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Pittsburgh's Ear for Music

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7.30.2008

The Police = Arresting

Har har har, how I do love those puns...

We missed most of Elvis Costello's set after getting side-tracked into West Virginia, because the idea of buying beer at a gas station is delightful to us drinkin' folks from Pittsburgh. And because, until walking towards the PGP, I didn't think I knew any of his songs. Of course, as soon as I heard "Allison, you know this world is killing you", the synapses began firing. I never knew how much I liked that song! The finalae I also knew, "(What's so funny 'bout) peace love and understanding", though I know it better as a Perfect Circle cover - a cover so good evocative that it is a bit hard to appreciate the original form. Obviously, I am in no great position to judge Elvis' performance, but it did seem everyone was having a great time.

After the perfect amount of time for a set-break (read: few were rushing to get back to their seats after the concession lines, few were still reeling from EC's set), The Police come on with "Message in a Bottle" to thunderous applause. They were last in town the year I was born, over 2 decades ago, and everyone - EVERYONE - from the bathroom to the front row, was singing along. Nice choice, guys.
Really, just a very tight and interesting set. A lot should be expected from veterans such as the Police, and a lot was indeed what they delivered. The highlight of the evening was a superb performance by drummer Stewart Copeland during "Wrapped Around my Finger". He started out playing on the 5'+ gong behind his drum kit, and proceeded to masterfully use every piece of percussion equipment on stage - which included many different types of

Perhaps the cheesiest moment was "Roxanne", where their stage show turned into entirely red-lights. However, I happen to enjoy good cheese. To the delight of all the 40-and-50-somethings that were getting higher than they have in years (I merely assume, due to the 2nd hand buzz I was getting), was a nearly Grateful-Dead caliber space-jam in the middle of this field of color.

Despite the wonderful evening, unless I get a full 8 hours of sleep the night before the show, I will not attempt to go to a PGP concert. We did a bit of fire-dancing in the parking lot, but left no later than 11pm. At 1:30, we arrived at home, after the insane amount of construction, car accidents, and intoxicated people slowing down to 40 to pass parked police. I could understand if the band was at the side of the road, but seriously people! If you were that drunk, you could've slept in your cars for a few hours. There were a group of young, intoxicated chaps hanging while we were fire dancing who were *smartly* discussing this option. And I didn't see their car making out with a guardrail. Way to ruin a great night for yourself, dumbass. However, if you were in this traffic too, I was talking about ramming my car into yours the whole way home (emay + tiredorhungry = mean ol' ho).

Ravenstahl, if you read this blog, please consider massive amounts of PGP traffic due to sold-out-near-to-Pittsburgh-shows when you schedule road construction. Please!!!!

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