Originally posted by wanderlust j. marshmallow:
so how was the Halloween show, TheDirector?
Is Vansmack wrong?
I'm glad you asked. It simply keeps on getting better, IMO. Every time I think they can't top themselves, they do. Andy Summers is really putting on a fucking guitar clinic on this tour. He is a legend & sits somewhere way up there in the pantheon of great guitarists. The band was in a real fuckin' zone that night. I don't know if it was all those crazies out for Halloween or the adulation of the crowd, but that was a special show. The only time I saw The Police & they were simply "good" was at Bonnaroo. It was far from a groundbreaking performance but it was satisfying. However, since then it's just gotten better with each show. The "punkier" Police, so to speak, are starting to come back through in some of these interpretations of the songs. I find it crazy (good way) that they've taken these well-loved songs people have been singing for decades, know front to back, & turned them into almost brand new songs. Sting's voice is in rare form & he hit EVERY note that night. I certainly didn't expect him to dress up for Halloween, and as a jester no less, so maybe he doesn't take himself as seriously as perceived. But that's meaningless. Highlights from the show were:
*Opening with a BLISTERING version of "Message In A Bottle"
*"Hole In My Life" - a new addition to the setlists from the 1st leg, unfortunately in lieu of "The Bed's Too Big Without You". But I can live with that.
*"Don't Stand So Close To Me" - They brought out a synthesizer for it this time. Refreshing. Sounded real close to the original with a nice extended jam at the end.
*"Can't Stand Losing You/Regatta De Blanc" - The band seamlessly jumped back & forth between these two songs on a DIME. Stewart Copeland, drumming wise, is truly on his own planet. And the shit Andy was doing on that axe (mind you he does the WHOLE show with just that one guitar) was a treat for any true music connoisseur. Fan or not. That man is truly putting on a clinic on this tour. Pay homage.
*"Voices Inside My Head/When The World Is Running Down, You Make The Best Of What's Still Around" - Again, another seamless transistion between the songs. Stewart slayed his drum solo as only he can. This song also highlighted the fact that regardless of what you may think of Sting of a person, the man is one hell of a bassist. On possibly the most beat-up looking bass I've ever seen no less. The back & forth on these two tracks was amazing.
*"Driven To Tears" - Sting hit this crazy extended high note at the end of the song that I personally didn't think he still had left in him. Crowd went nuts. This version was really crisp & sped up from other versions on the tour I've seen.
*"Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic" - The "Ee-Yo-Yo" part always does something to me. The Garden EXPLODED on that part. Another highlight. I never really cared for this song that much until I saw it live. It's now one of my favorites. Sting hit this BANANAS ass high note at the end. Nice.
Setlist:
"Message In A Bottle"
"Synchronicity II"
"Walking On The Moon"
"Voices Inside My Head"
"When The World Is Running Down"
"Don't Stand So Close To Me"
"Driven To Tears"
"Truth Hits Everybody"
"Hole In My Life"
"Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic"
"Wrapped Around Your Finger"
"De Do Do Do De Da Da Da"
"Invisible Sun"
"Walking In Your Footsteps"
"Can't Stand Losing You"
"Roxanne"
"King Of Pain"
"So Lonely"
"Every Breath You Take"
"Next To You"
To wrap it all up & answer your other question, no I don't think Smackie was wrong. I'm sure it hurt for him to have to admit a lackluster show knowing how big a fan he is. I think he simply caught 'em on an off-night. However, if there was one show I wish he could have been at it would have been this one. If I could go back & do it again I would have paid for him to go. It was one of those weird, special shows where when it's over you're like "Damn, did that just happen? Was I really there?" Yeah, one of those. The high from that show still hasn't worn off. (But then again I just had one of the best concert weeks ever. More on that later.) The only better show I've seen this year was Daft Punk in Brooklyn. And maybe Stevie Wonder last week, & Iggy @ 9:30. That's it. It was 2.25 of the best hours of my life. And I've had some great fuckin' hours. The musicianship on this tour is in abundance & quite fuckin'
amazing. If you get the chance to attend tonight @ Verizon, I suggest you go. That's all I can think of for now. I'll be in the 4th row on the floor. Feel free to holla at me. Have no idea what I'm wearing, but if you run into a black man tonight with swagger, charm, & an impeccable fashion sense - look no further fella, you found him.
See y'all tonight . . .
Sincerely,
The Director
