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Humor Lightens Farewell Mood at Last-Ever Police Show

Posted on Aug 8th 2008 12:00PM by David Chiu
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The Police did something very unusual at their show last night at Madison Square Garden: broadcast one of their members getting a clean shave live in front of a packed audience. That's what happened to vocalist/bassist Sting when his grizzled beard was shaved off in the backstage dressing room prior to the band's first encore, while the crowd in the arena watched the whole thing happen on the large video screens.

It was a humorous memory left at the final Police show, which concluded their reunion tour that started over a year ago. A benefit for New York public television stations WNET and WLIW, the concert was the band's last show together in the city where they began their first American tour at CBGB's 30 years ago.

"It's been an honor to be back with my friends," Sting said, referring to Police guitarist Summers and drummer Stewart Copeland, early in the show. Then he added, "The real triumph of this tour is that we haven't strangled each other."

In addition to the shaving bit, there were other interesting aspects of the concert, beginning with a rendition of Cream's 'Sunshine of Your Love.' Paying homage to their namesake, the group then brought on the New York City Police Band for 'Message in a Bottle.' (Sting wore a NYPD cap while performing the song). Later Sting's daughters came onstage and danced to 'Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic.'

But for the most part the Police played a straight-ahead show of their greatest hits, highlighted by superb musicianship -- Summers' solos on 'So Lonely' and 'Driven to Tears,' and Copeland's performing on an elaborate percussion set-up for 'Wrapped Around Your Finger.' While some songs, such as 'Voices Inside My Head' and 'Walking on the Moon,' were slightly reworked a bit, other tracks like 'Roxanne' and 'Can't Stand Losing You' recaptured that old spark.

After their second encore, in which they performed 'Next to You,' the band bid adieu. It was not without a sense of humor as the Looney Tunes' 'That's All Folks!' theme played.

Set list:

'Sunshine of Your Love' (Cream cover)
'Message in a Bottle'
'Walking on the Moon'
'Demolition Man'
'Voices Inside My Head/When The World Is Running Down, You Make the Best of What's Still Around'
'Don't Stand So Close to Me'
'Driven to Tears'
'Hole in My Life'
'Everything Little Thing She Does Is Magic'
'Wrapped Around Your Finger'
'De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da'
'Invisible Sun'
'Can't Stand Losing You (with Regatta De Blanc)'

First Encore:

'Purple Haze' (Jimi Hendrix cover)
'Roxanne'
'King of Pain'
'So Lonely'
'Every Breath You Take'

Second Encore:

'Next to You'