The set-list changed with the addition of "Sunshine of Your Love" at the beginning and "Purple Haze" after the first encore. The highlights were the NYPD drum-corps after "Sunshine" kicking off "Message in a Bottle" and Sting's numerous daughters (and a few sons later?) dancing during "Everything She Does is Magic". The trio made a few minor tweaks and changes, the comedic end with a roadie dressed up as the "fat lady opera singer" and Looney Toones' "That's All Folks" was funny, but left this fan wanting just a bit more. Instead of two extra songs from other bands, I wish we could have heard some of the gems in the catalog. Synchronicity, Murder By Numbers, Spirits in the Material, Walking in Your Footsteps, Bring on the Night. They know how to play them, in fact, they played them this tour. Just not all in one place. Doesn't the "final" gig justify that? A couple decades ago, I watched "The Church" play what seemed like an infinite show. It was almost 3 1/2 hours long and most of the crowd had left by the end. Inexplicably, they just kept playing and playing to a small Utah audience. I wondered how long The Police could play before I left. If by some superhuman ability, they could play days, weeks, months, how long would the fans hold out? When would it become obnoxious and numbing? How much is too much? When would I be forced to get back to reality and my life? In many ways this tour was that. 18 year-old Pete pushing 41-year-old Pete back into the fan-seat for a band that in some years I had forgotten completely. A band whom I spent most of my savings on buying singles and rarities during my first trip to New York in 1985 yet left me conservatively hesitant about how much to spend ($10K for a meet & greet?) for this trip. Whether intentional or not, the band consistently gave off the aura of, "Yes this is fun, but we'd really rather be doing something else." I was at the premier of Stewart's documentary at Sundance, I saw them at the beginning and end of the reunion tour and four times in between, yet I never met any of them except for weird, uncomfortable run-ins with Stewart in 1985 and once on this tour. I don't know what I'd say if I did meet all three of them. Thanks? That is about it. I'm glad I was there for the end. Reading others wishing makes me realize how fortunate I am. When Sting said "This is the last time we'll ever do this," before the "Can't Stand Losing You" "deeeyaaaayoh" sing-along, I really felt it and sang it with 19,000 other lucky fans at the top of my lungs. It was great to be there. Sunshine of Your Love Message in a Bottle (with NYPD Drum Corps) Walking on the Moon Demolition Man Voices / When the World is Running Down Don't Stand So Close To Me Demolition Man Driven To Tears Hole in My Life Everything She Does is Magic (with Sting's daughters and other family members) Wrapped Around Your Finger De Do Do Do De Da Da Da (with "There She Was Just A Walking Down the Street" intro) Invisible Sun Can't Stand Losing You Purple Haze (Sting sings a bit of Younger Than Springtime) Roxanne King of Pain So Lonely (Been Down So Long finish) Every Breath You Take Next To You (The Fat Lady Sings) (Looney Toones "That's All Folks")
Pete wrote: ----------------------------------------- I wish we could have heard some of the gems in the catalog. Synchronicity, Murder By Numbers, Spirits in the Material, Walking in Your Footsteps, Bring on the Night. They know how to play them, in fact, they played them this tour. Just not all in one place. Doesn't the "final" gig justify that? ----------------------------------------- I thought that was the plan? Didn't I read on the official website that the final show would incorporate all of the songs performed on the tour? Maybe I was just hallucinating. I do know for a fact that a friend of mine went to a Bruce Springsteen concert last week and the "boss" played for 3-1/2 hours. I'm not sure how that works with curfews and unions and all. Perhaps he saves shows like that and pays all the associated fines willingly? I don't know. It sure seems like The Police could have gone out with a little more than what they did. Mitch
Wow, that sounds like it was just an awesome show!! Thanks for the rundown Pete. I am even more envious and depressed that I missed that performance. Might have given up the other shows I saw, with maybe the exception of the fan club show, just to witness that one. Damn. I really hope that if there was anyone there immortalizing the event somehow on say, some sort of permanent, perhaps, digital medium, that thy would be generous enough to post a link here on the message board or let us poor slobs that couldn't make it somehow know where to fnd it when they do start appearing would be greatly, greatly appreciated!!! I let me fan club membership expire, so I can't get into the forum for recordings etc.... Guess I can check DIME too..... Alright, thanks again for the great review and hope there is more in our future at some point down the road from these guys!!! EOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! Steve --- On Fri, 8/8/08, Pete Ashdown <pashdown@xmission.com> wrote: From: Pete Ashdown <pashdown@xmission.com> Subject: [Police] Final Show - Madison Square Garden To: police@mailman.xmission.com Date: Friday, August 8, 2008, 9:10 AM The set-list changed with the addition of "Sunshine of Your Love" at the beginning and "Purple Haze" after the first encore. The highlights were the NYPD drum-corps after "Sunshine" kicking off "Message in a Bottle" and Sting's numerous daughters (and a few sons later?) dancing during "Everything She Does is Magic". The trio made a few minor tweaks and changes, the comedic end with a roadie dressed up as the "fat lady opera singer" and Looney Toones' "That's All Folks" was funny, but left this fan wanting just a bit more. Instead of two extra songs from other bands, I wish we could have heard some of the gems in the catalog. Synchronicity, Murder By Numbers, Spirits in the Material, Walking in Your Footsteps, Bring on the Night. They know how to play them, in fact, they played them this tour. Just not all in one place. Doesn't the "final" gig justify that? A couple decades ago, I watched "The Church" play what seemed like an infinite show. It was almost 3 1/2 hours long and most of the crowd had left by the end. Inexplicably, they just kept playing and playing to a small Utah audience. I wondered how long The Police could play before I left. If by some superhuman ability, they could play days, weeks, months, how long would the fans hold out? When would it become obnoxious and numbing? How much is too much? When would I be forced to get back to reality and my life? In many ways this tour was that. 18 year-old Pete pushing 41-year-old Pete back into the fan-seat for a band that in some years I had forgotten completely. A band whom I spent most of my savings on buying singles and rarities during my first trip to New York in 1985 yet left me conservatively hesitant about how much to spend ($10K for a meet & greet?) for this trip. Whether intentional or not, the band consistently gave off the aura of, "Yes this is fun, but we'd really rather be doing something else." I was at the premier of Stewart's documentary at Sundance, I saw them at the beginning and end of the reunion tour and four times in between, yet I never met any of them except for weird, uncomfortable run-ins with Stewart in 1985 and once on this tour. I don't know what I'd say if I did meet all three of them. Thanks? That is about it. I'm glad I was there for the end. Reading others wishing makes me realize how fortunate I am. When Sting said "This is the last time we'll ever do this," before the "Can't Stand Losing You" "deeeyaaaayoh" sing-along, I really felt it and sang it with 19,000 other lucky fans at the top of my lungs. It was great to be there. Sunshine of Your Love Message in a Bottle (with NYPD Drum Corps) Walking on the Moon Demolition Man Voices / When the World is Running Down Don't Stand So Close To Me Demolition Man Driven To Tears Hole in My Life Everything She Does is Magic (with Sting's daughters and other family members) Wrapped Around Your Finger De Do Do Do De Da Da Da (with "There She Was Just A Walking Down the Street" intro) Invisible Sun Can't Stand Losing You Purple Haze (Sting sings a bit of Younger Than Springtime) Roxanne King of Pain So Lonely (Been Down So Long finish) Every Breath You Take Next To You (The Fat Lady Sings) (Looney Toones "That's All Folks") _______________________________________________ Police mailing list Police@mailman.xmission.com http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/police
It was an amazing night, especially for those of us in the pit thanks to Stewart's generosity...he seemed so damned happy to have all of his nutters there (and one got a very special prize at the end of the night..) It was very emotional (and I'm still stupidly tearing up today thinking about it...either that or I'm just that exhausted today) and left me so thankful for all the new friends I made since February of last year and I hope will remain friends for a long time to come. Some mementos from me: Photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/74085116@N00/sets/72157606611071412/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/74085116@N00/sets/72157606609712607/ Video of the final bows, including the fat lady sings! Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d8xvvqlCy8o Hi-res: http://www.megaupload.com/?d=2EFDNRON CHA! sockii
Message in a bottle (live) first appeared in Mayo'80 (which good memories) in the famous star-shaped vinyl Police (Badgers of Police), then appeared in the Maxi-single wrapped around your finger, and finally in the Message in a Box. For years I've had this issue as profiling (City & Date unknown). And my question is ... Someone finally knows the date and where recorded ..? I have heard many concerts of the season, and some appear to be enough, but are not (Diplomat Hotel, Gusman auditorium in Virginia Beach Message is not there, I don't know the reason , and one more) but nothing to give. Of course it could be one of them that all disks directly through the studio to be mixed and mastered, etc, etc, etc. .... Well you have said if someone knows something. Chao. Perdon my english, is very bad!!
I believe this version is recorded at the the "Bottom Line", New York City, April 1979. They played 4 shows over 2 days - 3rd and 4th. However, I have an FM broadcast of one of the 04 April shows and it doesn't contain "Message" at all! I don't know why I think this is from this venue, but at some point in the past I must have had this information given to me. Darren -----Original Message----- From: police-bounces@mailman.xmission.com [mailto:police-bounces@mailman.xmission.com] On Behalf Of Eva Fernández Sent: 01 February 2009 00:44 To: police@mailman.xmission.com Subject: [Police] One Question. Message in a bottle (live) first appeared in Mayo'80 (which good memories) in the famous star-shaped vinyl Police (Badgers of Police), then appeared in the Maxi-single wrapped around your finger, and finally in the Message in a Box. For years I've had this issue as profiling (City & Date unknown). And my question is ... Someone finally knows the date and where recorded ..? I have heard many concerts of the season, and some appear to be enough, but are not (Diplomat Hotel, Gusman auditorium in Virginia Beach Message is not there, I don't know the reason , and one more) but nothing to give. Of course it could be one of them that all disks directly through the studio to be mixed and mastered, etc, etc, etc. .... Well you have said if someone knows something. Chao. Perdon my english, is very bad!!
participants (6)
-
Darren Gray -
Eva Fernández -
Mitch Darby -
Pete Ashdown -
sockii -
Steve Langele