Synchronicity: 1983/84

Bare-chested charisma...

After their record-breaking success in the stadia of America, The Police came to Birmingham promising great things.

First, though, their idea of superstardom was Sting bouncing up and down and exhorting the audience to show their appreciation of his bare-chested charisma by yelling at him.

But, after this rather tedious beginning, during which only 'Message in a Bottle' caught the attention, Sting relinquished his athletic preening and the band went some way to justifying their world-wide popularity.

Thirty minutes or so into the set 'Invisible Sun' - a song about Belfast, but also applicable to London or Birmingham, according to Sting -led off a series of songs of breath-taking power and haunting rhythms.

As the blond threesome progressed through their most memorable numbers, including King of Pain from the 'Synchronicity' album and the old favourite 'Can't Stand Losing You', they seemed to grow steadily more confident so that finally one could not but admire the amazing simplicity and depth of their sound.

Unlike most groups that can only reproduce their recording material on stage with the aid of a group of support musicians, The Police pulled it off aided only by three dolly bird backing singers.

Much of the atmosphere was created by a spectacular light show that during 'Roxanne' appropriately bathed the stage in red. But in the end the night was won by Sting's echoing vocals and Andy Summers's stabbing guitar.

(c) Black Country Evening Mail by Roger Trapp