No Strings Attached

Posted By Kathleen David on August 6, 2007

The last time I saw the Police was back in 1983/4 during their Synchronicity tour. With a few exceptions, that was the last time a lot of people saw them on tour. They had an energy and a sound that just clicked with me at the time and I found out last night that it still does. I remember why I like the band so much and rediscovered songs that I had thought I had forgotten the lyrics to.

Getting to the show was a bit of a pain. I missed out on tickets for Madison Square Garden but Best Buy was doing a lottery kind of thing if you were a best rewards member for tickets to the show at Giants Stadium in New Jersey. I managed to luck into one ticket. For the record I HATE driving in Manhattan. I can do it but it is so not my favorite thing to do. I got stuck for about 30 minutes trying to get to the Lincoln Tunnel as I watched the lights cycle and no one going nowhere. I ended up getting out of that situation and allowing the GARMIN and some blind luck lead me to the only lane that was moving at a reasonable rate into the tunnel. Back was not as bad except for the double-parked cars/taxis/trucks.

Once at the show, I started having a better time of it. I had a great seat on the floor about 20 rows back from the Stage and pretty much center. I got dinner and sat back and listen to the two bands that preceded The Police. Fiction Plane was pretty good. They had a sound that I would like to hear again. I didn’t find out until about half way through their set that the lead singer and bass guitarist, Joe Sumner, is Sting’s son. I should have known but it was probably a good thing I was judging them on their own merit rather than by their parentage. The Fratellis did a pretty good job as well and again their sound was pretty good too. They did play “Flathead” which is probably the song they are known best for in the US.

Then the Police took the stage and the crowd went wild. Of the three, Andy Summers looks the worst for wear. I am starting to think that the rumors that Sting is a vampire are true. Stewart Copeland’s hair color changed but he still is one of the best drummers in the business. They played both the well known and the bit obscure of their play list. I got to hear all the things I wanted to hear on my list so I am happy. Sting had the audience sing along with him on various songs especially the call and response ones. They put on one heck of a show.

The audience was a real mix of young and old and just about every age in between. You had grandparents bringing their grandkids to the show. You had people who where fans of the Police back in the 70s ad 80s and people who discovered them after they had split up.

To the poor woman who was there with her overly friendly friend who was probably too drunk/drugged to remember much this morning, I give you lots of props keeping him under control considering how out of control he was. My personal favorite was when you “accidently” spilled his drink and made sure he downed a bottle of water instead. I hope you made it home safely.
To the lovely couple to my left who drove up from Philadelphia, it was nice to meet you. You are a really cute couple and it was nice that she came up with her man to see a group that he loved so much as a lad. You both looked like you were having fun.

To the couple to my right rather the male half of the group. Dude, I am sorry that Lurch decided to buy the seat right in front of you which did make it hard to see the stage for you but his girlfriend was shorter than your wife and I paid quite a bit of money for the seat and the little area in front of me so I can see the show two. Pushing into my space does not endear you to me at all. You were lucky that there were two empty seats next to me (which kinda sucked because I would have LOVED to bring Ariel to see this concert) that gave me a little room to breath. Also your perfume (I refuse to call anything that flowery cologne) was rather over powering in an open-air stadium.

To all the people who lit up to get lit up during the concert. I really don’t remember that happening back in 1984 but then there had been a big crack down on pot smoking at concerts back in the late 70s. My eyes are so not thanking you this morning. I have hard enough time with cigarette smoke but this just sent my smoke allergies into overdrive given me one of the worst sinus headaches I have had in a long time which made the drive home interesting to say the least. I could barely connect two thoughts by the time I got home. Thank goodness for Advil which took care of the pain so when I woke up this morning I was down to a dull ache rather than the skull-ripper I went to bed with last night.

To everyone at the concert that behaved themselves especially in the lines for the toilets, I thank you! Considering the condition of some the people there, it could have gotten ugly but there was a hive mind going about not being pushy so people kept their tempers in check. Many of those who had partied too hardy seem to have handlers who were keeping them out of trouble. And for those who just didn’t get it, the security and state troopers made sure that they were not too disruptive to everyone else.

I am grateful that I saw this concert.

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