THE POLICE – Capitol Theater, Passaic, New Jersey, 29/11/1980

In their short lifespan of just under eight years, like The Beatles of post-punk, The Police took on the world. The bulk of their studio output retains a near timeless appeal, but it was in the live setting that the power of this trio of talented musicians became really obvious.

It’s a shame that the only widely available live show from the band’s original existence is from the Synchronicity tour. Although a great show, the shine and bombast doesn’t quite capture the spirit of the earlier years. The BBC’s ‘Rock Goes To College’ show sits gathering dust in an archive and other bits and pieces – although pro-shot and circulating among fans – are unlikely to get a DVD release any time soon.

This full performance from the US leg of The Police’s 1980 tour serves as a great reminder of a very powerful trio. It’s in black and white, but was captured directly on the venue’s own multi-camera set-up, and in just ninety minutes captures exactly why Sting, Andy Summers and Stewart Copeland were – and still are – one of the best musical units in the history of pop/rock.

Enjoy.