Ghost In The Machine: 1981/82

Everything he did was magic...

Police lead singer Sting might well hope his leg won't break while walking on the moon but he had to cope with an arm in plaster for last week's concert at Deeside.

He walked on to the stage in his grey army style jacket and trousers looking very demure with his arm in a sling but although he was obviously trying to be restrained he soon let fly into his more active self.

The story was that he had gashed his hand while performing a film stunt and stitches holding it together had come apart during a gig in Brighton three days earlier.

To prevent that happening again, they were re-sewn and the plaster put on his arm to give it time to heal.

And judging from his performance last week, it's not surprising those stitches came undone. He obviously found it very frustrating not being able to use his right hand, so much so that he insisted on using the odd finger on the keyboards.

And in their best numbers like 'Invisible Sun' he took his whole arm out of the sling to play two-handed.

Although it did not get to Number One in the charts, that song will go down as one of their best, in my book anyway, despite the BBC's refusal to show the video film that goes with it.

But we, the select 6,000 or so at Deeside, saw it for ourselves against the backdrop of their somewhat plain set above the ice rink.

Not a lot that we haven't seen before in years of news flashes from Northern Ireland, but it must have upset someone at Aunty Beeb.

But perhaps a group of the Police's standing shouldn't need a video shown on Top of the Pops to help them get to the top of the charts.

Enough of that a group of the Police's standing must be the only musicians able to start their set with three of their biggest hits, including the recent 'Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic', and still have plenty left for two encores after a performance lasting more than an hour.

Those familiar titles and rhythms to match kept coming and even. when there was a lull and the songs weren't quite so familiar, there was always someone chanting the words down in the front row.

By the end of the evening most of the front row must have been hauled over the protective barrier by the first aid teams as fan after fan passed out or was overcome by the crowds and, of course, the sight of the man himself, even with a sling on.

Not that he was the only one to watch Andy Summers even man- aged to play the guitar brilliantly while prancing around the stage dodging microphones, wires and speakers.

And Stewart Copeland, dressed more for a 10 mile jog in running shorts and vest than for a concert, excelled as we have come to expect.

There were some unexpected additions to the regular threesome there was a three-piece horn section which is accompanying the band on their nine day tour, and Sting's "personal roadie", who relieved him of his bass for the whole set.

Could he become a permanent fixture? With a name like Danny Quatrochi, I doubt it.

(c) The North Wales Weekly News 

My first ever gig (was 15). Got there early with my brother & his girlfriend. Queued for hours in the snow but worth it because there were only 5 people between me and the stage (no seats in those days!). Jools Holland was the support. The Police were late coming on and when they did Sting had his arm in a sling (was this because of one of the legendary backstage bustups??). Sting's roadie Danny played bass cos Sting couldn't with his arm being bad. It was quite simply awesome and can still remember it really well over 25 years later...

(c) ''halfpenk''