they're playing baseball stadiums and old ones at that. I was terrified that they would be doing sheds. I'm SO glad they're not.
Really? Why is that? I've always been lead to believe stadium shows are terrible. Bad sound, zoo-like atmosphere, can't see the stage, etc. I've never actually seen a show in one, so this is all from other people. I was considering making the drive to Tampa to see them in the arena there just because it's smaller (even though the sound is probably lousy), but it sold out.
myphx wrote: I didn't even think of this as a "reunion" at all. There wasn't any light shows, background synths, vocals, glitzy production and pomposity,....It was like seeing three guys just coming out and playing their asses off. Yes, it was rough around the edges here and there, but they were rough around the edges when they played CBGB's in 1978.
Well, that's the sort of comment that makes me want to go check it out. I've seen video of the Synchronicity tour. *shudder* I'm much more for the 1978-1980 version of the Police, although I do quite like Ghost in the Machine and "Synchronicty II" is one of my all time favorite songs.

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Re: Stadiums

Post by cgarges » Wed Jun 20, 2007 6:49 pm

I got the answer to the background vocal question from my friend at Bonaroo:

"Someone off stage played backup vocal samples for most songs and some sampled hat parts, etc. to help the time. At least no one pretended to be singing when they weren't and all sang sometimes. It was fun
mixing them."

Johnny B wrote:
cgarges wrote:I think it's freaking awesome that they're playing baseball stadiums and old ones at that. I was terrified that they would be doing sheds. I'm SO glad they're not.
Really? Why is that? I've always been lead to believe stadium shows are terrible. Bad sound, zoo-like atmosphere, can't see the stage, etc.
Sheds are really the worst. Outside sound and the shows are geared towards lot of people socializing on the grass a really long ways away from the stage. I've seen very few shed shows that were worth anything to me. At least with a baseball stadium, the seats are all oriented towards the common action point and most of the baseball stadiums they're playing are older places, so they're not as huge as some of the modern football stadiums.

One of the best shows I've ever been to was one I saw at a horse racing track, believe it or not.

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Re: Stadiums

Post by Johnny B » Thu Jun 21, 2007 6:35 am

cgarges wrote: Sheds are really the worst. Outside sound and the shows are geared towards lot of people socializing on the grass a really long ways away from the stage. I've seen very few shed shows that were worth anything to me. At least with a baseball stadium, the seats are all oriented towards the common action point and most of the baseball stadiums they're playing are older places, so they're not as huge as some of the modern football stadiums.
That's reasonable. Crap. Maybe I should go. I found some $50 seats that, while nosebleed, at least aren't behind the stage. They keep expandind the number of top level sections they're selling.
cgarges wrote: One of the best shows I've ever been to was one I saw at a horse racing track, believe it or not.
I believe it. I've been to a few horse track shows. They're lots of fun. Big field, stage on one end, lots of people wandering around. They have a lot of the same atmosphere that makes festivals fun, but only the one stage.

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Post by Fieryjack » Thu Jun 21, 2007 7:24 am

I saw the Ghost in the Machine tour....good album/good show.

I will be going to MSG- section 200 which isn't bad. I also have 2 tix for Atlantic City (much smaller venue) October show that I may be dumping, so PM me if interested.....

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Re: Stadiums

Post by myphx » Thu Jun 21, 2007 8:02 am

Well, that's the sort of comment that makes me want to go check it out. I've seen video of the Synchronicity tour. *shudder* I'm much more for the 1978-1980 version of the Police, although I do quite like Ghost in the Machine and "Synchronicty II" is one of my all time favorite songs.
I'm happy to inform you that you won't be dissappointed with their kick-ass performance of "Synchronicity II". I swear it was better than the recording. The guitar is more upfront. I read in Andy Summer's book that Sting didn't like the guitar to be that prominent in the old days, so it was mixed down a bit.

About the comment about the pre-recorded background vocals. They didn't appear discernable to me. Maybe they helped to fill up the sound a little.
The Police were one of those rare rock bands that played with a lot space in their music. Basically the Police was it's own style of music.

I also read that in the old days tempo control was always an issue, so I can understand the use of a recorded hi-hat. I think a lot of pop music fans don't understand how hard this Police stuff is to execute live. like on Every Little Thing She Does,.. The tempo seems to speed up then pause, then speed up. Then Copeland is playing all this synchopated stuff.

It's like at at any moment it could fall apart or it could really cook,...I think that kind of adds to it's excitement. The music breathes and has kind of a "yin and yang" thing to it.

....When people are bombarded with Fall-Out Boy and Nickleback and then hear The Police,......it's like they get thrown for a loss,....

I don't think any concert is really worth this much money. I thought about it a lot and I agreed that I paid for this bands uniqueness, if anything.

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