The Police at Giants Stadium
After 20-something years I finally got my chance to see The Police live last night at Giants Stadium in New Jersey. The show was excellent but you need to take it for what it really is: a greatest hits show. These guys haven’t put out new material as a group in over 20 years so they’re playing the old stuff and trying to add new wrinkles. Regardless of that the show was great. It confirmed something I’ve known for a long time: Steward Copeland is the best drummer ever. And as much as I’ve liked Andy Summers over the years I gained a whole new appreciation for him last night.
They started with a great one-two punch. Message in a Bottle followed by Synchronicity II. I thought Synchronicity II was probably the best done song all around when you take the solos and video screen affects into account. The had the Synchronicity yellow, red and blue lines being drawn and erased in all directions. It was very cool. After that they took it down a notch for Walking on the Moon. I always thought this song showed how good Copeland really is and he turned in a terrific performance. Other highlights included some great work on Invisible Sun and Truth Hits Everybody as well as great percussion work by Copeland on Wrapped Around Your Finger and Walking In Your Footsteps.
This show also confirmed to me why I don’t like stadium shows. Unless you’re in the first section on the field right in front of the stage your view will suck. If you’re on the field then you can’t see past the people in front of you. If you’re in the stands then you’re too far from the stage to see anything. I was using binoculars to get a better view of the video screens because we were so far away that the binoculars didn’t really help me see the performers on stage. You can check out the pictures I took on my cellphone here if you want to get an idea of what most of the stadium was looking at.
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
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