Police in concert? De do do don't

The Police reunion tour makes it way to Tampa on July 11, but don't look for me to be sitting in the stands. My concert buddy, Times pop critic Sean Daly, will have to go it alone to the sold-out show at the St. Pete Times Forum.

I realize they're an '80s institution and I'm the flag-bearer for the decade (at least in the blog world). But no matter how much I tried to like their music back then -- or today -- I just don't get the attraction. Write it off as just my odd personal taste in music if you will. After all, I'm probably the only person who has Thomas Dolby, Stan Ridgway and Oingo Boingo on my list of acts I'd see ANY time they decide to play again.

So go read Sean Daly's oddly erotic ode to the band on his blog, and then consider my points here. If you've already decided to skip your car payment for this month to afford the ticket, say hi to Sean -- he'll be one of 20,000 people sadly trying to sing along with Roxanne like Eddie Murphy in 48 Hours. (Shudder.) Me? I'd rather save my money to buy Guitar Hero's new '80s edition.

Top 5 reasons to skip The Police on tour:

5. They're not a compelling live act. Sometimes I wonder if they're each playing different songs at the same time. (They call that jazz, right?) I don't know what magic goes on in the studio to fill things out, but during a show, they come across sounding like a trio playing a cruise ship lounge.

4. Sting, Andy Summers and Stewart Copeland hate each other. That's a lot of bad mojo. If it were possible for each band members to set up on opposite ends of the St. Pete Times Forum, they'd do it.

3. There are a lot of great 80s bands reunions this summer -- and this ain't one of them. I'd rather save my money for Genesis, The Jesus and Mary Chain or Crowded House. I'd even use my limited funds to spend for group counseling for Van Halen, just on the remote chance they'll get back together for a week or two.

2. I can't think of any Police song I really want to hear again. The corporate radio stations saturate the airwaves with their drivel. If I hear "Wrapped Around Your Finger" one my time on my way to work, I'm going to wrap my car around a sign post.

1. I just plain don't like them. The three of them remind me of the cool kids back in high school -- the ones with the cool clothes, hot girlfriends and great parties -- the ones we weren't invited to. Sorry, but if I wasn't cool enough for The Police back in the 80s, I'm not cool enough for them now.

Comments

[scottwe]

Well, I can agree with at least a couple of the things you're saying about The Police, Steve. If they were to come to my neck of the woods, Cincinnati, I would not go...if you don't want the nose-bleed seats, it's just ridiculous how much they're charging.

I do enjoy The Police's music though. Synchronicity and Ghost in the Machine are great albums, but as you've said, they aren't really a compelling live act. It might be worth it to see them if you were guaranteed a fist-fight or two...but having only a 50/50 chance, I'll have to pass. ;)

[Brad]

The Police = drivel?

You are dead to me.

[Douglas Arthur]

No Steve, you are not alone! I'd drop anything to see Stan, Thomas, or the Boingo boys anytime...of course i would also include Devo to that as well, but that's just me. I do agree with you about the Police. I like some of their stuff, but their commercial stuff is super-commercial crap. Andy Summers did a couple of neat albums with Robert Fripp and stewart Copeland did that great song "Don't Box Me In" with Stan Ridgway, but other than Police stuff, not much else of note.

[bassnote]

I am a Police fan, but no I would not go see them. Based on reviews of shows I have heard, I'm not missing much. They were here in Chicago on July 5th, but I opted to see Asia instead; a much better choice.

And Steve, I too would see Oingo Boingo, Thomas Dolby and Stan Ridgway (who will be in Chicago soon) in a heartbeat.

[Eric Deggans]

Steve, Steve, Steve. you're breaking my heart.

If I wasn't in between a two-week vacation and a two-week out-of-town assignment, I'd probably be at the Police show tonight, even though I agree that they are not the most compelling live act.

Some groups shine better on record than live, and the Police has always been one of those bands. But I did see the first gig of their last outing, the Syncronicity tour, at Comisky Park in Chicago.

Back then, the lineup was an 80s fan's dream: Ministry (who were an up-and-coming techno band back then), the Fixx, flock of Seagulls, Joan Jett and The Police. Other than Jett, every one of those bands was better in studio than live but I still had a pretty good time.

I think the Police are more like a dysfunctional married couple -- there are things which pull them together and other things which drive them apart. I just hope they casn hold it together long enough to go back in the studio and give us soemthing new; that's the real value of this reunion, if i ever gets that far...

[topcad]

Steve...it's okay. You can go now. You won't be singled out as not being one of the "cool" kids. I caught the Police on their recent tour in Dallas and in the words of Ferris Bueller, "It was so choice."

[Jan Wesner]

And to think I held you in such high regard.
Sigh.

I'll be there tonight. Does that make me one of the cool kids?

[Marlene's Sewing Circle]

We remember, as outcast tweens, getting a beating or two for refusing to fly the Duran Duran flag and instead devoting ourselves entirely to Stewart, Andy and Mr. Sumner. We're going to the show, and we aren't ashamed that we maxed out our plastic for great seats. We'd also give an arm and a leg to see Thomas Dolby. Go figure.

[The Carl]

All right, I'll ask. How come we can get every great 80s act in the world down here except Stan Ridgway? Is it the hurricanes or what? "Call of the West" is still one of the best albums I own.

[Spears]

Stan Ridgway is coming to St. Pete later this month. July 29, I think.

I hope everyone knows that the little "blog battles" between me and Sean are purely for entertainment purposes. That being said, I'm still not going to see The Police in concert. There are a handful of 80s icons I don't really care (Madonna, The Smiths, The Police...). But I hope everyone enjoys the show.

Feel free to stop by my blog on Thursday and tell me how the show went.

[Marlene's Sewing Circle]

The show was amazing.

[Six]

@ Steve - I wouldn't go to a Police concert either, and not because I think they suck. I just refuse to pay such ridiculous prices for concert tickets.

Other than that, I think the Police are one of the finest bands of the 80s. They certainly are among the most musically-gifted. I don't know, but I think they can actually read sheet music. *gasp*

@ Marlene's Sewing Circle - You should check out Thomas Dolby's podcast on iTunes. You'll love it!

I'm off to read Sean's strangely-erotic post about The Police.