Hey-- new here, first post.
I agree about Omegaman and Darkness. Those are probably the two best non-Sting songs, and they definitely ought to play them.
I was wondering how they would handle some of the later songs without a keyboard player, until I found this video of "Every Little Thing She Does is Magic" from '82. There is a horn section, but otherwise Andy takes all the chords on guitar, and it works:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cjx1Q7G0ELU
As for the "political songs"...I'm in the camp that thinks they ought to avoid them if possible. People are extremely sick of politics these days, and some of the old songs, in the modern context, could be a real downer for a lot of people who are just looking for a positive experience. We have enough politics crammed down our throats as it is. The one exception might be Spirits in the Material World, since it's kind of an anti-political, "pox on all your houses" lyric. If they introduced it by saying something like, "this song is dedicated to all politicians of all parties...Republican, Democrat, Labour, Tory, Nazi and Communist", people might be receptive to it. Otherwise, it could suck and wreck the good vibes.
These are the songs they ought to play IMO:
Next to You
So Lonely
Roxanne
Can't Stand Losing You/Regatta De Blanc
Truth Hits Everybody
Message in a Bottle
Bring on the Night
Walking on the Moon
The Bed's Too Big Without You
No Time This Time
Don't Stand So Close to Me
When the World is Running Down
Man in a Suitcase
Spirits in the Material World (maybe)
Every Little Thing She Does is Magic
Demolition Man
Omegaman
Darkness
Every Breath You Take
King of Pain
Wrapped Around Your Finger
I Burn for You
I think those, along with working in some of the instrumentals like--
Masoko Tanga
Voices Inside My Head
The Other Way of Stopping
Shambelle
Flexible Strategies
How Stupid Mr. Bates
--and stretching out with some jamming, would make for a very solid show that would blow people away.