Last ever Police

The fat lady sings as Sting and Co perform their last show in New York

08 August 2008 - After 14 months, The Police played the final date of their massive comeback tour at Madison Square Gardens last night (7 August).

The show was a benefit gig to raise funds for two New York public television stations, WLIW-21 and Thirteen/WNET.

Sting explained it should be a fitting way to end the reunion: “I think it’s important that things have an ending. This was never meant to be forever and nothing is. So, this is the end and it’s a happy ending.”

After four songs, the 57 year-old star thanked his band mates for the following: “Your musicianship, your companionship, your friendship and your understanding.”

"The real triumph of this tour is that we haven't strangled each other. Not to say it hasn't crossed my mind — or Andy's or Stewart's,” he said.

Cream’s Sunshine Of Your Love was the opener, and a cover of The Jimi Hendrix Experience’s Purple Haze also made it onto the set list.

The band roped in the help of 24 uniformed members of the police department for their hit, Message in a Bottle.

"The real triumph of this tour is that we haven't strangled each other. Not to say it hasn't crossed my mind — or Andy's or Stewart's."
Sting

Critics have said his voice is still in good shape and at 57 years-old he still knows how to put on a good show.

And the set included Can't Stand Losing You, So Lonely, Next to You, Every Breath You Take, Roxanne and Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic - during which three of Sting’s children came onstage and danced behind him.

Before the encore a camera filmed Sting backstage having his beard shaved off by a troop of attractive women.

After this, he came out to sing Roxanne, with remnants of shaving cream still on his face – a female fan said that she, “didn’t recognise him.”

To highlight that this really is the end for the band they had fun with the old adage; “It’s not over ‘till the fat lady sings,” by ending the show with a roadie dressed as a fat opera singer lip-synching.

As they closed the 150th show of the mammoth tour, the trio left the stage to Porky Pig’s well known tune, “That’s all folks.”

Georgie Rogers