Zenyatta Mondatta: 1980/81

The rock and roll ascendancy of beautiful gilded Aryan youths that lapsed with the decline of the Beach Boys has returned again with the English band Police, who brought a powerful evening to UCSB's Events Center last Sunday night. The ugly, industrial cavern made a fit setting for the three decibel-drenched bands, its echoes and ear-skinning liveness providing an aural oven to contain the psychic heat onstage.

At the start, Oingo Boingo put out the traditional "these guys are OK, but where's the band?" opening act. Despite the masterful support of their brilliant drummer, the set sounded like one cop-show chase sequence soundtrack after another-disjointed, atonal, frenetic, ultimately dull. XTC, the second act, resembled Oingo Boingo only in volume, a distinction made particularly vivid by the contrast between O.B's desiccated, jarring version of The Kinks' classic 'You Really Got Me Now' and the genuine resonant, sinuous disorienting Kinks-like sound characteristic of XTC throughout. They seem to have outgrown most of the pious, frenetic middle-class idol-bashing that marred Drums and Wires, concentrating instead on the brooding, attenuated and driving alienation of their most familiar tunes, 'Making Plans for Nigel' and 'Ten Feet Tall'. (note: new release on Friday).

With the arrival of the Police the evening went into maximum gear. Most of the punked-up but strangely mannerly audience climbed up onto the chairs and stayed there until the show finally closed around one in the morning. Listening to "Roxanne" on the radio is no preparation for the overwhelming live Police sound. There is a profound difference between the pretty radio ballad with its nice plaintive reggae vocal and bright funkified bass line, and the ravishing organ pipe lament at undistorted but total decibels with the impossible rich, hot instrumentals of the live performance. How can they get that sound out of three measly if cute guys, one bass, one guitar and a set of skins? It seems unbelievable that there is no hidden synthesizer, no support but the wizard at the mixing board.

The true source of their power as a live band must lie in their three peerless voices, sonically as flexible, subtle, expressive and intense as the masterful guitar and keyboard playing which usually fills out a top band's sound. Of course, and Steely Dan-quality electronic manipulation of instrument and voices doesn't hurt either.

Aside from the sound, what kind of show did they put on? Frankly, I don't know: I was seldom able to see the band around the audience's high weaving heads. XTC had started fast, but zoned their watchers into catatonic submission in the heart of their set; but the Police never let the tempo slacken, keeping their dazed audience transfixed in breathless bobbing verticality for the whole time.

Both English groups showed a kind of primary toughness rare in American rock-hard edged, no bluster. "This is supposed to be dance music; whoever arranges things here should take out some of the guards and some of the chairs next time so you can get out of your fucking seats next time and MOVE" XTC's Andy Partridge said sharpy during his set. The Police's Sting spoke as cuttingly about the security's attempts "to move dancers out of the clear space in front of the stage for no apparent reason."

The passivity of their dazed fans seemed almost to frustrate the driving players, who were cranking it out at full if melodious throttle all night. But the torpor of the audience was really a tribute to the bands; the watchers were just too bloated with music to move.

(c) The Santa Barbara Independent by Georgia Sargeant

The Police at the University of California...

After really being into the Police from the git go and loving how they were cranking out better and better albums I finally got a chance to see them, at the then brand new Events Center. Do not know who I went with as I was only 21 at the time so things were fuzzy then(and still are). Previously, I had only been to 7 concerts most of them around the UCSB area (Fleetwood Mac at Campus Stadium in '75 and '77 and Santana/UFO in Rob Gym in '77)

Seats were straight back on the floor riser-Oingo Boingo opened and had a ton of energy they really got the place rocking as the had such a huge college following. Played for about 45 minutes next up was XTC. At the time they had maybe one hit but they had a cool backscreen that made they show more engaging and they were a perfect lead into the boys.

Things that stood out-Sting's big upright bass and the huge sound of Don't Stand, Stewart's always fun to watch, frantic yet tight as hell and how the shape of the building made the vocals and Andy's guitar really soar. Loved the middle of 'Roxanne', along with 'Can't Stand'. Someday, I'll have to get a recording from a date around that show.

I am really glad I saw them them at that time as although I loved their subsequent albums I never really cared for how their live shows had more and more players. I loved seeing just the 3 of them in their raw form.

(c) ''vmvoros''