Which was better? Tourzilla or Synchronicity Tour?

[TOWOS]

"the obvious "Sting-ness" of the show "

Versailles Treaty: Other reason why I prefer 1984.

[TheEqualizer]

[quote="TOWOS"]
But when I recall the first notes of Synch1, the primary colors light shooting everywhere[/quote]

Yeah, the Synch 1 opening had quite an impression on many a Police fan I've spoken to, me included (yes, I speak to myself all the time). However, I think GOOONNGGGGGGG tops Synch 1.

[thedaner]

[quote="TOWOS"]"the obvious "Sting-ness" of the show "

Versailles Treaty: Other reason why I prefer 1984. [/quote]

Ah, hell--that was going on in 1984 too (the Sting-ness). You think Andy or Stew picked the doo-wop girls?

[nathanarizona]

thedaner speaks the truth. As you'll recall from Andy's book he and Stewart weren't even told about the horns on the Ghost tour. They found out on the first tour stop.

[samburusunset]

There are lots of reasons why I say Tourzilla. First, I didn't got to any Synch shows. I did go to a GITM show, though. 'Twas soooooo long ago and those darn horns were there. But Stewie sure represented, and of course, The Boys were in top form. So, it wasn't a total loss.

However, there were so-so things about T-Z, too. I would have loved for Stewart to go balls out but he had to hold back so Sting could breathe (Oh, boo hoo. I can't breathe! ). And, well, some set deviation would've been nice. But, the lack of horns and doo-wop girls was a big plus. Just pure S,S & A. Well, maybe alittle too much Gordo. But, that was expected, wasn't it? There were also alot of other things that made Tourzilla a much better experience for me personally.


CHARLIE ARNOLD, I LOVE YOUR AVATAR!
That was right after we had the birthday party with no birthday boy!


STEWART: You woulda loved it! We had flag cake and tequila shots in your honor.

[TOWOS]

Wait.Wait.Wait.
If the horns in GITM tour and the Go-Go-Girls (I don't know if he was joking, but Stewart told in an interview that he "approved" the choice...well, maybe he was thinking, selfishly, eye-candy...) were Sting's (who else?) idea,
Andy WAS allowed to sing. Stewart and Andy COULD speak onstage. The songs they played weren't exclusively Sting's. I remember Omegaman, distinctly.

The Stingness was nowhere near the Mussolinian levels of Tourzilla.

ETA: for the record, I saw the Synch tour, not the GITM (Gateshead) tour. So no black back-up singers and no horns whatso.

[TheEqualizer]

Omegaman? When did they play that? Not on any of the recordings I've heard.

By the way, Sting played a horn during the Synch tour during Tea in the Sahara and Oh My God (I think) though there was no separate horn section.

Also, Stewart is hearing speaking during the early shows of Tourzilla.

[plutonic]

[quote="TOWOS"]Wait.Wait.Wait.
If the horns in GITM tour and the Go-Go-Girls (I don't know if he was joking, but Stewart told in an interview that he "approved" the choice...well, maybe he was thinking, selfishly, eye-candy...) were Sting's (who else?) idea,
Andy WAS allowed to sing. Stewart and Andy COULD speak onstage. The songs they played weren't exclusively Sting's. I remember Omegaman, distinctly.

The Stingness was nowhere near the Mussolinian levels of Tourzilla.

ETA: for the record, I saw the Synch tour, not the GITM (Gateshead) tour. So no black back-up singers and no horns whatso.[/quote]

Lil' T, were you smoking the funny stuff back then?
Omegaman I highly doubt.
And there were singers on the Synch tour.
What dates did you see? An anomaly is certainly possible.

But methinks you are misremembering fondly.

For me, duh, it's Tourzilla.
Hands down.
I'm biased because I got to see Tourzilla, and didn't see Synch.

But how could anyone in Copelandia not think Tourzilla takes the cake.
Flaggy?
Hello?

And despite the click track and its seemingly infinite CHA-sucking capacity, I feel satisfied that the tour had a lot of balls.

[TOWOS]

Dan, no, never been fond of the "funny stuff" (even if a second-hand case might have certainly possible). I saw the Police in Rome at PalaEur in 1984.
I remember cursing because I was (as always) on Sting's side - literally, I had lateral view - and Andy was sooo small on the other side - not to mention Stewart, whose kit was hidden behind a wall of amps: I could clearly see him only when he hopped on the percussion stage, only it was positioned with his back to the public then.
I remember Andy playing the Omegaman solo to my utter astonishment. He was also very active on the mike singing backing vocals and interacted with the public. As I could not see Stewart for almost 3/4 of the concert, I recall comparing Sting's frosty attitude - not a smile, not a word to the public, not even when half a dozen girls who had fainted from being crushed in the first rows were taken away on stretchers - with Andy's jocularity and openness.

We are talking 25 years ago, yes, but some parts of that show are etched in my mind, as it was the wonder and the thrill of seeing them for the first time (no, there were no horns or go-go dancers that I remember, I swear, there might have been backing vocalists but they were not on my side of the stage).
If Dietmar or anybody has a recording of that night, the mystery could be solved easily.

And yes, I said it and I repeat i: the band was waaaay tighter and absolutely amazing the first time I saw them. This time I must admit that, while Our Man always shone and gave 110%, the other 2 didn't. Both times I saw them.

Of course, the flag etc., but for me this question was interpreted as "Which concert/version of the band did you enjoy most" not a fan meme popularity contest.

[nathanarizona]

Yeah, if there is a live version of Omegaman sign me up. Maybe this is one for Dietmar but I don't believe that's ever been played live.

TOWOS, Plutonic is right on the singers. 3 of 'em in goofy (yet strangely sexy) band uniforms. Just like on the Synch video. Did they get nights off on the tour???

[TheEqualizer]

For Lil' T:

01-30-1984 / Roma / Palaeur / ITALY

http://www.gigasize.com/get.php/3196154 ... _-_MP3.zip

I'm gonna download this tonight to see if Omegaman is on there.

[Charliearnoid]

[quote="TheEqualizer"]
Also, Stewart is hearing speaking during the early shows of Tourzilla.[/quote]
Confirmed.
Dodger Stadium June, 23,2007: I remember Stewart ripping on Sting about the worn-out joke regarding "band introductions" - "Stewart this is Andy, Andy this is Stewart"

I think Stewart remembered that some of the people in attendance were at the "Whiskey a Go Go" 4 months earlier and heard the same joke. Obviously, Il Duce forgot.

[TheEqualizer]

The setlist for Rome 1-30-84

Voices
Synch 1
Synch 2
Walking in Your Footsteps
MIAB
Walking on the Moon
Oh My God
De Do Do Do
WAYF
Tea in the Sahara
Hole in My Life
Spirits
Invisible Sun
One World
KOP
Don't Stand
EBYT
Murder by Numbers
Roxanne
Can't Stand Losing You
So Lonely

No Omegaman, unless it is just "teased" in own of the songs

[smudge]

I can't compare the two. Synchronicity tour was my first 'proper' gig. Bewildering. I was beside myself with excitement. But even a scant few days afterwards, there were only four really clear memories. One was finally seeing the video for Invisible Sun. It was banned on TV in the UK. Sounds lame, but hearing that song, at that time, with those images, was unforgettable - just a personal thing. Secondly CSLY. Thirdly - backing singers?! Wot? And finally, Wembley Arena baying for an encore that I guess a lot of people were expecting having been on previous nights. Didn't happen. And it didn't feel like either a celebration of the music, or a high powered 'batter you over the head' attempt to win an audience over.

It wasn't a disappointment as such, but I was far, far too young to process it all.

So - I vote for Tourzilla. And it would have had my vote after the first Twickenham gig - which was by no means as good in terms of feel or musical ecstasy as later ones. But it did feel like a celebration. In my view, if you play a big venue, you have to be doing some mix of winning new people over, or allowing the faithful to revel in the familiar - albeit with a new twist. For me Tourzilla did the latter. Synch didn't do either. (Dont get me started on how the Foo's did both to me in one ginormous gig last summer. The language isn't suitable for a public forum )

[TOWOS]

I am listening to the recording EQ kindly provided - no, I see it's not in the setlist, but I remember jumping from my chair when I heard the chords. Let's hope I can hear them again here.

Also, I am sure there were backing vocalists and what else in the US and the UK part of the tour. Rome was a scant 2 months before the "rien ne va plus" of Melbourne. Maybe the singers had not been used in the last European shows, or maybe they were on the other side of the stage and drowned in the horrendous acoustics of the place (David Bowie defined it a "toilet"!). But I was close enough to see only Stingo in his multicolored coat and longish hair, very tanned (at the time it was probably real tan, not spray tan) and very aloof.

I had always a soft spot for that concert - at the time for me Synch was the Best Album of the 80s and miles above the rest of the music of the time. I had waay more energy and the wide-eyed wonder of the youth.

I actually compared the different feelings at my first concert of Tourzilla. I felt self-conscious (that at least until the concert started), more aware of the technical glitches (seeing St. Jeff crawling under the drumkit because something was wrong - priceless), of Idaho excursions, Sting was reeling with Stingfluenza (but sang a WOW Roxanne) etc etc.