I got back from the first Denver concert a few hours ago. I am still high up in the clouds from all the excitement. This is still that impossible dream for me as you could imagine. I am still coming to terms with the Vancouver shows and here I am with the Denver show slowly sinking in the depths of my memory well where it will stay forever.

I am so grateful I ended up with a pretty good seat tonight, right side from the floor but first row, section 128, very close to the stage. I had better seats at the Wednesday show in Vancouver but there were these two giants standing in front of me so the view was often blocked.

There was so much energy throughout. Sting, Andy and Stewart were in great shape, giddy to be playing song after song, the canon of hits! Lots of eye contact with each other which was really special to witness. They were considerate in giving space to each other with their playing. This goes specially for Stewart, he was so in tune of how Sting was playing and singing. Each and every one was able to shine in the spotlight. In some ways this concert reminded me of Monday's show in Vancouver except you feel they have gelled by now and Andy has improved in leaps and bounds! His solos were direct and sharp and boy that itself made the night for me; he totally ripped through "Driven To Tears" and "So Lonely". I just couldn't believe my eyes and ears. The former were blurry with tears squirting out from all the joy and excitement. Just two weeks ago, his chords were great but the tone of his guitar was so out of whack and the solos were aimless. He did go totally off rhythm during the beginning of "Roxanne"' but was back on track by the second verse. Sting was amazing vocally and on bass. Seemed like he was having as much fun as Stewart this time around! At one point Andy was a bit annoyed with his guitar sound and called Dennis for help. Sting, noticing this, asked Andy to join him on "Bonanza" since they were in Denver! Andy didn't even bother turning to Sting's side let alone react to what he said but Sting started with the riff and improvised on the word "Rawhide" a few times all the while Stewart keeping a steady beat to it. This gave the chance for Andy to be back on board and start with "Can't Stand Losing You" and the crowd went nuts!

"Don't Stand So Close To Me" was in a higher key and a bit faster in the tempo than the ones performed in Vancouver. Same with "Truth Hits Everybody". This of course made me happy since I thought they both needed much more oomph than the way they were introduced during the start of the tour. No "Murder By Numbers" which was a drag. It would be nice if they bring it back to the set but not before some revisions first. Stewart should play the way he does on the studio recording and Andy should use the pick instead of the soft jazzy strumming. Also with gusto!

For the fourth time in a row, "Can't Stand Losing You" with the "Reggatta De Blanc" improvisation was my favorite in the set. "Synchronicity II" gave me the most chills, Andy's solo during "Driven To Tears" and specially "So Lonely" were real treats. Imagine the picture of Sting right next to Andy thumping on the riff while Andy ripping it like it's 1980. Truly magic... And there were plenty of it all through the night. During "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic"'s chorus the first time around, Sting added a couple of more "on and on" at the end of "now I know my love for her goes on" line, much like the way he does on his 1976 demo, and that too got me teary eyed.

I can't wait for tomorrow's concert. I know I will want even more to see each and every date on this tour. I am already imagining myself with a fancy RV and a fat bank account driving from state to state and seeing the shows. At the moment, my mind is already calculating the distance from here to Phoenix, Dallas, Houston and Vegas... And how I would love to do those double doses of Montreal, Toronto and Boston during the last week of July... But I have to be realistic and accept the fact that this is not possible. But there's also those additional Atlantic City, Boston and Toronto shows in November after they return from Europe...

And wouldn't Europe be grand?

You betcha! Time to wake up, or sleep!

Koko