Steve - Thank you for the post. All - So, tonight's the night. Having seen the fellas three times last year, I am heading to the city of my birth today to see what is alleged to be the last ever concert of the band known as The Police (a/k/a, my favorite band of all time.) I go to it with mixed emotions...emotions that just started this morning. Melancholy - Because after waiting 20+yrs for them to reunite, that reunion allegedly ends tonight. Bitterness - Because I am going into Madison Square Garden tonight knowing that their will be no surprises...that while they may be playing better than ever since the reunion, they are still playing the same songs in the same way. In other words, this monumental event will have no grand finale; they will give themselves (or us) no great sendoff. Wonderment - Because is this really it? Will they ever play again? But must of all Happiness... Happiness because they FINALLY reunited; that I FINALLY saw them play together; that I FINALLY witnessed that rhythm section interact. Happiness because I can go on to the next chapter with this band...whatever that chapter may be, if the book has another chapter in it. And if not...so what? Police fans everywhere are ahead of the game today. We got a reunion that none of us thought we'd get. So be happy... Best, Rich ----- Original Message ---- From: Steve Langele <slangele@yahoo.com> To: Pete Ashdown <pashdown@xmission.com>; Mailing LIst Police <police@mailman.xmission.com> Sent: Thursday, August 7, 2008 1:28:07 AM Subject: Re: [Police] Jones Beach 8/4/07 You know, I have to come out of lurker mode as I normally operate and chime in with my two cents. I don't have any concert review, cause the last show I saw was in Buenos Aires alast December and, although I thought the band was really tight and sounded great, I wasn't too impressed with the crowd's lack of enthusiasm. I'm still in shock that they chose those shows to use for their DVD, as I understand it, but I am thrilled to think I might watch it when it comes out and wonder if I'll be able to see myself in the crowd. Anyways, I digress... I can't hardly believe that over a year has passed since the mayhem began upon these 3 guys announcing that they were getting back together to do a tour. That fact that I got to be a part of their first show, the fan club show, together still boggles my mind. I saw them again in Denver and of course, B.A. But, looking back, I am very saddend that I was not at more shows or more into the whole thing. i always said to myself, "man, if these guys ever get back together, I will be the most diehard fan and be at every show in the front row, etc. etc..." Now, don't get me wrong, I listen to these guys just about every day in my car, or on my iPod or pick up my bass and hammer out Man In A Suitcase or Voices or even try my hand at Message on guitar. (My 6-string skills are not yet up to an Andy Summers level unfortunately. I do dream though.) I love these guys, their music, the success they were able to achieve, etc... I simply missed most of it. The beginning, their tours, etc... And although I said that I would throw myself into a tour headfirst, no-holds-barred, I really didn't. Maybe because I had my first and second child during their tour and it wouldn't really have been too responsible of me to leave my wife to go to a bunch of shows (both boys by the way- I'll be able to have my own 3-piece band and when they get older, they will feel safe in the knoweldge that they were born in the year of the Police reunion 8^) ). Or maybe because I knew that what I was going to be seeing was not what I would have seen during the Police's heyday. I love the fact that they can still jam their tunes out after so many years have passed, but I'm sorta let down by the fact that it is no longer their heyday and it's almost like watching one of these bands play these 4th of July festivals. I guess what I'm trying to say is, whilst lurking, I do read most of the posts that people send in, and although I don't reply or chime in hardly at all, I must say that I sorta wish that I had the enthusiasm that some of you have had and still have. Some of you are non-stop and I wonder where you find the time.. I realize that some of you are younger than I and perhaps, unattached, but I know for a fact that a lot of you are my age or maybe older (trying to be nice- i'm 37) and must have families and demanding jobs/careers. Anyways, I wouldn't have found out a lot of the stuff that I have without this message board, ie. articles, links to websites about these guys, etc... cause I wouldn't have had the time or maybe even taken the time to look for it. Pete Ashdown, especially, I appreciate the link you had to all the bootlegs that I never even knew existed... I'm still working on listening to them all!! I have to get a whole 'nother iPod just to load it up with Police stuff. I wish I had known about this message board years ago, had been a member of the fan clubs, etc... might not have made much of a difference, just help me feel like I didn't miss anything.. Ever since my buddy Brian first played Ghost In The Machine for me back in the early 80s while we were in junior high, I have never stopped listening to these guys. To those of you going to the MSG show tomorrow night, I envy the hell outta ya and hope that it is a great show. I look forward to a lot of comments on the show and will be curious as to how they bid farewell to their fans. I also hope that somebody bootlegs it and that it will be readily available so that those of us less fortunate can share in another piece of Police history. I don't think they'll ever record anything new, I still hope, but I doubt it. I will just have to be satisfied with all that they have given us and just try to play my bass and guitar as close to these guys as possible.... Well, I realize that was probably a rambling mess of a post, but I was suddenly overcome by the urge to contribute after reading Pete's review. I know I never posted much, and I know most of you probably don't know me, but I wish I had taken more time to get to know some of you better. Sounds like this is the end or something, and in a way it almost feels like it. I mean, when the tour is over, then what? I know there will always be more things to talk about, but feels like the ending of yet another Police era. Alright, well, I imagine some of you may share my sentiment, maybe not, but I will look forward to reading some of your replies.... Steve --- On Wed, 8/6/08, Pete Ashdown <pashdown@xmission.com> wrote: From: Pete Ashdown <pashdown@xmission.com> Subject: [Police] Jones Beach 8/4/07 To: police@mailman.xmission.com Date: Wednesday, August 6, 2008, 9:26 PM Sorry this review is a bit late, I'm having too much fun in New York. I saw The Police last Monday at Jones Beach in what was once billed as the "final show". As recent discussion affirms, they are very capable at this stage in the tour. Everything is very tight and all three of them have their chops up to par with what they were 25 or even 30 years ago. Only criticism of the show is the same I had in Salt Lake City, spontaneity is rather lacking. Of course, they never have been much for straying from the part of skilled musicians who are paid to perform. If I recall correctly the set-list was exactly the same as SLC. I noticed the blaring absence of either Synchronicity this time and I couldn't remember if "One World" had been played at all during any of the shows I've seen. I hope we get a fabulous send-off on Thursday and not just the show they've been playing for the past year. The show is really short for a band with five great albums. I'm curious as to how the length compares to that first fan-club show in Vancouver. Message in a Bottle Walking on the Moon Demolition Man Voices Inside My Head/When the World is Running Down Don't Stand So Close to Me Driven to Tears Hole in my Life Everything She Does is Magic Wrapped Around Your Finger De Do Do Do De Da Da Da Invisible Sun Can't Stand Losing You Roxanne King of Pain So Lonely Every Breath You Take Next to You _______________________________________________ Police mailing list Police@mailman.xmission.com http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/police