The Police @ The Staples Center - 6/20/07

No stadium show experience is complete without a snafu at Will Call. And this is how this story begins. Sure it was nice to see Ray Liotta standing next to me at Window 4, but not even the loop of Henry Hill voiceover playing in my head could soften the blow of a forty minute wait at Window 5. Eventually security arrived and ushered us to our seats. That’s a first.

After a twenty four year hiatus, the gentlemen of The Police brought forth their inimitably singular sound, serenading a record-breaking crowd at the Staples Center last night with over 20,000 people in attendance.

Sting, looking like a buff and affable Malcolm Mcdowell, was not the egomaniac I expected to see on stage. Rather, he was vital and focused and seemed at ease. Andy, transfixed and charmingly intent, didn't smile at all, but Stewie, with his gloves and jingly chimes, beamed from ear to shining ear.

Their performance was nothing like the comedy of errors Copeland described on his blog. Minus a few minor timing issues, the boys sounded like...boys. Not like old men. Not like a cruise ship flashback act. They sounded like The Police. There were a few moments that bordered on jammy, but largely they played true to form. Tantric sex must be the fountain of youth.

While all the selects were crowd pleasing, So Lonely is a superior song and I was stoked to hear it live. Sadly, my superfavs made no appearance, therefore I would like to formally submit my wishlist to said Police for future use should they find this type of feedback helpful... Dear Sirs -- Canary In A Coalmine, Bring On the Night, Murder by Numbers, Synchronicity. Please.

Much love to my smuggled-in camera, and to the show’s corporate sponsor, Best Buy, who let me roll up in their Row 18 floor seat action. Thank you Rock Robster.

More show photos after the jump...