To fully appreciate the adventure Disturbed font by Stewart Copeland, you had to accept being destabilized and happy to take risks. The drummer of the famous formation had promised crazy versions of Police songs and delivered them at the Palais Montcalm.
The Raoul Jobin Hall was packed to capacity for this concert event, presented for a single evening in the Old Capital. Even before the performance started, you could feel the electricity in the air.
Upon his arrival on the stages, the 70-year-old drummer received a standing ovation. With a raised fist, he cheered on the 48 musicians of the Orchester symphonique de Québec.
Also accompanied by guitarist Carl Verheyen, bassist Armand Sabal-Lecco and singers Amy Keys, Carmel Helen and Ashley Tamar, Stewart Copeland opened the evening wearing a headband with Demolition Man from the album Ghost in the Machine. A title somewhat less familiar to the police force.
Photo courtesy of Palais Montcalm
It’s a bit of a sound mess. It was difficult to distinguish the sounds provided by the OSQ and things started to settle down with King of Pain that followed. Roxanne, in an unrecognizable version, certainly captivated the fans who were waiting for this big police “hit”.
“This one, I bothered him a lot,” Stewart Copeland said, laughing, and for good reason. The lyrics, the music, everything was different. It was absolutely impossible to sing.
The proposed versions differ from the originals. As the orchestrator and composer of several film scores, Stewart Copeland takes the titles from The Police, modifying the arrangements, the structure of the verses and choruses, and inserting new musical segments.
The musician burst solidly on the boards throughout the evening. As well as playing his signature rhythms on drums, he also played guitar and led the OSQ musicians through a particularly festive and jazzy segment with his composition The Equalizer Busy Equalizing. Without the presence of bass, guitar and vocals, we even heard the harp. Copeland hopped as he commanded.
“What’s up, a drummer who drops a stick is a conductor,” the drummer said during one of his many interventions.
A cool orchestra
Murder by Numbers and Spirits in the Material Word were also good moments, but it wasn’t until the second part, after the break, that the concert really picked up speed.
Photo courtesy of Palais Montcalm
We found the OSQ to be more present and highlighted by the arrangements. We could hear the sonority of the strings and brass better. The sound was also more balanced and of higher quality.
After calling OSQ the coolest band in North America, Stewart Copeland invited people to check out their next program.
“It will change your life,” he said with a smile that lasted throughout the performance.
The titles The Bed’s Too Big Without You, Don’t Stand So Close to Me, Message in a Bottle, with nice inserts from the OSQ and Can’t Stand Losing You were very successful. Stewart Copeland went wild on the drums on those last two songs. Conductor Edwin Outwater even took a few leaps when conducting the symphony orchestra
As a reminder, we got a not-too-disturbed version of Every Little Thing She Does is Magic. People got up. In some places there was dancing.
Stewart Copeland had promised different and deranged versions. He delivered the goods, although the operation, which was well known, might perhaps destabilize certain amateurs who were expecting something less explosive and more conventional.
At the end of the concert we could see that the songs of the police, disturbed or not, are always strong, magical and imprinted in our memory. A unique and different evening, but a terrific evening of music.