Every little thing they did was magic...

No pyrotechnics, not much of a light show, no extra musicians, basically none of the trappings of a huge, expensive summer tour were on hand at Rentschler Field Tuesday night. But the three seminal members of the legendary '80s band The Police were there, and that's all that mattered to the almost-capacity crowd.

When guitarist Andy Summers walked on stage just after the public address system finished playing Bob Marley's 'Get Up, Stand Up', the noise was deafening. And that uproar paled in comparison to when drummer Stewart Copeland and bassist/singer/all-around star Sting came out and immediately jumped into the hit 'Message in a Bottle'.

On a large stage that featured three big screen projectors behind them and one gigantic screen on each side of them, the trio of musicians grabbed the crowd immediately and didn't let go. Running around on a split-level set-up that gave the band more room than it needed, the guys usually stayed close together, which they probably had to do when gigging at clubs when The Police formed in 1977.

Sting took the natural role of frontman by addressing the crowd right after the second song ('Synchronicity II'), introducing the band one by one to a crowd that really didn't need those intros. Without missing a beat, the band then jumped into an extended and solo-heavy take on 'Walking on the Moon'. Both 'Moon' and 'Message In A Bottle' were burdened with jagged transitions, but the audience didn't seem to care and the band moved on without missing a beat.

After taking a little of the excitement out of the venue with a lengthy and somewhat monotonous take on 'The Bed's Too Big Without You', the trio handed the hungry audience its best three-song punch in a row, with an energetic take on 'Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic', a fiery 'Wrapped Around Your Finger' and a rousing 'De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da'.

The gem of the evening came from the band's first record, the deep cut 'Truth Hits Everybody'. It was the band's only real reminder to the crowd that The Police started out as an almost-punk band. The short tune found the guys at their tightest, with Summers' guitar leading the way.

After running through the repertoire of hits, including 'Don't Stand So Close To Me' and 'Invisible Sun', the band closed the set with 'Roxanne', the crowd singing along the infamous, infectious lines.

In the end, it was just three guys on stage playing their hearts out - no extras, no frill - showing that what made them famous 30 years ago is what will keep them popular for another 30.

© New Haven Register by Patrick Ferrucci

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