The Synchronicity Tour was a 1983–1984

concert tour A concert tour (or simply tour) is a series of concerts by an artist or group of artists in different cities, countries or locations. Often concert tours are named to differentiate different tours by the same artist and to associate a specific to ...

The Police The Police were an English rock band formed in London in 1977. For most of their history the line-up consisted of primary songwriter Sting (lead vocals, bass guitar), Andy Summers (guitar) and Stewart Copeland (drums, percussion). The Police ...

to promote their fifth album, ''

Synchronicity Synchronicity (german: Synchronizität) is a concept first introduced by analytical psychologist Carl G. Jung "to describe circumstances that appear meaningfully related yet lack a causal connection." In contemporary research, synchronicity ...

''. It kicked off on July 23, 1983 in

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and was concluded on March 4, 1984 in

Melbourne Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...

. It touched three continents for a total of 105 shows. During the early dates in the first North American leg, the band resided at a mansion in

Bridgehampton, New York Bridgehampton is a hamlet and census-designated place (CDP) on the South Fork of Suffolk County, New York, United States. The population was 1,756 at the 2010 census. Bridgehampton is in the town of Southampton, on Long Island. Shortly after ...

and were flown to the concerts. This was the band's final tour as a working unit and one of the highest-grossing tours of the 1980s. As the band's album ''Synchronicity'' featured an extensive use of backing vocals

Stewart Copeland Stewart Armstrong Copeland (born July 16, 1952) is a Scottish-American musician and composer. He is best known for his work as the drummer of the English rock band the Police from 1977 to 1986, and again from 2007 to 2008. Before playing with th ...

and

Andy Summers Andrew James Summers (born 31 December 1942), is an English guitarist who was a member of the rock band The Police. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a band member in 2003. Summers has recorded solo albums, collaborated w ...

were not able to replicate live due to the intricacies of their drums and guitar parts, the live set was augmented by three vocalists – Michelle Cobb, Dolette McDonald and Tessa Niles. This was only the second time The Police would work with additional musicians on stage following the deployment of an horns section during the

Ghost in the Machine Tour The Ghost in the Machine Tour was a concert tour by The Police to promote their album ''Ghost in the Machine''. To reflect the horns-based sound that permeated the album, the band decided to work with back-up musicians, hiring a horn section cal ...

in 1981. The grandiosity of the tour and the expectations around it – it came at the end of a five-years progression that saw The Police growing from underground phenomenon to global superstar – put a lot of stress on the band members. "I was never relaxed," drummer

recalled. "I had so much anxiety. And I know how crazy that must sound to people who do real jobs." Copeland did however cite the 18 August show at

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''(

rhyming slang Rhyming slang is a form of slang word construction in the English language. It is especially prevalent among Cockneys in England, and was first used in the early 19th century in the East End of London; hence its alternative name, Cockney rhymin ...

for 'Yank')'', The Police is an English band and I'm a Londoner – an American Londoner – so it felt like conquering America." According to

Sting Sting may refer to: * Stinger or sting, a structure of an animal to inject venom, or the injury produced by a stinger * Irritating hairs or prickles of a stinging plant, or the plant itself Fictional characters and entities * Sting (Middle-eart ...

, the band's performance at Shea Stadium constituted the peak of their career. "I realized that you can't get better than this, you can't climb a mountain higher than this. This is Everest. I made the decision on stage that ok, this is it, this is where this thing stops, right now." The November 2 and 3 shows in

Atlanta Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,715 ...

were filmed and recorded for a live album and a video release. ''Synchronicity Concert'' was originally issued in VHS format in 1984 under the direction of

Godley & Creme Godley & Creme were an English rock duo formally established in Manchester in 1977 by Kevin Godley and Lol Creme. The pair began releasing music as a duo after their departure from the rock band 10cc. In 1979, they directed their first music vi ...

, who had also been responsible for directing all the music videos from ''Synchronicity''. The film would later be released in DVD format in 2005. The album was mixed but did not materalize until 1995 when it was packaged together with one of the band's early gigs at the Orpheum Theatre in

Boston Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...

under the title '' Live!''. The double album was produced by Andy Summers.

Setlist

The following setlist is obtained from the 18 August 1983 concert held at the Shea Stadium in New York City. It does not represent all concerts during the tour. For the whole duration of the tour, the setlist largely revolved around ''Synchronicity''. All songs from the album, with the exception of "Mother" and "Miss Gradenko", were performed. "

Invisible Sun "Invisible Sun" is a song by British rock band the Police, released as a single in Europe in September 1981.Sutcliffe, Phil (1993). "A Police Discography". In ''Message in a Box: The Complete Recordings'' (pp.60–61) oxed set booklet A&M Reco ...

" and "

Don't Stand So Close to Me "Don't Stand So Close to Me" is a hit song by the rock band The Police, released in September 1980 as the lead single from their third album ''Zenyatta Mondatta''. It concerns a teacher who has a sexual relationship with a student, which in tu ...

", from ''

Ghost in the Machine The "ghost in the machine" is a term originally used to describe and critique the notion of the mind existing alongside and separate to the body. In more recent times, the term has several uses, including the concept that the intellectual part of ...

'' and ''

Zenyatta Mondatta ''Zenyatta Mondatta'' (stylised as ''Zenyattà Mondatta'' on the album cover artwork) is the third studio album by English rock band the Police, released on 3 October 1980 by A&M Records. It was co-produced by the band and Nigel Gray. ''Zenyatta ...

'' respectively, were performed mostly during the European leg of the tour. During "Hole in My Life" Sting would occasionally add snippets of

The Beatles The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatles, most influential band of al ...

' "

Fixing a Hole "Fixing a Hole" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles from their 1967 album '' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band''. It was written by Paul McCartney and credited to Lennon–McCartney. Writing In a 1968 interview, McCartney said th ...

" or

Ray Charles Ray Charles Robinson Sr. (September 23, 1930 – June 10, 2004) was an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. He is regarded as one of the most iconic and influential singers in history, and was often referred to by contemporaries as "The Ge ...

' "

Hit the Road Jack "Hit the Road Jack" is a song written by the rhythm and blues singer Percy Mayfield and recorded by Ray Charles. The song was a US number 1 hit in 1961, and won a Grammy award for Best Rhythm and Blues Recording, becoming one of Charles' signat ...

". #"Voices Inside My Head" #"

Synchronicity I "Synchronicity I" is a song by the Police, and the opening track from their album ''Synchronicity (The Police album), Synchronicity''. Written by Sting (musician), Sting, the track was also released as a Japanese-only single. Background "Synchron ...

" / "

Synchronicity II "Synchronicity II" is a song by the Police, and the third single from their album ''Synchronicity (The Police album), Synchronicity''. Written by lead singer and bassist Sting (musician), Sting, it was released as a single in the UK and the U.S. ...

" #"Walking in Your Footsteps" #"

Message in a Bottle A message in a bottle (abbrev. MIB) is a form of communication in which a message is sealed in a container (typically a bottle) and released into a conveyance medium (typically a body of water). Messages in bottles have been used to send distres ...

" #" Demolition Man (some shows)" #"

Walking on the Moon "Walking on the Moon" is a song by British rock band the Police, released as the second single from their second studio album, ''Reggatta de Blanc'' (1979). The song was written by the band's lead vocalist and bassist Sting. It went on to bec ...

" #"O My God" #"

De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da "De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da" is a song by The Police, released as a single on 20 November 1980. Released as the British second single from the album ''Zenyatta Mondatta'', the song was written by Sting as a comment on how people love simple-sound ...

" #"

Wrapped Around Your Finger "Wrapped Around Your Finger" is the second UK single (and fourth US single) from the Police's 1983 album ''Synchronicity''. Written by Sting, it was released worldwide by A&M Records and featured the non-album track "Someone to Talk To" as a B ...

' #"

Tea in the Sahara "Tea in the Sahara" is a song by the British new wave band the Police. Written by Sting, the song appeared on the band's final album, ''Synchronicity''. It was written about the Paul Bowles novel ''The Sheltering Sky''. A live version of "Tea ...

" #"

Spirits in the Material World "Spirits in the Material World" is a song by rock trio the Police, written by Sting. It is the opening track for their 1981 album '' Ghost in the Machine''. It was released as a single in 1981 and reached No. 12 in the United KingdomKing of Pain "King of Pain" is a song by English rock band the Police, released as the final single from their fifth and final studio album ''Synchronicity'' (1983). Written by the band's lead singer and bassist Sting as a post-separation song from his wif ...

" #"

Every Breath You Take "Every Breath You Take" is a song by the English rock band the Police from their album ''Synchronicity'' (1983). Written by Sting, the single was the biggest US and Canadian hit of 1983, topping the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 singles chart for ei ...

" #"Murder by Numbers" ;Encore #

" Roxanne"

Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic" is a song by British rock group the Police from their fourth album, ''Ghost in the Machine''. The song, notable for featuring a pianist (uncommon in Police songs), dates back to a demo recorded in the house ...

" (some shows)

Can't Stand Losing You "Can't Stand Losing You" is a song by English rock band The Police, released from their debut album ''Outlandos d'Amour'', both in 1978. The song also was released as the follow-up single to "Roxanne (The Police song), Roxanne", reaching number ...

" / "Reggatta de Blanc"

" Next to You" (some shows)

So Lonely "So Lonely" is a song by English rock band The Police, released as the third and final single in November 1978 from their debut studio album '' Outlandos d'Amour'' (1978), and again in February 1980 as a re-release. The song uses a reggae styl ...

Opening acts

Joan Jett & The Blackhearts Joan Jett (born Joan Marie Larkin, September 22, 1958) is an American singer, guitarist, record producer, and actress. Jett is best known for her work as the frontwoman of her band Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, and for earlier founding and per ...

A Flock of Seagulls A Flock of Seagulls are an English new wave band formed in Liverpool in 1979. The group, whose best-known line-up comprised Mike Score, Ali Score, Frank Maudsley and Paul Reynolds, hit the peak of their chart success in the early 1980s. The ...

The Fixx The Fixx are a rock band from London, England, founded in 1979. The band's hits include "One Thing Leads to Another", "Saved by Zero", "Are We Ourselves?", and "Secret Separation", each of which charted in the Top 20 of the Billboard Hot 100, ...

Ministry Ministry may refer to: Government * Ministry (collective executive), the complete body of government ministers under the leadership of a prime minister * Ministry (government department), a department of a government Religion * Christian ...

Stevie Ray Vaughan Stephen Ray Vaughan (October 3, 1954 – August 27, 1990) was an American musician, best known as the guitarist and frontman of the blues rock trio Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble. Although his mainstream career spanned only seven years, ...

Peter Tosh Winston Hubert McIntosh, OM (19 October 1944 – 11 September 1987), professionally known as Peter Tosh, was a Jamaican reggae musician. Along with Bob Marley and Bunny Wailer, he was one of the core members of the band the Wailers (1963� ...

Talking Heads Talking Heads were an American rock band formed in 1975 in New York City and active until 1991.Talkin ...

Blue Peter ''Blue Peter'' is a British children's television entertainment programme created by John Hunter Blair. It is the longest-running children's TV show in the world, having been broadcast since October 1958. It was broadcast primarily from BBC Tel ...

King Sunny Adé Chief Sunday Adeniyi Adegeye (born 22 September 1946), known professionally as King Sunny Adé, is a Nigerian jùjú singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He is regarded as one of the first African pop musicians to gain international ...

James Brown James Joseph Brown (May 3, 1933 – December 25, 2006) was an American singer, dancer, musician, record producer and bandleader. The central progenitor of funk music and a major figure of 20th century music, he is often referred to by the honor ...

R.E.M. R.E.M. was an American rock band from Athens, Georgia, formed in 1980 by drummer Bill Berry, guitarist Peter Buck, bassist Mike Mills, and lead vocalist Michael Stipe, who were students at the University of Georgia. One of the first alternati ...

* Madness *

Thompson Twins Thompson Twins were a British Pop music, pop band formed in 1977 in Sheffield. Initially a New wave music, new wave group, they switched to a more mainstream pop sound and achieved considerable popularity during the mid-1980s, scoring a string ...

Oingo Boingo Oingo Boingo () was an American new wave band formed by songwriter Danny Elfman in 1979. The band emerged from a surrealist musical theatre troupe, The Mystic Knights of the Oingo Boingo, that Elfman had led and written material for in the ye ...

The Animals The Animals (also billed as Eric Burdon and the Animals) are an English rock band, formed in Newcastle upon Tyne in the early 1960s. The band moved to London upon finding fame in 1964. The Animals were known for their gritty, bluesy sound and ...

UB40 UB40 are an English reggae and pop band, formed in December 1978 in Birmingham, England. The band has had more than 50 singles in the UK Singles Chart, and has also achieved considerable international success. They have been nominated for the ...

* Passionate Friends *

Bryan Adams Bryan Guy Adams (born 5 November 1959) is a Canadian musician, singer, songwriter, composer, and photographer. He has been cited as one of the best-selling music artists of all time, and is estimated to have sold between 75 million and mor ...

Australian Crawl Australian Crawl (often called Aussie Crawl or The Crawl by fans) were an Australian rock band founded by James Reyne (lead vocals/piano/harmonica), Brad Robinson (rhythm guitar), Paul Williams (bass), Simon Binks (lead guitar) and David R ...

* Sunnyboys *

Kids in the Kitchen Kids in the Kitchen are an Australian pop, funk and new wave band which formed in 1983. They enjoyed chart success with four top-20 hits on the Australian Kent Music Report Singles Chart, " Change in Mood" (1983), " Bitter Desire" (1984), " So ...

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Tour dates

Personnel

*Sting – lead vocals, bass guitar, double bass, oboe *Andy Summers – guitar, synthesizer, backing vocals *Stewart Copeland – drums, percussion, xylophone, backing vocals *Michelle Cobb – backing vocals *Dolette McDonald – backing vocals *Tessa Niles – backing vocals *Danny Quatrochi – bass guitar on "Invisible Sun" and "Walking on The Moon" on Atlanta shows when Sting was filming with the camera.

References

External links

"The Police – Synchronicity Tour – 1983 / 1984" (Archive.org snapshot of fan site)"The Police Synchronicity Tour 1983–84" collection of audio recordings on YouTube"
*https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/re-flex/1984/riverfront-coliseum-cincinnati-oh-6b8f8e16.html {{The Police The Police concert tours 1983 concert tours 1984 concert tours