Ghost In The Machine: 1981/82

Police has crowd in palm of its hand...

The crazed crowd was shrieking uncontrollably and the ushers could barely keep order. Where are the Police at a time like this?

Last night at the Peoria Civic Center they were right on stage, and weren't doing a thing to stop the commotion.

In fact, the British rock band's rapid-fire delivery of hits could even have been seen as inciting the crowd.

The band kicked off the concert with some of its best-known hits, including 'S.O.S.' and 'Every Little Thing She Does is Magic'.

face in mock dismay at the crowd's singing had the obliging crowd sing the chorus over and over until it was just right.

The boyishly attractive Sting stood out in the three-member band as by far the most outgoing, provoking thunderous screams whenever he stepped near the edge of the stage.

But the group's fine performance, capped by two encores, was clearly a team effort with guitarist Andy Sommers and drummer Stuart Copeland making it all look almost easy.

Amplifying the efforts of the band was a crisp sound system, crucial to the band's blend of reggae, rock and other influences.

One of the highlights of the concert was the performance of one of the band's many songs with political or social overtones, 'One World'.

If anyone in the audience doubted the band, and especially lead singer Sting, had the audience in the palm of its hand, the group's rendition of 'De Do Do Do De Da Da Da' resolved the question. Sting, at one time covering his the Police.

Joining Sting in singing the song was Rankin' Roger, the leader of the English Beat, warmup band for English Beat, a rock-reggae group playing infectious rhythms, did a good job of getting the crowd fired up for the evening's main attraction.

After the show, alert concert-goers might have noticed an old-fashioned song replacing the usual rock music on the public address system. The song, 'Spread A Little Happiness', is a 1930s standard that Sting, with a full dance orchestra, has recorded for his first solo single.

(c) The Pantagraph by Louise Donahue