Review – The Police in Concert, Twickenham London
September 10, 2007
The headline for this was going to be
Eyo. Eyay. Eyay-oh.
…like the thing that Sting does at every The Police gig. If you’re a fan, or were there, you would have got it. But that’s the kind of obscure headline that search engines are never going to find. I’ve been getting kind of funky with clever headlines, and nobody likes a wise guy, least of all Google.
Considering one of my most commonly-found pages has the title “Is Snooker A Sport?” I should probably step out of the shadows and make my headlines a bit clearer. So anyway. gig review. Well, not so much a review as a “What I did at my The Police concert.”
I got the train there, and grabbed some food on the way to the ground. But it was amazing. Honestly, cheese and spices pasty and a really cold Kronenberg 1664 – nothing beats that. No only joking, it was unbelievable – I got the train from Staines and even managed to get a seat. But seriously, I was impressed. Did you know Twickenham has escalators and carpeted bars?
All right, stop. (Collaborate and listen)
I met up with my buddy Jude, who is learning to play the drums (although he is good already). He had never seen Stewart Copeland, which is a bit like a chef who had never seen a potato, and I was talking him up in the way I would a hot blind date I’d set him up with. I should point out in the wake of my metaphors that he is married and has lots of potatoes.
“Just wait,” I said before the gig, “he is the best drummer in the world.”
“Is he fast?” he asked.
My mind went: “Is he fast? He made the Kessel run in less than twelve parsecs.” but I said: “No. He is brilliant.”
I explained that if someone asked us to play the hi-hat in a song, we would not measure up worth a damn to what he’d do, but he could play a whole kit as well. (Interestingly, he does play the hi-hat only on Big Time by Peter Gabriel)
When they came on, he was impressed. We were both in awe.
“He’s a motherfucker.” I said and turned to him in the second song. He smiled and shook his head in disbelief.
Andy Summers was incredible, laying off blues scales and producing longer guitar breaks than I’ve seen him do, with absolute mastery to produce face-melting solos.
Sting? Numpty. Given. But in fine voice and singing while playing syncopated rhythms.
If there’s a weak point to The Police, in all honesty, it’s their songs, but they make them sound so good.
The only low point was the Invisible Sun, played to a backdrop of sad Iraq and African kids.
“What’s this song about?” asked Jude.
“Northern Ireland,” I said.
- “But…” he thought.
- “Yeah, I know…” I thought.
And maybe Next To You wasn’t the best encore.
But King Of Pain? More like King Of Kicking Ass.
Stewart Copeland bounding from tipani to glockenspiel and gong, coming in halfway through the bar with the snare sound from the gods. Pavarotti said about his voice: “It is a gift. God kissed my vocal chords.” If that’s true, then Jesus sucked his drumstick.
When Sting did the roll call at the end, I actually did the “we’re not worthy” arms. It felt like the right thing.
I’d like to take my hat off at this stage to Wendy, who had tickets to go with me and couldn’t because of her move to Scotland. I feel bad for even writing this because she ought to have been there listening to me insult Stewart Copeland. Anyway, Wend – I thought you like a mench in one of the worst gig reviews ever written.
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14 comments
Thanks for the mench, Cliff. Sounds like a great gig. I think it’s only fitting that on Saturday I went through my dad’s old vinyl collection and happened upon my copy of Klark Kent’s green 10″ vinyl album from 1980.
And I think it’s fitting that we should experience sychronicity over something connected to The Police.
Did you find the album at 8:31 pm by any chance?
hey I was there circumnavigating the actual police on their horses and trying to smoke at the back…
Sadly no, Cliff. It was much earlier in the day.
Went to the Sunday at Twickers with a mate, a great echo back to the 80’s it was too!! As I hadn’t been to a concert since ‘86, (Queen at Knebworth), I thought it was high time it happened. We got their by car early, and were in for the 1st band, Fiction Plane. Their lead singer/bassist is Sting’s son in case no-one knew. I have to say they were excellent, I would recommend any rock fan to see them if they can. Maximo Park were on 2nd, had heard of them, and they were great but I didn’t enjoy them as much as Fiction Plane. Then, of course, the boys were on at about 8.15 for a good two hours. The show was fantastic, and I have to admit to watching Stewart Copeland for a long time of it, he was amazing, and of the three seemed to enjoy himself most!! Of course, as expected, the best two songs and those that EVERYBODY seemed to be waiting for were Roxanne and Every Step You Take, brilliant!!! A great day, and I felt privileged to have seen arguably one of the best 80’s outfits there was.
Well said Rick, and thanks for the comment. Obviously you haven’t seen some of my 1980’s outfits, but yes, it was a great night.
I had the opportunity to see, up close aned personal, both Queen and The Police live and in their heyday at the top of their form.
Queen is the best live act I think I’ve ever seen. And you’re right, Stewart Copeland is one of the finest drummers there’s ever been.
ED. Queen is the band that got away for me. They were my favourite band for many many years, and I never got to see them. I remember my parents going to a Queen concert when I was about 7 years old. I sat on the stairs and cried my eyes out as they left WITHOUT ME. I’m still hopeful that I’ll see The Police one day.
Ed, Wendy – Led Zepplin have just announced they are reforming, by the way. All for the money of course.
Hammer Of The Wads. There’s your headline.
Also:
Jangle On
Celebration Pay
Cashmere
Haha. Cashmere.
Not a big fan of the Zep, actually. I’m not sure if one’s actually allowed to say that, but there you go.
Oh MY God!!!
Were Any of you at the police concert on the weekend!!!!????
Non of you were fans!!!
They were F*****G brilliant
Only a tosser would comment on this crap and that
I feel truely special that after 24 years waiting i was at the concert of a lifetime.
I will go to my grave knowing that I have heared ther greatest band of the eighties sing whatever thjey wanted!
I was asked ” What was my favourite Police song?”
I answered ” Whatever they were playing at the time”
Suck it up people.
Deal with your own inadequacies
I’m a huge fan. And thanks for your comment.
Was also at the Police concert in Twickenham on Sunday. The Police were OK but certainly not brilliant as some of these people will have you believe
The main problem with this concert though was the venue and the organisation
Sitting at the lower rear stand the sound was not focused and the constant moving about of all the stewards and people using the pitch bar was offputting and extremely annoying. You got the impression that some band was playing at the far end end and that people were just moving around doing there own thing – i.e. not respecting the fact that a supergroup was playing a long awaited concert.
Will have no interest in seeing this band again in the future and that is the last concert that I will attend at Twickenham
Right-on, Cliff. I caught the show here in Charlotte, NC, USA. It was the night after the cancellation in Philly, and it was awesome. Stewart is brilliant, with his sucked drumsticks and that inspired snare. Andy can play that stringed thing and the Sting-ster’s voice will cut your face off.
They were great and everybody was on their feet and singing the whole time. I am a drummer and was in high school in their heyday, Zenyatta my favorite stuff. I’ve waited all this time to see them and lucked into the tickets. Well, well worth it. Almost as fun as the Rush R30 tour.
Leave a comment. Play nice. I will turn this blog around.