Police: De do do do or don't?

By Sean Daly and Steve Spears
Published July 5, 2007

It is, without a doubt, the biggest musical event of the summer. The reunited Police - Sting! Stewart! The other guy! - are touring the world for the first time in decades, stopping at the St. Pete Times Forum on Wednesday.

With the exception of exorbitantly priced VIP packages ($438 to hear Roxanne?!), the art-pop band's local stop is sold out. Times pop music critic Sean Daly says fans should do whatever it takes - including taking out a second mortgage for scalped tix - to see the show. Steve Spears, from the Stuck in the '80s blog, says don't bother with the overhyped, overpriced spectacle.

Sean's 3 Reasons to See the Police Show

1 Sting's sweat. Seriously, the man's perspiration obviously has supernatural healing powers. Have you seen him lately? He's hunkier now than he was in 1985. Get spritzed by Sting's sweat, and you're looking at an extra 10 years. I'd say that's worth $226.75.

2 Synchronicity II. I've seen the set list, and it's packed with crowd-pleasers. But this ferocious condemnation of suburban malaise, arguably the trio's artistic height, comes early in the show, giving the gig an unstoppable momentum. Am I the only music geek getting chills?

3 There's great, life-affirming bragging rights in saying YOU WERE THERE. It's as simple as that, folks. No regrets.

Steve's 3 Reasons to Skip the Police Show

1 Sting, Andy Summers and Stewart Copeland hate each other. Talk about bad vibes. If it were possible for each band member to set up on opposite ends of the St. Pete Times Forum, they'd do it.

2 There are a lot of great '80s bands reunions this summer - and this isn't one of them. I'd rather save my money for a show like Genesis, Asia, even Van Halen if the boys could get along for a few weeks.

3 Corporate radio stations in the Tampa Bay area saturate the airwaves with the same Police tunes. If I hear Wrapped Around Your Finger one more time on my way to work, I'm going to wrap my car around a sign post.

The Police

With Fiction Plane, 7:30 p.m. Wednesday. St. Pete Times Forum, 401 Channelside Drive, Tampa. Sold out, except for VIP packages. (813) 301-2500.

[Last modified July 7, 2007, 09:44:10]