Just seen the Police

[The Funk]

I've heard rumours of a new album.

The trouble with the Cream reunion was that it wasn't as good as them in their youth 'cos they've all moved on as musicians. If they were to play some new material, then I think they could match the level they were at in the '60s.

With The Police reunion I think Sting has taken note of that and that's why they've spent a lot of time on new arrangements of the classic songs.

(And everyone knows the trio of greatest trios is: Cream, Band of Gypsies (ie. Hendrix/Cox/Mitchell), and The Police. Doesn't mean any of the others weren't also great: BBA, Lifetime, The Jam etc.)

[Hit&Run]

I saw them at the NIA on the 5th and I thought the performance was a little lacklustre, even though the songs were good.

Sting's bass sound seemed to get buried under Copeland & Summers' playing, which is a shame as it looked pretty good.

Sting's son's band were pretty naff. Can anyone say nepotism?

[EdwardHimself]

[quote name='GreeneKing' post='56707' date='Sep 6 2007, 09:34 PM']Err.....

Ever heard of Cream?

[/quote]

and the jimi hendrix experience and nirvana aswell. Or are we on about current bands in which case i'll shut up.

Edited September 8, 2007 by EdwardHimself

[parker_muse]

Apparently they were terrible on the saturday night at twickenham

[bass_in_ya_face]

[quote name='parker_muse' post='57814' date='Sep 9 2007, 05:28 PM']Apparently they were terrible on the saturday night at twickenham[/quote]

I keep hearing conflicitng reports, I have to say that the bootlegs i've heard don't exactly blow me away, not when you see how good they were when they were touring the first time round.

[Floyd Pepper]

Well, I was there and I thought they did a pretty good job of it. I'm never a fan of stadium gigs myself but it was as good as I've seen and I managed to re-live my youth for a couple of hours!

[elom]

[quote name='Floyd Pepper' post='57910' date='Sep 9 2007, 08:43 PM']Well, I was there and I thought they did a pretty good job of it. I'm never a fan of stadium gigs myself but it was as good as I've seen and I managed to re-live my youth for a couple of hours![/quote]

Yup, I was there too and had a great time. Certainly not shocking, in fact rather good. They don't have much chemistry as a band though in my opinion. They look like colleagues rather than mates - but then I guess that's what they are.

Maximo Park seemed a little embarrassed but made an effort, which can't be easy when the place is half empty and most of the people there have never heard of you. Fiction Plane had a couple of good tunes (Hate, Two Sisters) but not enough and would no way have been there if he wasn't Sting's son.

[The Funk]

We were miles from the stage - could barely make out the images on the giant screens. Couldn't really hear any detail either.

Apart from that, it was a great gig. It shames me to say it but Sting was awesome as a frontman. Copeland and Summers were both very good too. Just would have been nice if we could hear some of the intricate stuff they were doing.

Skipped Maximo Park. Caught the second half of Fiction Plane - Sting's son definitely has it. He's too much a clone of his dad though (without the writing skills) and the rest of Fiction Plane are rubbish. He's not a good enough musician to carry the other two. He should find some better musicians and actually try experimenting a bit instead of just doing it how his dad showed him.

[bass_in_ya_face]

[quote name='The Funk' post='59193' date='Sep 12 2007, 12:06 PM']We were miles from the stage - could barely make out the images on the giant screens. Couldn't really hear any detail either.

Apart from that, it was a great gig. It shames me to say it but Sting was awesome as a frontman. Copeland and Summers were both very good too. Just would have been nice if we could hear some of the intricate stuff they were doing.

Skipped Maximo Park. Caught the second half of Fiction Plane - Sting's son definitely has it. He's too much a clone of his dad though (without the writing skills) and the rest of Fiction Plane are rubbish. He's not a good enough musician to carry the other two. He should find some better musicians and actually try experimenting a bit instead of just doing it how his dad showed him.[/quote]

When I saw Fiction Plane (rubbish name by the way), I did think that Sting's son was trying so hard to be his dad it was like a tribute act. You can just tell when a band is going to make it and they aren't.

Wasn't the Wallflowers band lead by Bob Dylan's son?...can't really think of any other bands fronted by offspring of famous singers....

[Old Horse Murphy]

[quote name='bass_in_ya_face' post='59225' date='Sep 12 2007, 12:41 PM']When I saw Fiction Plane (rubbish name by the way), I did think that Sting's son was trying so hard to be his dad it was like a tribute act. You can just tell when a band is going to make it and they aren't.

Wasn't the Wallflowers band lead by Bob Dylan's son?...can't really think of any other bands fronted by offspring of famous singers....[/quote]

Wilson Phillips? Do they count?

[P-T-P]

Saw them on the 5th at the NIA and thought they were great. I've been a fan of the band for a long time though so hearing the songs live for the first time was great. I was more impressed than I was expecting to be and thought the musicianship all round was excellent, Copeland in particular. It also seemed like Sting is enjoying being a bass player again.

It was definitely a performance and not a recital though. There were a few (minor) flubs in places and on more than one or two songs they went off on new tangeants that occasionally made you wonder how they were going to get back into the song again, but get back in they did. Even though they've played pretty much the same set at most of the gigs on the tour I didn't feel like they were just going through the motions, there was an edginess and tension between the three of them (in a musical sense) which made it for me.

Mix was great where I was sat, at least it was once they got a few numbers into it (guitar was too quiet early doors). It was funny watching Stewart Copeland during the more free-form parts of the set as his facial expressions made it look as though he was falling in and out of love with Sting depending on his like or dislike of whatever groove Sting was cooking up. Sting was a very good frontman, but more often than not I found myself watching (and listening most intently too) Copeland. We should all be allowed to play with as talented and uncliche a drummer as he is at some point during our bass playing lives.

My guitarist buddy also was disappointed with Andy Summers, though personally I thought he was choice. I think he didn't play single thing that was obvious and that there was much humour in his solos. He's released 12 albums and toured consistently since the Police broke up so it isn't that he is out of practice. By all accounts he is a better guitarist now than he was when they broke up, though of course I suppose that's a subjective thing and I'm guessing that people being disappointed by his playing is a result of their preconceptions of how he would play rather than a lack of ability/preparedness on his part. I'm normally a hater of guitar solos but enjoyed watching and listening to his. I will grant that he did look like he was going to suffer a stroke all through the set.

[poptart]

[quote name='P-T-P' post='59258' date='Sep 12 2007, 01:35 PM']Saw them on the 5th at the NIA and thought they were great. I've been a fan of the band for a long time though so hearing the songs live for the first time was great. I was more impressed than I was expecting to be and thought the musicianship all round was excellent, Copeland in particular. It also seemed like Sting is enjoying being a bass player again.

It was definitely a performance and not a recital though. There were a few (minor) flubs in places and on more than one or two songs they went off on new tangeants that occasionally made you wonder how they were going to get back into the song again, but get back in they did. Even though they've played pretty much the same set at most of the gigs on the tour I didn't feel like they were just going through the motions, there was an edginess and tension between the three of them (in a musical sense) which made it for me.

Mix was great where I was sat, at least it was once they got a few numbers into it (guitar was too quiet early doors). It was funny watching Stewart Copeland during the more free-form parts of the set as his facial expressions made it look as though he was falling in and out of love with Sting depending on his like or dislike of whatever groove Sting was cooking up. Sting was a very good frontman, but more often than not I found myself watching (and listening most intently too) Copeland. We should all be allowed to play with as talented and uncliche a drummer as he is at some point during our bass playing lives.

My guitarist buddy also was disappointed with Andy Summers, though personally I thought he was choice. I think he didn't play single thing that was obvious and that there was much humour in his solos. He's released 12 albums and toured consistently since the Police broke up so it isn't that he is out of practice. By all accounts he is a better guitarist now than he was when they broke up, though of course I suppose that's a subjective thing and I'm guessing that people being disappointed by his playing is a result of their preconceptions of how he would play rather than a lack of ability/preparedness on his part. I'm normally a hater of guitar solos but enjoyed watching and listening to his. I will grant that he did look like he was going to suffer a stroke all through the set.[/quote]

Yep that is my take - I loved watching Copeland live, he was very imressive IMO. Summer's solos were on a hogher plane that in the old days too IMO. Sting is a verystrong personality at the front with his sharp vocals and stage presence. Not the same energy as some of the 80s performances, but bery musical and powerful.

M

[elom]

[quote name='bass_in_ya_face' post='59225' date='Sep 12 2007, 12:41 PM']When I saw Fiction Plane (rubbish name by the way), I did think that Sting's son was trying so hard to be his dad it was like a tribute act.[/quote]

Fiction Plane is an anagram of 'Infant Police' - enough said?

[bass_in_ya_face]

[quote name='elom' post='59601' date='Sep 13 2007, 12:03 AM']Fiction Plane is an anagram of 'Infant Police' - enough said?[/quote]


is that deliberate?...i notice 'baby sting' is also a bass player...ffs try and do you own thing

Edited September 12, 2007 by bass_in_ya_face

[The Funk]

Hah! I didn't realise that. It must be deliberate then. The trio was a bit like a Police clone - just nowhere near as good. His son is a good player and singer though. And his dives off his SWR cabs were pretty cool, even if I am just being shallow.