Police Reunion: 2007/08

"The Police" in Düsseldorf - Last Walk on the Moon...

This summer, The Police plan to give their final concert in New York. Musically, however, there's no sign of a swan song at the legendary band's acclaimed concert at Düsseldorf's LTU Arena.

Last year was rock music's ultimate reunion tour. But this summer, The Police plan to give their final concert in New York – or so it was rumoured some time ago. Musically, however, there's no sign of a swan song at the legendary band's acclaimed concert at Düsseldorf's LTU Arena. Rather, Sting, Andy Summers, and Stewart Copeland prove themselves to be a powerful unit and a magical rock trio in front of 50,000 spectators.

The drama of the performance alone makes the Police's exceptional status abundantly clear. At the beginning and end, of course, are the hits that everyone wants to hear and, above all, sing along to. 'Message In A Bottle' electrifies the audience from Copeland's first powerful gong strike and Summer's unmistakable guitar riffs. Towards the end of the evening, they all follow one after the other: 'Roxanne,' 'So Lonely,' and, of course, 'Every Breath You Take.' The audience is simply blissful.

But The Police also embrace a different approach throughout the evening. 'Walking On The Moon' skilfully functions as an interface between hit and concert rock, with solo parts for everyone - along with spectacular excursions into other musical realms. Copeland, too, indulges in the first extras on this number one hit with its groovy reggae foundation. Listening to the 55-year-old's precise yet almost heavy playing is an incomparable experience. The way he inserts interludes on the hi-hat or constantly surprising swirls demonstrates his breath-taking sense of timing and the finest nuances. Such independent drumming, which nevertheless never neglects its fundamental rhythmic function, is simply the exception in rock.

In addition to Sting's voice, Andy Summers and his Fender Telecaster have shaped the Police sound. His ingenious potpourri of originally punk chords, which the 65-year-old transcends into every conceivable style, from reggae and ska to world music and jazz, doesn't seem the least bit dated even after more than 20 years. This is no less true of Sting's bass playing, of course. The 56-year-old has only changed his vocals over the years; the pitch is also a bit lower. Sting's singing is no longer as impulsive as he once was. Over the course of his solo career, he has developed a style that is no less intense, yet more sedate – something that suits his gray beard.

With unbridled enthusiasm, the trio manages to bring unusual songs like 'Demolition Man', a quirky rock piece, or 'Wrapped Around Your Finger', with its extensive percussion and guitar extras, to the 50,000 audience. This should make it clear that the Police stand far above the ever-growing army of reunited bands. And so, with a touch of wistfulness, one heard Sting sing in 'I Can't Stand Losing You': "I guess this is our last goodbye."

(c) Kölnische Rundschau by Christoph Pierschke