Before you get your underwear all knotted over the Police reunion tour, consider this: The band is overrated.
Yes, it has one of the better rhythm sections in rock. Yes, the members somehow meshed rock, jazz and reggae without devolving into embarrassing second-wave ska. And I agree – that Sting fellow writes some catchy tunes. But really, does the band deserve to be mentioned in the same breath as contemporaries like the Talking Heads, Elvis Costello or even the Clash?
The songs, while memorably melodic, are drier and more predictable than Phoenix’s weather. The members’ recent reunion is ground-shaking news in music circles, but only because they’ll rake in a bazillion dollars on their upcoming tour.
Like the Who, the Police originally broke up for good reasons (they couldn’t stand each other) but got back together repeatedly under clouds of renewed economic potential. Can you imagine how sick we’ll be of Sting answering the same four questions in every “exclusive” interview he conducts over the next few months?
Still, I’ll be at their June 9 Pepsi Center show. Being overrated doesn’t stop them from being good – and one of the hottest shows of the summer. Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Saturday. ($50-$225, Ticketmaster)
Iggy & the Stooges also spring to mind when one thinks of ill-conceived reunions, although that proto-punk act’s seminal early work has more to do with the way modern music sounds than the Police. Tickets for the April 17 set at the Fillmore Auditorium go on sale at 10 a.m. Saturday. ($30, Ticketmaster)
Sherry Lansing made history when she became the first female chief of a major movie studio, helming such hits as “Forrest Gump” and “Titanic” – still the highest grossing film of all time – for Paramount. She’ll visit the Buell Theatre as part of the Unique Lives and Experiences series. Tickets for the March 19 event are on sale now. ($46-$115, eventsunlimited.com)
Rocky Mountain Rollergirls will open their hard-hitting season with a roller derby bout against the Pikes Peak Derby Dames at the Bladium Sports Club in Stapleton on March 3. The after-party will be held at the appropriately scruffy Three Kings Tavern. Tickets are on sale now. ($13-$15, rockymountainrollergirls.com)
Sesame Street Live returns to Denver with one of its most popular characters leading the way. “Elmo Makes Music,” a children’s stage show bursting with tunes and stories, will hit Magness Arena April 19-22. Tickets go on sale March 5. ($15-$35, Ticketmaster)
The Greyboy Allstars and Medeski Martin and Wood enjoy comfy spots atop the groove jazz scene, mixing danceable rhythms with the technical prowess and structures of traditional jazz. The acts will co-headline the Fillmore Auditorium April 13-14. Tickets are on sale at 10 a.m. Saturday. ($30, Ticketmaster)
