Over two decades after The Police performed their last concert the band's frontman, Sting, reached new heights as he kicked-off the group's comeback world tour in Vancouver on Monday. Accompanied by guitarist Andy Summers and drummer Stewart Copeland, the 55-year-old British musician showed he'd lost none of his youthful vigour as he leapt into the air while belting out the 1979 hit Message In A Bottle in front of an audience of 20,000 concertgoers.
"Since we haven't been together in 25 years, I'd like to introduce the band," Sting joked after they'd delivered some of their most famous hits, including Roxanne and Every Breath You Take. "Andy, this is Stewart," the rock icon teased.
Still showing that every little thing they do is magic the band had fans on their feet as they revisited classics in the course of the two-hour set, which closed with a rendition of Next To You.
In the audience was Sting's wife Trudie Styler - who sang along enthusiastically from her seventh row seat - Pearl Jam lead vocalist Eddie Vedder, and Spanish actress Penelope Cruz, who is currently in Vancouver filming Elegy alongside Ben Kingsley.
While Andy has said the "obvious thing to do" would be to work on another album, band-mate Stewart says he's simply looking forward to having "a blast for one year".
The group, who never officially broke up but suffered tensions as a result of creative difficulties, still have their differences, however. "We play nicely for two or three days, and then we start to get on each other's nerves," admits Stewart, adding: "Then we have a screaming match, and then we hug and kiss, and then we play even better."
Vancouver gets another taste of the iconic trio on Wednesday before they head for Edmonton and later Montreal and Toronto. The Canada concerts are just the first leg of a 21-gig tour of North America. Also on the itinerary are South America, Europe and Australia.
Photo: Getty Images
Photo: Getty Images
