Will Hines Dot Net

Brian and I watched The Police last night in Hartford, Connecticut. Highlights:

• How old and plump the crowd was. Yes, including me.
• The opening band ‘Fictionplane,’ fronted by Sting’s son. At three different points, Sting Jr. said to the crowd “After our set, if anyone wants to visit we’ll be in section 135.” I assume that message was directed only to attractive girls but I like the idea of a really lonely opening band looking to hang out.
• The Police in my opinion were excellent. Brian and I were impressed that they went it alone — no backup singers or other muscians.
• Stewart Copeland’s ridiculous gong.
• Sting appealing to the crowd’s presumed loyalty to Connecticut to get them to cheer louder. “This is Connecticut, right? Not Massachusetts? or New York State? Let’s hear those hands clapping.” The only appropriate response from the audience would be “Goddamned Massachusetts CLAP CLAP CLAP!”
• Rentschler Field, home to the UConn football team, is a nice stadium with zero apparent planning put into exit routes. When the concert ended, Brian and I milled along with 40,000 people along a fenced in sidewalk that could fit eight-people abreast. It felt like a muted March of Tears, except instead of displaced Native Americans it was a bunch of insurance employees with goatees and Red Sox caps. Ok, so not like the March of Tears. But it took a while.
• People slow dancing to lyrics like “their logic ties you up and rapes you.”