The Police

Tonight I was 14 year old school girl again. I sang my heart out at the reunion tour of The Police. I have such great memories of playing my tapes back in the 80's and listening over and over to the catchy melodies that comprised my favorite group. Sting, Andy Summers and Stewart Copeland... I cannot believe I actually had the opportunity to see them live, performing together again! I was beyond excited to be there.

Sting mentioned at the beginning of the night that his first show in Detroit was sometime in November of 1978. I cannot believe that is how long ago they started out! They were so young, innocent and just starting out on tour! Now they are older looking and wiser and have been around the world and back again. They have experienced a life of writing music and sharing it with others.

Perhaps one of the reasons I love live concerts so much is because they take me out of the everyday and bring me completely into the present moment. I love getting lost and found in the now- the center of life. Somehow it is easier to get to that elusive place when you are in community with thousands of fans screaming their lungs out along with you and having a blast celebrating the joy of a few instruments and some good tunes.

Something about The Police and their music has always seemed deep and richer to me than some of the other music of the day. Sting was an English teacher and I am sure that had something to do with it. It was rather fun tonight to notice that I now know who they are talking about when they mention Nabakov in Don't Stand so Close to Me. I like the way they put words together. The literal way the words sound sung in sequence one after the other. I like the phrasing they use, the way they express things, the structure of their music and the way the three of them sound when they mix it all together. It works.

This classic night was something I have looked forward to for months and months. When I first found out they were touring I thought they were only touring in Europe. I called my friend Amy and asked her if she wanted to fly to England for the show. I wanted to see them wherever they were going to be. I am so glad they ended up being right down the street!

It was an evening that flew by way too quickly. I was certain they would finish with Every Breath You Take and they actually came back after that to do one more song as a second encore. That helped ease the pain when it was almost over. I stood in line for my t-shirt and have been in a happy daze ever since.

I came home searching for a clip to post of Invisible Sun with the pictures they had on the screen of beautiful children from somewhere in the world. (Perhaps Iraq, but some research will need to be done to be sure.) Instead, I found a great clip from 1986 at an Amnesty concert of the same song, where a very young Bono came out at the end of the night to do the last verse with a much younger version of the man I just saw on stage mere hours ago. What an awesome moment to capture on camera! It was a snapshot in time of two passionate young musicians doing what they were born to do. I am happy to report I have seen them both live, doing what they do best, in my lifetime. What a great life it is...