The POLICE!

I will try to convey how phenomenal the concert was, but I will fall short, for there are no words to equal the experience.

First, the arena (Madison Square Garden; the part where they play hockey and basketball) was smaller than we'd expected, so that was cool. We were directly across from the stage. Couldn't see the faces too well, but there were JumboTrons anticipating that issue for us.

They opened with Message in a Bottle, and from the getgo the whole place was singing along with them, continually invited by Sting. Sting Sting Sting. Always loved that man. Looking DAMNED fine too. Next came Synchronicity II, and after that I don't really remember the order. But suffice to say they played *every single song* like it was an encore, and even mixed a few songs into each other. Can't Stand Losing You had Regatta de Blanc in the middle of it, with Sting doing call-and-response with Regatta's "E-yo, e-yay" parts. That was the absolute pinnacle for me; if you know Regatta de Blanc, think of how it accelerates, imagine 80 000 people singing it along with Sting AND Sting doing the whole bit TWICE, and you'll understand. Forevermore that song will make me inordinately happy.

(It's also possible that it happened inside Driven to Tears instead; my brain last night switched gears to stick Regatta inside that one.)

During King of Pain, if you knew it was there to hear (and everyone did), you could hear about a quarter of the audience filling in "That's my soul up there" between verse lines. They also played the intro to Demolition Man but then switched to some other song. Again, Sting did loads of call-and-response. It was like they were performing with us, not for us. Completely, totally awesome. Everyone in the audience was just completely elated to be there. There's nothing like that feeling, nothing: 80 000 joyous people all with the same purpose, excited to be alive. Many of us had waited almost 25 years for this, thinking even that it was never going to happen. The place was up in arms. Uproarious. Happy beyond belief. Synchronicity.

I think Sting did mess up a time or two with the rhythms. Like his solo style got in the way of the Police style. But if he did mess up, Stuart and Andy adapted immediately, probably well used to it by this time on the tour. Twice Sting introduced Stuart and Andy, but no one introduced him :)

The other best parts for me were Every Little Thing She Does is Magic, one of my favorite songs of all time, and Invisible Sun. They played less than two hours, which is hard to believe when every song seemed 10 minutes long. They did two encores; I think Every Breath You Take was the final song.

Your set list:
Message in a Bottle
Synchronicity II
Roxanne
Don't Stand So Close to Me
Can't Stand Losing You/Regatta de Blanc
Next to You
Walking in Your Footsteps
De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da
Every Breath You Take
Walking on the Moon
Wrapped Around Your Finger
King of Pain
So Lonely
Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic
The Bed's Too Big Without You
Driven to Tears
Truth Hits Everybody
Voices Inside My Head

Hopefully Blake will tell me if I've forgotten anything. I want this to come from my/our memory, not the official review of it in the Times or anything.

The opening band was Fictionplane, fronted by Sting's very own son. Stingson has the exact same voice as his father, though he does different things with it. Quite good, we thought.

They also allow food and water (bought there) inside. Blake got to sit next to a bunch of drunk men out for a guys' weekend. Fortunately, Jim, mr. friendly there beside her, didn't spill his beer or throw up on her. She was ready for it, though.

I panic slightly when I think of not seeing them again. So hopefully I can make it to another show. Anyone who's up for it, let me know.