The Police in Chicago

Halfway through their 2007 North American tour, The Police made a stop in the city of Chicago on July 5th and 6th. Now most concerts that have come through the city of big shoulders have usually played at venues such as Soldiers Field, First Midwest Amphitheatre, or the United Center. With the exception of Jimmy Buffett in 2006, Wrigley Field has had limited if any other concerts performed there, so it was exciting to hear that this 80’s super group chose to play in the friendly confines. With growing up as a Police fan in the 80’s and being a loyal Wrigley Field fan as well, this show was a must see!

The show started around 7PM and my seats were located in terrace section 220 about twelve rows up. Looking at a seating chart it seemed that I would be some distance away, but in actuality the seats were pretty good. The stage was situated in centerfield which gave my seat location a dead center view, with no obstructions. As I sat down I noticed that the club and field boxes directly below us were appropriately roped off due to possible obstructions from various structures on the field. Like Chicago Cubs games, there were the familiar sounds of beer vendors walking around and shouting about what they had to sell. At first I was worried that these vendors might be a distraction, but they seemed to disappear once the music began. The opening band was called “Fiction Plane”, and as they played I noticed that the lead singer sounded a lot like Police front man, Sting. Low and behold I found out later that the singer was actually Sting’s son. I never heard of this band so just as most in the crowd, I gabbed away with fellow Police fans as I listened. Just to say something, like the main act, this group was also a trio. They played wonderfully tight and provided an enjoyable background sound to my conversations.

At about 8:15, the moment came. With most fans taking their seats, a large roar from the crowd shouted out, as Andy Summers, Stewart Copeland, and Sting finally took the stage. For being in their 50’s the trio looked vibrant as they smiled and waved to the crowd that so anxiously awaited their reunion. The group opened up with “Message in a Bottle”, and everyone was on there feet. More songs followed such as “Walking on the Moon”, “Voices Inside My Head”, “Synchronicity II”, and “Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic”. Overall most of the songs were played perfectly, but there were a couple that seemed flat. In the 80’s, The Police put out two versions of “Down Stand so Close to Me”, neither of which did they emulate. Sting never hit the high pitches in the chorus that defined both versions, which made the song seem out of key. In “Wrapped Around Your Finger”, Sting alone, sang the chorus. Over the last 25 years, listening to that song a thousand times, it was almost the same as Sting, the teacher, standing in his classroom and running his finger nails down the chalkboard.

Overall, the band played great! Summers guitar rifts were right on, Copeland’s beats were forceful and explanatory, and Sting worked the crowd with plenty of ohh-ee-ohhs. The big screens added to a great visual effect and surprisingly the sound at Wrigley was excellent. The combo of seeing The Police at Wrigley Field was definitely an enjoyable experience!

Gary Ketchum CEO TicketAmerica.com

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