Synchronicity

Let me tell you a little story: For as long as I remember, my life has been immersed in music. Perhaps that might be why I didn't listen to that garbage on LP that all my peers were listening to in their homes -- I'm talking about the Minipops, the Smurfs, or any other product of the early 1980's. By the time I grew out of my diapers, I grew out of music directed towards young ears, and was listening to my parent's record collection, which included many artists. I remember fondly listening to Steppenwolf, Fleetwood Mac, The Doobie Brothers, CCR, and The Guess Who.

Even back then, I had my favorite artists, and when I was five years old, my favorite band was The Police. I am pretty sure I wore out my parents' copy of Ghost in the Machine, listening to Spirits in the Material World, Every Little Thing She Does is Magic, and Invisible Sun on repeat until it drove the neighborhood mad.

I really don't know what it was that I loved about the band, but even back then I knew they had a unique sound. In my adulthood, when I "rediscovered" the Police I can safely say that it was the drumming that was one of the most defining factors in the Police's sound. Perhaps the seeds of me becoming a drummer were planted way back then, when I first heard Stewart Copeland's drumming.

Being as young as I was, I never had an interest in the career, or affairs of a band. I recall seeing copies of Synchronicity at relatives' houses; even listened to the album on occasion. I thought it odd that I had not seen a new album since then, but never bothered to ask anyone what happened to the Police. Only years later I learned that the band split largely due to personality clashes.

I guess I never had any sense of disappointment in me that I never had the opportunity to see Copeland, Summers, and Sumner Sting in concert, mainly because I was far too young at the time, and the chances of them reuniting was about a likely as myself being hit by a Soviet Satellite.

I, as well as countless thousands of die-hard Police fans secretly hoped for a reunion one day, though after some twenty-five years, our hopes were dashed. The last two months have been very exciting, when rumors were flying that the Police had reunited, and were rehearsing in Vancouver, British Columbia. I was brewing with excitement, and it was soon announced that the British trio would open the Grammys.

I was parked in front of the television that Sunday night, secretly praying that they would publicly announce a world tour; and I could care less of ticket prices. No matter the location, no matter the price -- I was going. This was going to be the tour of the decade, if not, the tour of the century.

I must have been hit by that Soviet Satellite, because the next day, the Police formally announced their world tour. Checking Ticketmaster, the Police announced dates in three Canadian cities: Vancouver, Toronto, and Montreal.

Guess what?

I chose not to buy tickets. The ticket prices for the Vancouver show (the concert closest to my city of residence) was way out of this world. Then I would have to take at least two days off work, and book airfare and accommodations while staying in Vancover. I was looking at spending between 1000 and 2000 dollars just to see my favorite band of all time.

Hey, everything has a price. And the expense far outweighed the joy.

But there were still rumours that not all the concert dates had been confirmed. There were whispers on the radio, and rumors on the web. I knew that if the Police played anywhere in Alberta, it would be affordable for me to go no matter what the price.

I have been holding this in for more than a week.

I have my tickets to see the Police in Edmonton on June 2nd, and I have good seats too.

Ticketmaster had given me far better seats, like almost front-row, but I was unwilling to pay $225+ per ticket. But for $100 per seat, I got seats at center field, 8 rows up from the ground.

I know in the archives of this blog that I have ranted and raved about going to concerts of some of my favorite artists, namely KMFDM and Garbage, but this is even bigger than those two combined. Everybody goes to see the Rolling Stones in concert, namely because many think it's the last time that the Stones will be around in their neck of the woods. So what? The Stones tour every couple years. The Police haven't toured in almost 25 years!

The only thing (in my opinion) that could top this is if Zeppelin reunited, with Bonzo on drums -- and that is, simply put, impossible.

And my apologies to Shirley, cause she's the hottest thing in fishnet stockings, I'm sure she'd understand: it's the Police. It will never happen again.