The Police opened up their reunion tour here in Vancouver last night and set the bar really, really high for the rest of the reunion bands touring this summer (Crowded House, Genesis etc.) Opening up with Message in a Bottle and playing more than 20 songs over two + hours.

Now I love to rip on Sting as much as everyone else in here and as much as it pains me I have to take some of the criticism back. He was great, didn't miss a note (even the really high stuff) and his bass playing was stellar. He used his trademark Fender bass with three huge Ampeg stacks.

How to describe Andy Summers and Stewart Copeland properly will be hard but FUCKING AMAZING will have to suffice. Actually Sting can get in on that as well. The songs were performed with intensity, musicianship, and very cool new but unobtrusive arrangements. Andy Summers solos during Voices Inside My Head, When the World is Running Down and So Lonely were down right nasty. Blistering, echo laden runs and funky chord changes were happening all night. Most songs had a few minutes of extended instrumental jams. Summers played two different Strats and his legendary customized Tele through a wall of Mesa Boogie amps.

Stewart Copeland is the best drummer I have ever seen play ever...period. I won't try for any further adjectives.

I can't decide on a favorite song yet. Spirits in the Material World, Driven to Tears, Wrapped Around Your Finger, Walking in Your Footsteps and yes the reworked Roxanne were up there for extraordinarily brilliant tunes. Here's the set list:

Message in a Bottle

Synchronicity 2

Spirits in the Material World

Voices Inside My Head

When the World is  Running  Down

Don't Stand So Close to Me

Driven to Tears

Walking on the Moon

Truth Hits Everybody

Every Little Thing She Does

Wrapped Around Your Finger

The Bed's Too Big Without You

Murder By Numbers

Dee Doo Doo

Invisible Sun

Walking in your Footsteps

Can't Stand Losing You

Roxanne

Encore-King of Pain

So Lonely

Every Breath You Take

Encore 2-Next to You