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A word of advice to Sting: Avoid Portland on March 16. (Just kidding. Maybe.)
Stewart Copeland, drummer and founder of The Police (and longtime frenemy of Sting, The Police’s former frontman), is teaming with the Oregon Symphony for their Police Deranged concert.
“I’m coming to your town with the actual hits, The Police hits, which I have deranged for orchestra,” Copeland said in a video posted by the Oregon Symphony on Facebook. “It’s a really fun show that I’ve been playing across the lands, and I cannot wait to unveil this monster for you.”
In addition to the symphony, Copeland will be joining with a guitarist and three vocalists, performing songs from his solo career and Police hits like “Roxanne,” “Don’t Stand So Close to Me” and “Message in a Bottle.”
“The mighty Oregon Symphony will be performing these messed-up versions of the songs, where I have sometimes played ‘hide the hit,’” Copeland said. “But the big choruses are there!”
Previously, Copeland explained the origin of the Police Deranged concert, which is touring nationwide, to Forbes.
“I was taking songs for a film about The Police and discovered lost guitar solos, other bass lines and live performances we riffed on,” he explained. “The idea was we take these chops and apply them to these derangements and we play them with an orchestra and we do some hits. It’s been my mission for decades to get the orchestra to rock the house.”
SEE IT: Stewart Copeland: Police Deranged with the Oregon Symphony plays at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, 1037 SW Broadway, 503-248-4335, orsymphony.org. 7:30 pm Wednesday, March. $29-$99.