Review: The Police

(Photos by Rich Sugg, The Kansas City Star.)

If you attended the Police reunion show at Sprint Center on Tuesday, your reaction to it probably depends heavily on a few factors: where your seat was; what you paid for it; and whether you were ready for how the band treated about 20 of its greatest hits.

According to Sting, about 12,000 fans were in the arena, an official figure that looked pretty accurate. All the seats behind the stage were roped/curtained off; the rest of the place looked about 98 percent full. That's an accomplishment for a tour that charges fans $200-plus for seats that run the spectrum from great (floor) to average (like Row 13 in Section 107, where I was sitting). The upper-level seats weren't cheap, either ($100). So lots of money was spilled, which meant expectations were high.

Despite the high ticket prices, there weren't lots of frills. Video screens flanking the stage broadcast images of the band to fans in the upper-levels with seats aside the stage; a much larger screen behind drummer Stewart Copeland fed the same images to the rest of the crowd.

We saw lots of Sting, who looks closer to his age with his short, grizzled Iron John beard. Several times, the screen was split with a huge image of his singing head next to much smaller images of Copeland and guitarist Andy Summers (a visual metaphor?). A roving camera man walked behind Copeland, giving the crowd bird's-eye shots of his battered drum skins and bruised cymbals. We also got closeups of old, skilled hands playing stringed instruments.

There weren't many other effects or visual surprises: The video screens, somewhat randomly, flashed variations on those red digital figures on the cover of "Ghost in the Machine," and a row of six lights behind Copeland rose and dipped and changed intensity, altering the mood. Otherwise, this was a show primarily about a trio of powerful musicians and the songs that made them famous and wealthy.

Sting made an early appearance this evening, during the opening set by Elvis Costello and the Imposters: He joined Elvis in a swell version of "Alison." (I hoped they'd bookend that with a duet on "Roxanne," but no dice.)

I caught the last three songs of Costello's set, including "Alison." The sound for his performance was a little tinny, but if you've seen any of his shows at the Midland or Uptown theaters, you know he's not a true arena act. However, he did deliver one of the more raucous moments of the night, his call-to-arms closer, "What's So Funny About Peace, Love and Understanding."

The Police are a true arena act, but they would be better served if they had an arena-anthem like that one. The crowd this evening was wound up and ready for an explosive time; instead they got 100 minutes of performances -- a show that required more watching and listening (admiring, really) than it prompted unabandoned participation. Like the St. Louis show in July 2007, this one came off more like "Sting does the Police" than a true rendering of material from every Police album.

There were some sing-along moments: during "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic" and "Wrapped Around Your Finger," but Sting doesn't write arena songs in the vein of Springsteen or Bon Jovi. So the sing-alongs didn't pack quite the same gusto. (I've noticed that even diehard Police fans don't know every word to even the most popular songs.)

The set list was great. It included the big hits and some favorite non-hits, like "Demolition Man" and "Driven to Tears." As advertised, the band took some of these songs on instrumental odysseys -- into the realm of fusion jazz and progressive rock. They kept the jams relatively short, but there were many of them.

"Wrapped" was especially epic: Copeland, the hardest working man on stage, jumped a couple of time from his massive drum kit to a bank of percussion instruments (timpani, a huge gong, tiny bells, vibes) behind him and back again.

And as he did all night, Summers fussed with both his rhythms and leads. His embroidery these days can be incredibly elegant or deceptively avant-garde. And he wore the coolest shoes: lime-green/black checkerboard Vans.

Sting remains the Sting he has always been: the charismatic center of a band loaded with talent and ego. He opend with a pretty, acoustic version of "Bring on the Night" then lit the fuse on a bomb: "Message in a Bottle."

He would deliver an adequate amount of stage chatter throughout the show, remembering the band's previous shows in Kansas City: the most recent one in 1983 and one way back in 1979 at One Block West. "Seven people were there," he said. He also emphatically enunciated his location: "Kansas City, Missouri," and once or twice he prompted the crowd to get a little louder.

The crowd was loud, in fits and starts, especially when there was room to open up and sing along, like during "De Do Do Do ..." and "Roxanne" and "So Lonely." When the music got a little too indulgent, however, people surrendered and took a seat.

At 100 minutes (and $200), I thought the show was a little brief. That included a five-minute break about halfway through. It doesn't include the long (nearly an hour) opening set by Elvis C., a headliner himself.

I know a lot of people in the place who were seeing the Police for the first time on Tuesday. Several of them said afterward that they'd wanted to hear the band sound more like it used to, the way it did back in '79. They delivered moments like that: during "Can't Stand Losing You" and the closer, "Next to You."

The new versions didn't bother me. I was prepared for the difference, which, admittedly, was profound during several songs. Plus I kept in mind all night that the second time I've seen this wonderful band would probably be the last.

| Timothy Finn, The Star 

Setlist: Bring on the Night; Message in a Bottle; Walking on the Moon; Demolition Man; Voices Inside My Head/When the World Is Running Down ...; Don't Stand So Close to Me; Driven to Tears; Hole in My Life; Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic; Wrapped Around Your Finger; De Do Do Do ...; Invisible Sun; Regatta de Blanc/Can't Stand Losing You; Roxanne; King of Pain; So Lonely; Every Breath You Take; Next To You.

Comments

[M]

I agree largely with the review although I would say that even though my tickets were pricey it was worth it seeing a great band for likely the only time in my life live on stage. Sting and Copeland were great, especially Copeland. My only quibble is regarding Sommers. His work was passable at best, downright awful at worst. He blew Message in a Bottle nearly prompting the entire band to restart although they recovered quickly enough to keep going. Then he blew the transition from "Voices" to "When the World" that prompted head shaking from both Sting and Sommers himself. From near the stage, the main appeared exhausted the entire night despite having the least amount of work. Copeland was fantastic on drums -- how the man still does that at his age amazes me.

[Jeff J. Hawk]

Andy's shoes were actually black with lime green Batman signals on them.

[Dan]

I would have liked to have been there, but the prices kept me out. Plus, 2 months ago I saw Springsteen deliver a great show with a top price of $95 from the floor, and he played almost 3 hours in Omaha. If I payed over twice as much for 100 minutes from the Police, I would have been really annoyed.

[Tim Finn]

I caught that glitch on "Voices"; I seem to remember a lyric fumble by Sting, too, somewhere. Andy is 65 ... but he's only working 100 minutes a day. Copeland is a machine. I watched him more than anyone.

[Tim Finn]

Thanks for the shoes correx. That makes them even cooler.

[KevRocket]

I definitely enjoyed this show, however it's a little tricky getting into the music when your about 1/2 mile away (section 120). However, I've always regarded all 3 as top notch musicians and it seemed obvious to me they have increased their abilities. I loved their re-arrangements. Some of Andy's new/ additional chording etc, particularly on Invisible Sun (my favorite) was fantastic.

I thought it was a bit strange Elvis was not shown on the screen behind the stage. He was on the side screens which were at an angle which we could barely see from our seats. Did anybody note Elvis's set list? He played at least 4 or 5 new tunes which sounded great. He could of stuck with all of his greatest hits. Playing a fair amount of new stuff is just like Elvis. I don't know if a lot of people even realized Sting was singing with Elvis during Alison since Sting was wearing a hat (and it wasn't shown on the big screen). Plus, "some people" just love to chat all through the opener so they probably had no clue Sting was on stage during Alison. Why don't these people respect the musicians AND the people around them?
Tim - Did Stuart do a "drum solo" of sorts in St Louis? I'm not a big fan of drums solo's however Stuart could make it very musical.

It was a great night of music - as they said, "Bring On The Night"!

[JumpinJack19]

Yes, something was missing. I expected a two hour show for the price, and we sat in the $100 section. And having just seen Springsteen in Omaha, my wife said, "Well that wasn't close to the Springsteen show."
I saw the Thanksgiving 1983 show and that was a more exciting show. Maybe Sting needs to bring back the mini-tramp.

[Tim Finn]

Some guy standing next to me asked, slightly annoyed, "Who is that singing with Elvis?" "Um, it's Sting." "Oh yeah, right. Cool."

If Stewart did a drum solo in St. Lou, it was brief. If anyone's gonna do one, it should be him.

[MichaelKC]

My wife kind of drug me along to this one. But I'm glad she did. I'm, at best, a casual fan of The Police. But I enjoyed the show quite a bit. Sting's still got a great voice and, as others have mentioned, Copeland is a freak of nature.

I'm unfamiliar enough with their music (and far enough away from the stage, in sec 102, row 6) that I didn't notice the screw-ups. So I left very pleased.

I was concerned during the Costello set because the sound was so bad where we were sitting. Way loud and hard to understand the words. But it was great for The Police, the best I've heard at Sprint other than Matchbox Twenty (when we were on the floor, sixth row.)

Interesting that someone mentioned Springsteen. I thought about his shows during this one, as I've seen four of them this year. Dan is right, he plays a lot longer for less money. But what I love most about Springsteen and E Street is what I liked most about this show....a band of three very good musicians who still play really well together.

Now if we could just do something about the folks who insist on talking throughout the show, as well as the chronic text messagers, we'll be set. (Seriously, you've paid $100+ for a ticket and you're looking at your phone at the whole show!?! Sting is on stage, for crying out loud!)

[TK]

I thought the setlist was great, and they didn't sound bad, but it all seemed just a bit listless, though that could have been due to too many old white folk in the crowd...

The songs all seemed to be just a bit slow for some reason.

[MichaelKC]

KevRocket's comment about the folks who talk during the opening set reminded me of something...

We made the mistake of having aisle seats in sec 102. I seriously started getting motion sick during the Costello set. I'm guessing 70% of the crowd arrived after 7:30 p.m. (Speaking of previous Springsteen references, maybe they thought this would be like a Boss concert and not start until an hour after the printed start time.) So there was this constant stream of people up and down the stairs that didn't cease at all until the main set. And it was still a problem during the main set, just not as pronounced.

So I'd highly recommend avoiding those aisles, unless you take Dramanine beforehand!

[Northlander]

I missed "Syncronicity" (performed in St. Louis) but otherwise I agree this was the better of the shows. "Driven To Tears" and "King of Pain" were especially good I thought. Time wise it was short but there was no stage banter or antics that serve as filler, although a 10 minute Stewart Copeland drum solo might have been entertaining. I got my money's worth.

[Marcus]

I was there too, mainly as a fan of Copeland and Sting. As a musician, I was a little surprised by the mistakes of Summers... especially since the guitar parts on many of the songs aren't very technical. Andy beefed up a couple solos as well interrupting the flow of the melody he was so desparetly trying to perfect! He definitely did not live up to the "legendary" status Sting coined him a few times throughout the night. A great concert overall! Sting can still bring the vocals - he was on all night! Copeland consistently played at a higher level than the other 2 on every song throughout the entire set. His performance will be the most memorable!

[JumpinJack19]

A note on the opening act:
When Elvis headlines KC again–hopefully later this year–make an effort to see him. I've been twice and he works his butt off for over two hours. And take binoculars to watch Steve Nieve, the mad scientist on keyboards. Brilliant musician who never repeats himself.

[Tim Finn]

One way I judge a show is by crowd behavior. At my favorite shows -- the Pixies at the Uptown, Radiohead in St. Lou in '03, Sigur Ros at the Uptown -- the crowd doesn't move, doesn't make beer runs. It stays put, enraptured, hypnotized, enthralled.

There were moments of listlessness last night; that's what instrumental music can do to a crowd hungry for hits it can sing-along to. During those listless moments, people around me talked a bit, sat and read or sent text messages. The section I was in was pretty well-behaved, but I could regularly see fans across the arena or a few sections down from me heading up the stairs during the Police set. It was that kind of show.

[Marcus]

I was there too, mainly as a fan of Copeland and Sting. As a musician, I was a little surprised by the mistakes of Summers... especially since the guitar parts on many of the songs aren't very technical. Andy beefed up a couple solos as well interrupting the flow of the melody he was so desparetly trying to perfect! He definitely did not live up to the "legendary" status Sting coined him a few times throughout the night. A great concert overall! Sting can still bring the vocals - he was on all night! Copeland consistently played at a higher level than the other 2 on every song throughout the entire set. His performance will be the most memorable!

[DeathWeasel]

To be fair, I suspect the crowd was a bit listless compared to the St. Louis show because The Police were, too. I assume they're a bit tired at this point, having been on tour for a while, but Sting especially was more mobile during the St. Louis show. Last night he mostly just stood there.

They definitely weren't as good as in '83, but then I'm not as good as I was in '83, either. (Holy crap, that was 25 years ago...)

[LBI]

Can everyone stop complaining about ticket prices. Any good band at the Sprint Center is going to be $90 and above. I paid $90 for section 105 and the concert was great. I was treated to a true singer songwriter for an hour by Elvis Costello. I do not think he was a free act. The Police were great A very powerful trio, yes it was only 100 minutes, but what a 100 minutes it was. So I got 160 minutes of true rock bands tonight
If every show was like this at the Sprint
Center I will spend my $90. Remember folks it was your choice to go for the heavier ticket prices at $200.
I can't wait for the Tina Turner review to star out by saying for a $150 she only put on a 110 minute show with a lame opening act. Great job Police and Elvis, next time get to the show on time get your money's worth and write the whole review. I would of like to known all the songs in Elvis Costello Setlist

[TK]

Yeah, I had some Brit a-holes yapping it up constantly during ANY instrumental section, and pretty much any other time, too...I ended up going up into the entry way and them moving to an empty section in the upper deck, at which point one could actually stand, dance, and not have to hear Brit a-holes, and it was a pretty good time then...

[Penny]

I thought this show was much better than St. Louis last summer. This show wasn't as much of a spectacle and I thought more organic, like they used to be. In St. Louis Stewart was up on a higher riser behind them and there was a circular runway around the stage. This was much more compact and intimate and I didn't think they changed the songs so much. I was sitting at the bottom of section 108 and thought it sounded very good from there. For me, it was a great evening of music.

[Keith Koenig]

I enjoyed the show despite the astronomical ticket prices, the ever-present abysmal sound in the Sprint Center, and the drunk guy standing next to me who almost got thrown out for his rude behavior and Security quizzing me about him while I was trying to enjoy the show.

It's always good to see Elvis Costello on stage and with weapons like the incredible Steve Nieve on Keyboards and powerhouse drummer Pete Thomas, he did his best to play for an arena crowd, when his music is better served in a smaller setting. "Pump it up" always gets my heart-rate up and I even liked the new songs live.

The Police, on the other hand, aren't the band they were the last time I saw them 25 years ago, but it was good to hear the songs that meant so much to me then live once more. Naturally, they aren't nearly as powerful live as they were in their heyday (The show I saw on the "Ghost in the Machine" tour in '82 was one of my favorite concerts ever), but they can still please the crowds, as last night proved.

I did want to add that Stewart Copeland was and is the true heart of The Police and truly one of Rock's great drummers. His percussion work during "Wrapped around Your Finger" was the highlight of the night for me. All in all, a good, not great show.......I just hope the drunk guy, who told me that he was driving back to St. Louis after the show made in home in one piece.

[Scott Hollister]

Didn't they do "Walking in Your Footsteps" last night? Can't remember where it came during the show, but didn't see it on this set list.

I too saw both this show and the one in St. Louis and thought this one was considerably better. Another year playing together obviously helped, but I found them a little more at ease, Sting a little more engaged this time around. Really enjoyed it.

[Michael]

Totally agree with LBI...The Police AND Elvis Costello was an amazing double bill. One of the best I can ever remember - of course memory is such a random thing. I thought the stripped down sparseness of the stage and lighting really enabled the audience to experience the songs and the talented musicians playing them. Less of a big production and more of a throw back to listening to a band play sensational music.

For those of you wanting the Elvis Costello setlist...here it is:

Stella Hurt
Pump It Up
Everyday I Write The Book
American Gangster Time
Radio, Radio
Flutter & Wow
No Hiding Place
Turpentine
Watching The Detectives
Alison - with Sting
Go Away
(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love And Understanding?

Elvis's new stuff is incredible and really mixed in well with the hits.

Cheers!

BTW - Shame on you Tim for NOT making the entire set of the opening act. Dude...

[Tim Finn]

I thought this was better than St. Lou, too, The band last night was sure leaner and looser. And the KC crowd was slightly livelier. I was in the fourth row in St. Lou and about two-thirds of the way through, the people around me started to lose interest.

As for "Walking," no "In Your Footsteps," just "On the Moon."

[Tim Finn]

No shame endured. During most of Elvis' set, I was tending to business ("Idol") I couldn't get out of. (And frankly, if you saw EC's shows at the Midland and the Uptown, you'd understand why I wasn't too upset at missing his 50-minute arena show. He'll be back soon enough and in a more appropriate venue.)
Thanks for the setlist.

[Vandelay]

Have you ever noticed that every single Police song ends with a fade-out? I'm impressed that they managed to figure out an actual ending to their songs in concert.

[Donkey Shane]

... those songs ended? When?

[dt]

I thought both the Police and Costello were great, although the sound for Elvis was pretty tinny, especially the keyboards, where we were, up in 122. I don't know if it was bad acoustics at Sprint, or the soundsystem being more set for the Police than Elvis.

Did Elvis do Less Than Zero as well? I seem to remember at least part of that midway through the set.

[Chris]

I was very impressed with both sets, Elvis and The Police. Even though I also pine for the days of seeing The Police in the Zenyatta era (as well as 1979 era Elvis), these guys are all at the top of their game, even if they don't jump around as much or push the tempos of the songs. The thing I appreciated the most from both acts was the fact they DID make mistakes and took risks, musically. I love hearing Steve Nieve play off of the songs and get "out there" so to speak. As well as Andy Summers taking some liberties with the chords and melodies. Is it like the record? NO!!, Praise God!!! Regarding Andy blowing some parts, Andy is the sole chordal and melodic instrumental voice in a trio, you're bound to make a few mistakes. He's got a lot to hold together and at age 65 (He was and is a contemporary of Clapton, Hendrix, Page)he absolutely held his own. The mistakes just added to the authenticity of the performance. Which in today's age, is welcome.

[Smokin-Buddha]

My ex-wife was there last night...great to hear that she got jipped by a 100 minute show that cost her a few Benjamins for the pleasure of not getting a great show. I am glad I didn't waste my time or money on it. Although it would have been worth it to drag my hot wife there!

[Big Bill]

I love the Police, but I walked away from the show feeling less than satisfied. Even from my 6th row seat on the floor, the performance seemed lethargic and lackluster. I also felt cheated with a mere 100 minute set from the headliner. If this is really their final tour, and considering the ticket price, they could give fans a lot more for the money. (How's about adding songs like Murder By Numbers, Peanuts, Tea in the Sahara, Secret Journey, or The Bed's Too Big Without You to the set?) I received way more bang for my buck two weeks ago at the Rush concert in OK City, so I'm seeing Rush again at Starlight in June. I won't be going to another Police concert.

[Randall]

The Elvis setlist isn't quite right. We did not get "Radio Radio." We did get "Less Than Zero." I'm not sure if it came in the same place in the setlist.

His set was overall more satisfying to me than that of the Police.

[WB]

I was less concerned about the set and more about the music - I went expecting to hear 3 old rockers entertain us with their classic sound - not their set - and that's what I got. You can talk about Sting's ego all you want but I can promise you the LADIES in the crowd loved every minute of Sting on that big screen. Myself included.

[Whammy!]

Thank God I didn't pay money to see this. It doesn't exactly sound like a steller review to me. I need a lot to excite me for $200.00

I saw them back in the day. They're just going thru the motions now, as one friend who saw them in St. Louis said.

[Molly]

I totally disagree with this review. I was amazed at how great Sting's voice was, and how it stayed true and clear through the whole show. He sang his heart out. I was in the $59 seats--section 202, and although of course I would've liked to be much closer, it was still FABULOUS! I didn't go there to see thrills and frills--I went to see a very talented band play great music, and play it with all their hearts, and that's what I got. And I thought they played plenty long enough--in fact at one point some people thought they were finished and left--but they weren't finished. They actually encored twice.
And Sting looked HOT. Vegetarianism (and hard work in the gym) does his body very good!
Great concert. For those of you who weren't there, ignore the naysayers.

[jme]

I am in agreement with Molly, and I was in the $59 seats as well.

There was a kid sitting next to me who was there with/for his friend. He commented that he liked The Police more than he thought and was impressed with their music and performance.

He also made me feel old(er) when he said "that's the year I was born!" when Sting mentioned being in KC in 1983.

It was an older crowd, but I did see people in their teens and 20's as well. There were some kids there with their parents sitting next to my 25 year old seat neighbor.

In the upper section we mostly sat through the whole show, but every now and then one of the 40somethings would pop up and dance their butt off for a song that obviously was one of their favorites. A lot of the music brought back college memories for me, since that's where I was in '83.

[Smokin-Buddha]

Molly,
You don't have to pay $59 and $20 in service charges to see old guys that look "HOT" due to vegetarianism and hard work in the gym. I happened on to Jack LaLanne was on TV on an infomercial selling his vegetarian juicer.

If you haven't seen Sting before then you likely were impressed with his voice. His voice is always that way, however he does have a bad habit of flubbing the lyrics in many of his shows. I have been to a few in several locations across the country and his voice was perfect every time.

I still can't pay that much to go to the Sprint Center and pay to have some druken idiot spill beer on me while I watch people as old as my parents playing on stage.

Just can't do it.

I am glad you enjoyed the show Molly.

[Bill]

First of all: Bruce Springsteen & what's left of the E Street Band did not play the Sprint Center last night.

Second: Can we put the 80's video age behind us already? Music played live by 3 (aged) humans was not meant to be perfect. I applaud the Police for stretching out despite any imperfections or change-ups that were included. Can you imagine playing So Lonely the same way after all these years? I don't want to see / hear the music played exactly as it was on record - it's a recipe for disappointment.

Contrary to many of the notes above I thought Andy Summers guitar work was masterful. What we collectively saw last night was a living, breathing, communicating entity. Now we need some new material!

Thanks to age and the various ongoing outside projects the music is as vital as it ever was.

Rock on boys and thanks for the fun!

[Penny]

Actually Sting isn't a vegetarian. When I was a concert caterer for many years, he wanted his chicken sandwich waiting for him after the show. I've also seen him eat meat recently. He's not a gym person either, but an avid yoga man. He does keep himself in very good form. I thought he looked good with the beard and his voice sounded strong.

[kevink]

Lost in the discussion of the review:

Rich Sugg took an AMAZING lead photo for this review. Sting's energy, Copeland's wild thumping and Summers' (as stated in the comments) listlessness are all captured.

Fantastic shot.

[dave]

Big Bill was right about the Elvis & the Imposters set list. They did "Less than Zero" instead of "Radio, Radio."

Here's the set list I wrote down:

Stella Hurt
Pump It Up
Everyday I Write The Book
American Gangster Time
Less than Zero
Flutter & Wow
No Hiding Place
Turpentine
Watching The Detectives
Alison - with Sting
Go Away
What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love And Understanding?

For those of you keeping track at home, that's six new songs from Momofuku and six of his classics. I thought the new songs fit well with the older ones.

By the way, I totally agree with everyone urging people to attend a show where Elvis is the headline act. I've seen four concerts through the years where he was the headliner, and every one of them was outstanding. It's worth the price of admission just to watch his long-time keyboard player, Steve Nieve.

[Tim Finn]

Yep on that Elvis thing. The Midland show was one for the ages. The Uptown show, his most recent (I'm pretty sure, or I missed one I didn't know about): That was a reschedule because he was sick for the original date. He got sick again for the make-up date but played anyway because he didn't want to cancel twice. It was still great (but he looked a bit miserable.) The new album is growing on me, slowly. I thought "Go Away" sounded good live.

[Rob]

I went to the show last night as a casual fan ( I got snowed out of going to the Thanksgiving 1983 show in Cedar Rapids, IA.)
We sat in the $200 zone- section 108. Pretty good seats but the view was partially obstructed from hanging ropes.

My takes:
1- Copeland is amazing! Strange that with Sting on the stage Copeland was still the most interesting thing to watch.
2- The Police are a truly unique band- I can't really think of anyone else who does what they do -except Scrantonicity, but they're more of a tribute act.
3- (Warning- more Springsteen comparisons ahead:) The difference between Sting and The Boss is that Bruce will sweat it out for 2 hours working for that connection between artist and audience... a "concert" in its most literal meaning. Sting seemed less interested in making a connection, he was there to put on an entertaining show but wasn't as emotionally invested in making women dance and grown men cry.

Which leads me to my last question: When is Springsteen coming back to K.C.? It's been 6 years and three tours since the last time!

[RaiderHawk]

... when the Chiefs win a playoff game.

[benson]

Elvis sounded excellent with the Imposters...Great stuff off his new album. The Police put on a decent show, but seemed to go through the motions (as did the audience). The chemistry amongst the band was lacking.

The only real problem I have with Springsteen is this: once you see one of his shows, EVERYTHING pales in comparison.

[Eljay]

There is no reason to stand up at a reserved seat concert. If you want to dance, hoot and holler, and act like a fool, just stay home. If you want to watch a musical performance, sit in your seat and enjoy the show.
We all paid good money for our tickets. We all deserve the right to see the stage without someone standing in front of us. If the music "moves you" so much you can't remain in your seat, go to the back of the arena and dance away.

[Rob]

There is no reason to sit down at any rock concert, reserved seating or GA. Rock shows are for dancing, hooting, hollering and acting like a fool. If you want to sit down and enjoy a musical performance, stay home and listen to a CD or watch a concert DVD in the comfort of your Barcalounger with your iced Geritol by your side.
We paid good money for our tickets and we deserve the right to fully enjoy the show without being yelled at by crabby grandparents.

[LarBear]

The Police have been my favorite band since I was a teenager listening to Outlandos. My fear was that I would be disappointed and regret spending the $450 for two really good seats. I was not. WHAT A GREAT SHOW!!! I liked the fact that they change their songs slightly from the recorded versions...as a musician I can understand wanting to keep it fresh. Their mini jams in songs like Roxanne were my favorite parts of the show. Not a Sting fan but I agree he did a marvelous job. No one can argue his musical abilities. Stewart Copeland...what can I say? As a drummer and a fan I couldn't have asked for a better performance. If I had one critique of the show it would be the lack of trying to help Sting with some basic backing vocals. Summers had a mic in front of him, but that was purely for show. His half attempts at lip syncing to the piped-in harmonies were a bit of an insult to my intelligence. Copeland also had a headset mic, but I never saw him attempt to sing. I know the Police have struggled with this for years but I would rather see a couple of backup singers on stage (think 1981 Ghost in the Machine tour) than Milli Freakin Vanilli.

[Dan]

"My ex-wife was there last night...great to hear that she got jipped by a 100 minute show that cost her a few Benjamins for the pleasure of not getting a great show. I am glad I didn't waste my time or money on it. Although it would have been worth it to drag my hot wife there"

Dude....LET IT GO

[RaiderHawk]

He's still ... wrapped around her finger ...