Thursday, April 12, 2007

The Police World Tour - my personal wishlist

-- originally published at Epinions.com --

The Police World Tour is one of the hottest concert tickets this year, if not in several years. This is a tour that a lot of people have been waiting to see happen for a very long time, myself included. I've been a rabid fan of the band, as well as Sting's solo career since I first heard them on the radio in 1979. And on June 26, 2007, I finally get to check "Attend a Concert by The Police" from my list of things to do before I die…

But what kind of concert will I see and hear? What will The Police decide to play?

The band only released five albums, a surprise to some when you consider just how huge the band's influence was, how popular their hits – especially those in the early eighties – became. Many people will want to hear a hit parade in this concert, and I'm sure that the band will oblige, but it's my hope that the band will want to play at least some of the more obscure music that us hardcore Police fans have come to love over the years.

It would not surprise me to see the band do a few medleys that at least touch on more obscure songs while moving between the more obvious hits. The band was known for some extended noodling on certain songs, giving Sting a chance to engage the crowd in singing "ee-oh-ee-oh-oh-oh" or other nonsense syllable phrases, and it would not surprise me to see him do it again.
Assuming the band will give a two and a half hour concert with a twenty minute break in the middle, my guess is that they could plan on playing anywhere from twenty five to thirty songs, some in their entirety, some quoted quickly in passing.

And so, I would like to offer two lists to the band for their consideration:

The Obvious and The Obscure

It's my hope that the band will perform a blend of music from both these lists, utilizing most, if not all of them, even if not a complete version of the song:

The Obvious
Here are fourteen hits and a couple other songs, in ascending album order, that I think stand a very good chance of being played at a Police concert near you…

Outlandos d'Amor
  • Can't Stand Losing You
  • Roxanne
Regatta de Blanc
  • Message in a Bottle
  • Walking on the Moon
  • Regatta de Blanc*
Zenyatta Mondatta
  • Don't Stand So Close to Me (NOT the '86 version)
  • When the World Is Running Down, You Make the Best of What's Still Around
  • Bombs Away**
Ghost in the Machine
  • Spirits in the Material World
  • Every Little Thing She Does is Magic
  • Invisible Sun
Synchronicity
  • Synchroncity I
  • Synchronicity II
  • Every Breath You Take
  • King of Pain
  • Wrapped Around Your Finger

* Regatta de Blanc was an often used instrumental at Police concerts – excellent for crowd singalongs. ** Bombs Away may not be AS obvious a hit as the others, but given the current involvement of the US in Iraq and Afghanistan, it is VERY topical right now.

The Obscure
Here are thirteen other songs that I would like to hear played by The Police in concert, again in ascending album order…

ODA – Truth Hits Everybody
ODA – Next to You
RDB – Bring on the Night
RDB – Does Everyone Stare
ZM – Driven to Tears
ZM – Shadows in the Rain
GITM – One World (Not Three)
GITM – Rehumanize Yourself
GITM – Too Much Information
GITM – Secret Journey
SYNC – Murder by Numbers
SYNC – O My God
Bonus Track from Brimstone and Treacle soundtrack – I Burn For You

So those are the songs. And guess what? I've even got suggestions regarding song order for this concert.

Yep. Because I am just that obsessed over this band and this show.

I know. I am a sad, sad man.

The Tomato's Police Concert Playlist
I'll be sure to keep score at the actual show, and then we can come back and compare notes to see how I did. Please note that I am publishing this list before The Police have played any shows at all, so this one is all me.
  1. Synchronicity I
  2. Next to You / Truth Hits Everybody
  3. The Bed's Too Big Without You / Can't Stand Losing You / Shadows in the Rain / Regatta de Blanc
  4. One World (Not Three) / When the World is Running Down, You Make the Best of What's Still Around / Bring on the Night
  5. Too Much Information / Rehumanize Yourself
  6. Driven to Tears / Bombs Away / Murder by Numbers
  7. Invisible Sun / Walking on the Moon
  8. Does Everyone Stare / O My God / Secret Journey
  9. Wrapped Around Your Finger / King of Pain

Intermission

  1. Synchronicity II
  2. Spirits in the Material World / Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic

Encores

  1. Don't Stand So Close to Me / Every Breath You Take
  2. I Burn for You
  3. Roxanne (acoustic) / Message in a Bottle (acoustic) / Roxanne (rock reprise)

There they are, my predictions and predilections for the show I've waited for all these years. Don't need to hear any of Sting's solo work, I've seen seven of his concert tours, and don't need to hear those songs again for a while yet (though it would not surprise me if Sting quotes Fragile during an encore, especially near the end with Message in a Bottle – a very popular encore during his solo tours)

Got any thoughts on the list? the order? medleys you'd like to suggest? I'd love to read your comments, and here's hoping that you have the chance to catch The Police on tour somewhere near you quite soon!

1 comment:

BeckEye said...

Great post!

I would like to see The Police also, but I'm so hung up on Squeeze and can only afford one big show this summer. As it happens, Squeeze and The Police are both playing NYC in different venues on the same night. I'm hoping more people will opt for The Police, leaving more Squeeze tix for me!

Thanks for stopping by my blog.