It’s no secret I’m a huge fan of The Police. The above performance of “Walking On the Moon” was from the band’s Atlanta stop on the Synchronicity tour in 1983 (yes, before I was born).
So how does it compare to performances on their recent comeback/farewell tour?
This is a video of the same song, performed in 2007:
It’s hilarious how in the ’80s, not only did Sting rock the laughable outfit, but the musical arrangements were actually pretty interesting. Between Sting playing an electric upright bass, Andy Summers chiming in with synthesizers between guitar riffs, and a slew of backup singers, the songs have new depth not found on the studio versions.
Of course The Police of 2007 cut the frills and played as a trio (probably the way it should be), but they seemed to lack passion. Worst of all, Sting never seems to even try to reach the high notes.
Adrian Ruhi 