are The Police ticket prices a joke?

($225, $90, and $50)

Sounds about right.

Come on! It's forced charitable giving. Got a problem with that?

The Police announce plans for reunion tour

The Associated Press
Monday, February 12, 2007

WEST HOLLYWOOD, California
The rock trio The Police announced their first tour in decades Monday at a rehearsal at the Whisky a Go-Go as a throng of fans crowded near the legendary Sunset Strip nightclub.

The group, which led off Sunday night's Grammy Awards with a live performance, broke up in 1984. Members Sting, Andy Summers and Stewart Copeland have since pursued individual careers.

The packed club got a taste of Police hits, "Roxanne" and "Message in a Bottle," and listened to the members talk about the decision to reunite and joke about the conflicts that led to their split.

"I woke up one morning about three months ago â?? it's like a light bulb went off in my head … I'm going to call Andy and Stewart," Sting said. "What's happening is sort of very healing."

His bandmates kidded about Sting's demanding personality.

"We refer to Sting as our dear leader," Copeland said.

"On a good day," Summers added.

They insisted the disputes were artistic, not personal.

"The nature of the arguments were all about music …. also hairstyles," Sting joked.

The Police plan a world tour of arenas, stadiums and some festivals beginning in North America on May 28 in Vancouver, moving to Europe in September and October, then returning across the Atlantic.

Some confirmed cities include New York, Boston, Seattle, Denver, Las Vegas, Phoenix, Dallas, New Orleans, St. Louis, Toronto and Montreal. The group will headline the Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival in Tennessee.

"It's going to be three guys on stage, that's all," Sting said. "The show is going to look simple but spectacular."

The group plans to stick to Police material and not include Sting's solo hits.

They sidestepped questions about whether there would be a longer-term relationship including recording new music.

Tickets for the North American leg will range from $50 to $225 (â?¬38 to â?¬173). A portion of proceeds will go to WaterAid, an anti-poverty organization that seeks to provide poor people access to safe water.

There went my interest in the tour!

Doesn't seem too crazy to me.

Just go to Bonnaroo, then. Tickets will be cheaper, plus you get three days of music.

Wait - it gets better:

In the United States, members of Best Buy's Reward Zone program will have the opportunity to access tickets prior to the general public. To qualify for the presale, participants need to be 18 years old or older and must have a current Reward Zone program membership that was activated by February 1, 2007. Presale tickets will be sold through Ticketmaster on a first come first served bases. Complete details of the Reward Zone program presale can be found at www.bestbuy.com/thepolice.

NORTH AMERICAN TOUR ITINERARY 2007

DATE: CITY: VENUE: ON SALE DATE:

28-May Vancouver, BC GM Place Saturday, Feb. 17

06-June Seattle, WA Key Arena To Be Announced
09-June Denver, CO Pepsi Center To Be Announced
15-June Las Vegas, NV MGM Grand Garden Arena To Be Announced
16-June Manchester, TN Bonnaroo Festival To Be Announced
18-June Phoenix, AZ US Airways Arena To Be Announced
26-June Dallas, TX American Airlines Center To Be Announced
30-June New Orleans, LA New Orleans Arena To Be Announced

02-July St. Louis, MO Scottrade Center To Be Announced
22-July Toronto, ON Air Canada Centre Saturday, Feb. 17
25-July Montreal, PQ Bell Centre Saturday, Feb. 17
28-July Boston, MA Fenway Park Tuesday, Feb. 20

01, 03-Aug New York, NY Madison Square Garden Tuesday, Feb. 20
(x)both shows on sale

Additional North American concert dates in Chicago, Columbus, Detroit, Edmonton, Hartford, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, Philadelphia, Tampa, San Francisco's Bay Area, Minneapolis/St. Paul and the Washington/Baltimore area will be announced in the next few weeks.

Additional cities and venues to be announced soon.

i remember back when â?¬38 was $34 and we all walked to school uphill in the snow … those were the days …

so… i guess they're getting back together for the love of mu$ic.

I'm hoping I can cash in my rewardzone points to get an upgraded ticket.

I don't know how those prices are surprising. Same for The Who, way more for Madonna or Simon & Garfunkel…

i agree. go to bonnaroo and see a bunch of other shows.

3 and a half days of music for $150 isn't too bad, unless the rest of the lineup blows.

No way.

I'm buying the $90 tickets and you won't hear a complaint out of me. I've been asking for this tour for nearly two decades. I want a full set of Police songs, no less!

Yeah, maybe not surprising, Bags, but there's also a reason I wouldn't both with the Who, Simon & Garfunkel or Madonna live!

Keep in mind - headlining sets at Bonnaroo are full sets. Tom Petty, Radiohead and Phil Lesh all played over two hours last year.

With the rumors of the other nights…I'm banking on Bonnaroo.

Did they have hidden backup singers when they played on the Grammys? I heard at least two voices doing backup at one point when I could see the drummer dude definitely was not singing

Well, nkotb, I will say that I scored floor tix to the Who for $100. And I overpaid for S&G and Madonna, no question. I'd never seen either of them, though. I won't see Madonna again; felt I needed to do it once.

I am usually not in to arena shows, but what's fun for me is that it tends to be a bit broader group going than my normal 'indie' concert crew.

Okay, Bonnarroo is in Tennessee. There's a cost associated with going, no?

Austin is my festival travel for the year. Maybe Chicago for Pitchfork or Lolla.

police = yawn! zzz

details about the BestBuy presale below… note the dates that I've highlighted - we now know when to expect more dates. does anyone else think that the Washington DC date, now described as "Washington/Baltimore area", might be VFest?!?

Must be Reward Zone program member in good standing as of 2/1/07, 18 or older. Offer valid in 50 U.S./D.C. Concert Venues will be announced as they become available. See www.ticketmaster.com for latest official schedules. To participate, visit www.bestbuy.com/thepolice and follow online instructions to request Ticketmaster Presale Code for your chosen Concert Venue. For Concert Venues announced 2/12/07, Codes available from 6:00:00 a.m. local time 2/12/07 to 11:00:00 a.m. local time 2/16/07, while supplies last. For Concert Venues announced 2/20/07, 2/27/07 and 3/6/07, Codes available from 6:00:00 a.m. local time Tuesday to 11:00:00 a.m. local time Friday of that week, while supplies last. Codes and presale tickets are limited in quantity and available on a first come, first served basis. Code will appear on screen if request is successful. Print Code screen for your records. LIMIT ONE CODE PER MEMBER DURING PROMOTIONAL PERIOD. OBTAINING A CODE DOES NOT GUARANTEE ABILITY TO PURCHASE PRESALE TICKETS. If you receive a Code, visit www.ticketmaster.com during applicable presale period, and follow online instructions to enter Code for the opportunity to order presale tickets for that Concert Venue. For Concert Venues announced 2/12/07, presale begins 12:00:00 noon local time 2/13/07 to 12:00:00 noon local time 2/16/07, while supplies last. For Concert Venues announced 2/20/07, 2/27/07 and 3/6/07, presale begins 10:00:00 a.m. local time Wednesday to 12:00:00 noon local time Friday of that week, while supplies last. LIMIT ONE CODE ENTRY FOR MAXIMUM OF TWO PRESALE TICKETS PER MEMBER DURING PROMOTIONAL PERIOD. Times subject to change. "Local time" defined as time zone of applicable Concert Venue.

also, for those who aren't part of this bestbuy reward zone thing - from ticketmaster.com:

Beginning February 13 at Noon, you can purchase tickets before the general public by ordering The Police Tour Fan Club Membership during the presale as part of your ticket purchase transaction, which will cost another $100 USD ($120 CDN).
In approximately 10 business days, The Police Tour Fan Club will send you an email so that you can then activate your membership.