Synchronicity: 1983/84

The Police raid the civic center…

Rock band The Police haven't sold 25 million records in six years for nothing.

Monday night's show in the civic center a stunning, 90-minute set that had the audience on its feet from beginning to end demonstrated that the threesome has every right to call itself "the hardest-working band going."

The show wasn't without its problems. The large-screen video system that was promised by the band's management was never set up, lead-vocalist and bassist Sting - his voice normally raspy sounded even hoarser than usual and missed a few high notes, and the show was just a decibel or two on the loud side.

But on the whole, the performance was excellent, and judging from the reaction of the more than 13,000 fans in the sell-out audience, it was also just what they came to hear.

Sting is a lively front man, dancing, bouncing and twirling throughout the show. His vocals, except for the brief, aforementioned lapses, were crystal clear through the flawless sound system. And he can do all that moving and still manage to pluck a pretty mean bass.

Drummer Stewart Copeland attacks a drum kit rather than playing it. His ferocity and driving sound come close to matching that of The Who's late Keith Moon. Leaving the kit occasionally to play an array of African and Caribbean percussion instruments, he proved he's as adept in a tribal medium as he is in rock.

Guitarist Andy Summers has done solo work that already stands as a testament to his ability as a jazz-fusion player. But in the band, too, he's getting better and better, tearing off lightning-quick solos that leave listeners awestruck. He also dances well enough to keep up with Sting on one or two numbers.

The show was helped out by a trio of female backup singers and a few pre-programmed synthesizer tracks that gave the band a fuller sound.

The Police's music exudes optimism and can't help but make listeners happy enough to dance. Sting carries a lot of that optimism onstage with him, and announced at one point that "a nation that can send a man to the moon can do anything."

Unfortunately, it couldn't keep opening act The Fixx from playing too long. The band's uneven, 40-minute set was memorable only for its caterwauling, self-indulgent guitar and synthesizer solos.

Once The Police hit the stage, though, all of that was forgotten.

In the last 16 days, the civic center has hosted two excellent shows by two excellent new-music bands - Talking Heads and The Police. If it can keep up the pace, there's hope for good, regular music in this town yet.

(c) Tallahassee Democrat by Marc Brown