Police rock 55,000 in L.A.

[Midori]

[quote="Laz"]

the place truly appeared to be packed with 55,000 true Police fanatics. honestly say, you my friends have not lived until you have heard 55,000 people singing the Eeyoyoyo stuff back at Sting perfectly in unison during Walking On The Moon (as well as...heck, almost every lyric to every song they played tonight!). In my area (F20 row 6), more than one person was freaking out just before Stewart's gong at the beginning, going on and on about "I've been waiting for this moment since I was 10" etc...

I cannot even take a breath since your report makes me jealous!
Just thought of singing along with Sting gives me a thrill of joy...

[GinaSuperCat]

Great reports and thanks for the details! This was one show that I was just stewing having to miss. About the sing-alongs, they may sound kinda corny on reocrdings etc. but particicpating in them live is truly unbelievable!

Thanks again & glad y'all had a great time there!

[Howstupidmrbates]

Yea, we stood almost the entire time. Very cool! I was in 106 Loge, just behind home plate. Great seats. In contrast, the OC crowd at the Honda Center two nights before was a bit reserved. They hardly stood up at all, except towards the end.

[Laz]

[quote="Midori"][quote="Laz"]

the place truly appeared to be packed with 55,000 true Police fanatics. honestly say, you my friends have not lived until you have heard 55,000 people singing the Eeyoyoyo stuff back at Sting perfectly in unison during Walking On The Moon (as well as...heck, almost every lyric to every song they played tonight!). In my area (F20 row 6), more than one person was freaking out just before Stewart's gong at the beginning, going on and on about "I've been waiting for this moment since I was 10" etc...

I cannot even take a breath since your report makes me jealous!
Just thought of singing along with Sting gives me a thrill of joy... [/quote]

I'm still seriously thinking about Tokyo next year. I've heard that the crowds in Japan are really crazy!!

Laz

[phaty]

I would say Italy will have the most crazy crowd!

[DirtyMartini]

That's because Giovanni will be there!

[empty]

Hi there,

I thought I had to wait for a registration confirmation- been waiting for ages!

I've been lurking here for ages, but not posted before! Been a huge SC/KK fan for ages tho- saw them many times back in the day, but was just a babe! I worked as a touring technician for many years until I got into another kind of technology... Spent 13 years on the road- so i get butterflies about no one really and have not bought a concert ticket since I was 13. My husband was in shock and just did not get it.....

Went to Staples and Dodger and wow what a difference... Stewart just plain kicked @$$ at both shows- that wasn't the issue.

I blogged somewhere else about the disappointment with the show at Staples from a technical perspective. Not the band- I LOVE that they have played with the material and are re-invigorating it for themselves and us. Some arrangements I like better than others- but that is to be expected.

Hmm, I am less enthused by the free-form jazzy type versions- go figure!

Staples was an emotional experience for me- it was just overwhelming to see Stewart playing that material again. Sound problems (please, turn Sting down in the mix) and lighting being well, bland to say the least didn't dampen my evening, but looking back after the show I really thought Stewart should know- the lighting was all simple color washes that night- no interaction with the music - no drama until 'Next to You' at the end.

Well, all was revealed at Dodger.

The huge video walls on the side of the stadium- those are what are known as low-res video walls by the way- different from the screens that were at the back that night where they projected the boys!
the show was definitely designed with stadiums in mind- I would definitely say that if you have the chance to see both a stadium and an arena gig- DO SO! The lighting and low res video very much complimented each other and really were spectacular. The lighting definitely relies on the low res walls, and there is something missing when it isn't there.

I think the bar was definitely raised by Dave and the Foos- Dave, having been a drummer originally, idolizes Stewart, dedicated songs to him,enthused in public about living out his dream. I really think this was a calculated move on Stewart's part. My husband said" do you think there are people backstage regretting asking them to open?"

I had to laugh and say "NO!" I knew that it would raise the bar and they would rise to meet it. Maybe it was just that they are getting in the groove.

Maybe it was all the KINETIC energy Stewart has spoken about. Maybe they have fallen in to the groove a bit more.

But it was amazing. Scrambling the internet trying to find more shows I can go to.
Can anyone mind my children for a few months? ;P

At any rate- go to a stadium show. Many bands have trouble filling a stadium- notnjust the tickets- but the experience- U2 even struggled when they reached stadium size with the difference for example (tho they are pros now). Not these guys. It was like they play to 55,000 people all the time. It was HUGE and intimate all at the same time.

seriously. wow.

been there for flying pigs, breaking trusses, and exploding singers(literally). But there were sparks of a different kind at Dodger- kinetic ones!

Looks like I may make Cardiff as I'll be in Europe on business that week. Anyone else going?

[Laz]

...hey I have a question out of curiosity... I guess for anyone who's seen U2 live in concert... does the Edge normally run into guitar tech problems frequently at shows or would you say it's rare?

Laz

[DirtyMartini]

OT: Welcome, mtobinjones.

[policerule]

[quote]phaty[/quote]I would say Italy will have the most crazy crowd!
[quote]

you're right about that i think! giovanni and the italians are crazy about stewart.

my mother (i'm italian by the way) just told me that she wants to go to italy... hmmmmm. i wonder if i can get the best of both worlds? combo vaca & concert! sounds like a plan is hatching.

[elayblooze]

What a night!

My baby and I were just thrilled, and got to see the FOO do their VOODOO 2

I just wanted everyone to know, that the Police- the Band, all 3, are alive and well!! Let's stop all this individual shenanigans and call it what it is,

One Rockin' Band!

Hardly anyone of the 55,000 sat for 2 plus hours, and for great reason.
Stewart and Sting and yes, even Andy, especially Andy, fightin tooth and nail with the guitar tech glitches, triumphed and led so called laid back LA into one of the greatest,
nay the greatest stadium show I've ever seen.

The only one that came close was U2 and the Pretenders in '87- Oakland, but this was better!

I gotta say one thing to all the doubters online and around the world-
Watch out, it ain't about money it's about Talent, and the Police on any given night are still the as great as music gets.

Kudos to all three of them for stickin' to their guns,
Shoot, even DSSCTM was groovin' Saturday

Cheers! and Police fans around the world, they're BAAACCKKK!!!

ps- Sting's vocals were the best I've ever heard,
check youtube- and his voice on Reggatta or Invisible Sun! Incredible!

[DirtyMartini]

Glad to hear you had a good time, elayblooze!

[empty]

thanks for the welcome-and from the tube sock queen herself.

I have a friend who drinks dirty martinis and asks the bartender to make it look like he washed his socks in it. Yours would be tube socks, I presume?

more of a gin and tonic woman myself. Unless there's tequila in the house....

Guitar problems happen.It can be the guitar, the tech(though not usually at that level), the other gear, especially nowadays with wireless transmitters, weird interference and such. Usually, guitarists travel with so many guitars there is usually a 1st, 2nd and 3rd choice so you just swap out.

But I hear Andy is very addicted to his new guitar-so, when plagued by problems and the guitarist doesn't want to switch- well, now you are fixing stuff in front of 55000 people-and everyone notices what they usually never see!

[empty]

Oh, thank goodness for google alerts

OC register review of Dodger- and all 3 LA shows in its own way.
http://www.ocregister.com/ocregister/en ... 742892.php
"Never underestimate what sort of effect 55,000 people can have on a band, especially one that hasn't performed for such large audiences in almost a quarter-century."
seems the writer isn't an SC fan despite his praise of Stewart- or he'd have known about the kinetic energy!!!!

[DirtyMartini]

[quote="mtobinjones"]thanks for the welcome-and from the tube sock queen herself. [/quote]

Ahh, I'm flattered, but I must give credit where do. I am resident Flag Mother and Bullshit Bard. HANNAHA is the Tube Sock Queen.