The Police

I hope you didn't think that was the Singapore Police Force I'm referring to (because that's what you get when you google "The Police in Singapore", hoping you'll find some videos concert-goers might have uploaded on youtube).

Although critically acclaimed as "one of the most memorable events of the year" and drawing a full capacity crowd of more than 10,000 people (even the South seats behind the stage/band were released for sale), I found their concert at the Singapore Indoor Stadium so-so. There had been better concerts if you ask me, but stepping outside the subject of relativity would render The Police a remarkable band that was synonymous with thousands of fans who came to witness a legend in their only Asia stop after twenty years. It wasn't any wonder 90% of the crowd were non-Singaporeans.

In 1977, The Police stormed the music scene by blending reggae, punk, jazz and rock. Sting, Stewart Copeland and Andy Summers created an unmistakably nuanced sound filled with evocative melodies, infectious lyrics and rock & roll swagger. Combining controlled energy and evocative melodies, the trio played with the improvisational instincts of a jazz trio and the raw energy of a punk-rock band - a blend that made them one of the definitive rock groups of the '70s and '80s. The band manifested an understated virtuosity, applying their chops within reggae grooves and intricate arrangements. Between Summers' trenchant and ground breaking guitar work, Copeland's deceptively complex poly-rhythms and Sting's loping bass and soaring vocals, They were indisputably the most adventurous ambassadors of the new wave genre then known spawning instantly recognizable hits such as “Roxanne”, “So Lonely”, “Message in a Bottle”, “Walking on the Moon”, “Don’t Stand So Close To Me” and “Every Little Thing She Does is Magic”.

The Police dominated the top of the charts and radio airwaves worldwide with five #1 albums and a succession of top 10 hit singles. In the six years they were together, The Police became one of the world's most famous bands, earning six Grammy Awards, selling over 50 million albums and winning countless fans around the globe.

To the uninitiated, perhaps the only song we know oh-so-well is this below, to which Sting rocked the house, garnering total crowd support, sing-a-longs, and definitely euphoria.