Synchronicity: 1983/84

Police concert could become legendary...

The $30, $40, even $60 that many raging Police fans shelled out to ticket scalpers was well-spent on Friday night's capacity-crowd concert. Some said this first of a two-show Police stint in Greensboro was even better than the legendary Bruce Springsteen concert of 1981.

The crowd-encircled stage was obscured in darkness, with only the taped introduction to 'Synchronicity' indicating its location. And then the distinctive voice of Police lead-singer Sting overtook the taped music. The crowd whistled and began shouting as the event began.

Outfitted in the trademark Synchronicity red, blue and yellow garb that he wears in MTV's 'Synchronicity II' video, Sting, along with guitarist Andy Summers and drummer Stewart Copeland, sneakily slunk from the album's title song into its energetic and socially conscious sequel, 'Synchronicity II'.

Switching tracks but not albums, The Police continued with a steamy 'Walking in Your Footsteps'. Sting's piccolo, green, yellow and brown lights and smoky, simulated hot springs constituted a jungle setting that added a third dimension to the strangely cynical tune.

The Police sang almost every song from their recent No. 1 album, 'Synchronicity', including the indignant 'Oh My God', 'Wrapped Around Your Finger', the love song 'Every Breath You Take' and the mysterious 'Tea in the Sahara'.

'King of Pain' was decidedly the biggest hit from the album, with the audience singing as much as Sting and entirely supplying the choral "that's my soul up there."

Interspersed among the 'Synchronicity' tunes were popular - and not-so-popular songs from past Police albums. Long-time Police fans were satisfied by the many selections from the group's first album, 'Outlandos d'Amour'. Although much of the crowd seemed unfamiliar to these early tunes, old fans and those who caught on quickly danced and sang to 'Masako Tanga', 'So Lonely', 'Next to You', 'Hole in my Life', the encore 'Can't Stand Losing You' and the unanimous favourite, 'Roxanne', during which the house lights were turned on to reveal a sea of arms and faces waving and bouncing to the beat.

Top-40 hits like 'Message in a Bottle', 'De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da', and a violet-shrouded 'Don't Stand So Close to Me' from the 'Regatta de Blanc' and 'Zenyatta Mondatta' albums elicited phenomenal crowd response.

The least-represented album was 1981's socio-political 'Ghost in the Machine'. But two of the songs from the album, 'Spirits in the Material World' and 'Invisible Sun', were so intense that no other 'Machine' statement needed to be made.

The nearly two-hour show revealed only hints of touring burnout. The band members did not talk with the audience as much as they have been known to, with Summers and Copeland sticking to their instruments and leaving the theatrics to Sting.

Many concerts end up being out-of-studio barrages of noise. But Friday night's show was a true concert. The entire show was artfully and professionally done. Sting's vocals, Summers' guitar and Copeland's drums blended into the precision and distinctiveness that led the Police to its super-group status.

(c) Daily Tar Heel by Sheryl Thomas

Police Rock Sell-Out Crowd in Greensboro...

The Police, a chart-topping pop trio from England, rocked a sell-out crowd at the Greensboro Coliseum last night with a relentlessly energetic 90-minute show.

The concert was dominated by songwriter/vocalist/bassist Sting (nee Gordon Sumner). Dressed like a circus ringleader in the nuclear age, Sting milked the crowd shamelessly time and time again with his athletic leaps and posturing.

Sting's vocals were urgent and fiery. More impressive was his bass playing, which was simple yet energizing.

All this was overshadowed by his stage antics, which consisted mainly of hopping with great agility on rubber legs. His every move was followed by an overhead spotlight, even when one of the other members was soloing.

Any time Sting moved forward on the stage, the crowd responded. Any time he called for more applause or noise, the crowd responded.

Any time he shook his unkempt tresses, the crowd responded.

Despite Sting's dominance of the spotlight, the crowd's sentimental favourite seemed to be the band's remarkable drummer, Stewart Copeland.

While Sting was the haughty Brit, Copeland was the brash American, roguishly twirling and tossing drumsticks behind him. His drumming was a mix of spare tapping and explosive rushes of sound. Sometimes he was simply heart-stopping.

Andy Summers came across as a reluctant guitar hero, stepping almost sheepishly to centre stage and strutting like a pop star only occasionally.

As a musician, Summers offered an intriguing mix of nimble, rhythmic strums, feedback-laden chords and shimmering harmonics. He was at times stirring, at times eye-widening, and rarely routine.

The troublesome thing about the show was that the three hardly seemed to be playing together. The sound was tight enough, except when the beats got too intricate for their own good. But the three rarely acknowledged each other or gave any indication that they enjoyed sharing the stage.

The one exception came when Sting and Summers raced to centre stage for a brief, pogoing pas de deux during 'One World'. Summers was out-hoofed but won points for being game.

The band played all its hits and played them well. There were a few surprises, most notably the two female background vocalists. Their major contributions, in addition to harmonies, were choreography and hand jive.

The band also surprised the crowd by switching from its trademark, reggae-tinged beat to a funk beat on 'Hole in My Life' and 'Walking in Your Footsteps', one of the night's best offerings.

Other highlights of the evening included the stunning beats and harmonies of 'Walking on the Moon', the haunting 'Wrapped Around Your Finger' and the rousing 'King of Pain'.

The special lighting effects provided many good moments, too. Smoke swirled in fingers of light above the stage. And when the houselights came on just as 'Roxanne' exploded in a burst of feverish rock'n'roll, the rush of emotion from the crowd of nearly 16,000 was nearly incredible.

The group performs tonight at 8pm.

(c) Winston-Salem Journal by Jon Healey

The Police And Re-Flex At Greensboro Coliseum...

A burst of smoke and a flash of stark, primary-coloured spotlights drew the audience to its feet at the Greensboro Coliseum Friday night.

A ragged blond figure emerged from the dark at the rear of the stage and almost singlehandedly kept the crowd standing for 90 minutes as the Police delivered a raw and exciting performance.

Sting, bristly-haired lead singer and bassist for what is arguably rock music's most popular active band, used his pleading tenor voice and agile stage moves to demand not only attention but participation from the sell-out crowd of 16,000.

He got everything he asked for. And the audience in turn received a rich mixture of distinctive vocal harmonies and rhythms laden with reggae, pop and African textures.

Opening with the hard-driving 'Synchronicity I' from 1983's multimillion selling 'Synchronicity' album, the trio displayed crisp arrangements fuelled with more passion than is evident on record.

'O My God', the hit single 'Wrapped Around Your Finger' and the African-sounding 'Walking In Your Footsteps' came across with superb energy and skilled musicianship.

On 'Footsteps', eerie smoke billowed across the stage as drummer Stewart Copeland played an array of congas, gongs and other drums.

Sting punctuated his vocals with leaps and occasional kicks in unison with guitarist Andy Summers. Sting also bounced on a small trampoline.

Screaming, clapping and singing along with nearly every song, audience members held up home-made banners reading, "We're so lonely, Sting," or simply, "Sting."

Re-Flex, a slick, hard-driving foursome, opened the show with 40 minutes of tight, synthesizer-powered rock, including their current single, 'The Politics of Dancing'.

Although their set was strong, it couldn't hold the audience's attention to a degree even close to that of Sting, Copeland and Summers, who gave all they had and left the audience cheering for more.

The Police will perform a second sell-out show at the Greensboro Coliseum tonight. The Greensboro shows are the only Carolinas dates for the group this year.

Although rumours of a breakup have been rampant, Copeland said recently the band only intends to take a one-year break before resuming work.

(c) Charlotte Observer by Kathy Haight

Police: 31,000 Fans at 2 Concerts Sting at Greensboro: 'Let's Raise the !*&$!*! Roof'

Some 31,000 fans flocked to the Greensboro Coliseum last Friday and Saturday nights to hear Police, the English rock combo riding the crest of a tidal wave of popularity, seemingly everywhere.

Some 15,500 fans jammed into the coliseum each night. The first concert had sold out in eight hours after tickets went on sale, so promoters scheduled the second concert, and fans bought all the tickets to that one, too, in less than a day.

The Police crowd for one night didn't quite match the 16,000 fans that the "king." Elvis Presley drew here long ago, but only because Police's special stage prevented selling tickets for the capacity of 16,000 seats.

The Police- comprised of lead singer-bassist Sting (Gordon Matthew Sumner), drummer Stewart Copeland and Andy Summers on guitar - is on tour to promote their 'Synchronicity' album, at the top of the album charts for weeks. Their single, 'Every Breath You Take', topped all other rock hits in the United States for 1983.

It was just a little after 8 p.m. Friday when Reflex, the opening act, bounded on stage. Although the coliseum was barely half filled and the fans were still pouring in, Reflex began enthusiastically and soon had the crowds rocking right along with them.

The crowd obviously enjoyed them, but the tension was becoming ominous by the time Reflex said goodnight and the road crew came out on stage to set up equipment for the Police.

By now every seat was filled, the crowd was restless and the air was filled with great excitement. Promptly at 9 p.m. the coliseum lights dimmed. Amid deafening screams from the audience, Police ran out on stage, lighting their way with flashlights as 'Voices Inside My Head', a track from their 'Zenyatta Mondatta' album played in the background. Then the stage was lighted up to reveal Sting, clad in red army pants, a black Police concert shirt, a jacket striped with every colour of the rainbow and black combat boots. Andy Summers was dressed in black pants, a white shirt and a black blazer and Stewart Copeland had on white shorts, a football shirt, and tennis shoes.

Sting walked to the front of the stage to challenge the audience: "Hello Greensboro! Are you ready?"

There was an overwhelming response of screaming from the crowd.

"Let's go!" He yelled. The band played the title and town, 'Synchronicity' and followed it up with Synchronicity II'. Then they played a haunting song entitled 'Walking in Your Footsteps'. The fans became somewhat subdued as Sting paced through the smoke on stage and sung of the future extinction of man.

As the song ended Sting bounded to the front of the stage. "We haven't been in Greensboro for a while" he yelled, and the audience roared back its welcome, pierced with shrieks and whistles.

Sting grinned and continued, "Nothing could be finer than to be in Carolina."

The audience went wild, and in the bedlam Sting walked to all parts of the stage and waved to every section of the audience. Jokingly, he turned to the back of the stage and looked up to where the royal box would be located. Bowing deeply, he said, "Your majesty!"

The Police then swung into 'Message in a Bottle'. Toward the end of the song, Sting invited the audience to sing along. Their first few feeble attempts had him shaking his head, but soon the coliseum reverberated as thousands of voices sang in unison. This song was followed up by 'Walking on the Moon'.

Sting then introduced the next song: "This is called 'Oh My God, or in other words, what's up. God?"

The crowd screamed, and halfway through the song Sting and Andy Summers leaped to the front of the stage and began to dance excitedly. The audience cheered.

Then came 'Da Doo Doo Doo, Da Da Da Da'. Sting delighted the crowd by prancing about on stage, and Stewart Copeland tossed a drumstick into the audience. The Police then played 'Wrapped Around Your Finger' and the surrealistic 'Tea in the Sahara'.

The lights dimmed for a moment, and the first few strains of 'Spirits in the Material World' could be heard. This was followed 'Invisible Sun'. Sting was in the spotlight as he sang "There has to be an invisible sun; it lends its heat to everyone."

When the stage had been illuminated again, Sting peered out into the audience. "If I were to say 'Ya,' what would you say?" he asked.

"Ya!" screamed the audience.

"Ya!" he countered. "Ya!" they returned even louder.

The Police then played 'Hole in My Life', that begins with a series of loud ya's. Toward the end of the song, Sting demanded a few more ya's from the audience.

"Just one more," he encouraged, and then "One for me!" The response was deafening. The Police then swung into 'One World (Not Three)'. Then came 'King of Pain'. 

After that, 'Don't Stand So Close to Me', perhaps the Police's most famous hit, was played. The audience responded with deafening screams. This was followed by 'Every Breath You Take'.

Then came 'Murder By Numbers'. Afterward, as the lights dimmed again, the audience went wild as they recognised the familiar strains of 'Roxanne', the first hit song that the Police ever had. As Sting sang "Roxanne, you don't have to put out the red light," the stage was illuminated by red floodlights.

During the chorus, the entire coliseum was illuminated to reveal the thousands of screaming fans. After that, the Police left the stage. The dark coliseum became a sea of lighters as fans called for an encore. Presently, Police came back out and played 'Can't Stand Losing You'. Before the last verse, Sting paused to speak.

"It just so happens," he began, "that tomorrow night in this very same building we'll be here."

The crowd almost stampeded.

"This means I'll have to draw some kind of comparison between tonight's audience and tomorrow night's." He paused. "I don't want to have to say that tomorrow's crowd is louder, so sing with me and let's raise the $*&*!&* roof!"

He then led the audience in a series of loud wails and congratulated them in the end saying, "That wasn't bad!"

The Police finished their interrupted song, and before they left the stage again someone passed a giant banner up to the stage that said "I'm So Lonely Without You, Sting!" Sting held it up and took it backstage with him. The concert was truly over.

Saturday night was like deja-vu. There were relatively no changes, except that Sting's coat of colours had been replaced by a blue painter's smock. The coliseum was crammed full once again.

Why all this excitement over a band that was relatively unknown seven years ago? One fan, Laura Hulett, 18, said, "The Police are a consistent group. You know that if they come out with something new you'll like it. They give a great concert performance and make statements with their music."

Police fever certainly has seemed to catch on. 

Nina Poppe, 16, attended both concerts.

"I went both nights because I love the Police. I think they are all gorgeous and the music is excellent. I felt like it was Beatlemania all over again I just wanted to touch them!"

(c) The Sentinel by Selina Nomeir