Java Blues

For thirty years 60 Minutes' Andy Rooney has had it in for the coffee companies. Even today he'll rail about the price of a can of coffee versus the amount inside. It seems to be ever changing. Now word comes that Starbucks is raising the price of their brewed beverages for the second time this year. This time it's not because of the price of coffee itself which is traded as a commodity, no, not that tired argument again. This time it's because of the price of dairy products. What? You mean the cream in my coffee? You've got to be kidding. It seems that there's an increase in dairy because of the increase in corn used for feed for dairy cows because of an increase in ethanol production which is causing an increase in the pain in my neck. But it's not just Starbucks. No. My favorite coffee shop Dunkin' Donuts, has also gone up on their prices too. Now before you start to think I'm taking this coffee thing a little too serious let me explain. I order my coffee black. If I want it sweetened I'll add a Sweet N' Low sometimes, but none of that triple, grande, soy, blah-blah, blah for me. No sir! Black. That means no cream! My coffee just went up nine cents anyway. I can see it now one day: Coffee--$6.29, with cream--$6.79. Andy's gonna love this.

Walking on the Moon

Their last album was in 1983. They broke up in 1984. And Monday night in St. Louis I finally saw The Police LIVE! I was in the sixth grade when their last single was on the charts. Almost a quarter of a century later there I was--and there they were. I have always loved The Police. Even before their swan song which is Synchronicity, I knew all the words to Message in a Bottle, So Lonely, and of course Roxanne. On the surface the music sounds so simple (it is a three piece band after all), but even an average ear can pick up the complexities in the percussion, the haunting loneliness in the chording, and the lyrical isolation. Their forays into reggae and thier use of the diminished minor harmonies are the signature of the Police sound. Nobody is near that creative today! The live show featured just The Police--no backup singers or additional musicians. They played for just over two hours with three encores. Were our seats the best? No. Were the acoustics in a hockey arena great? No. But it was The Police, and when you've waited almost 25 years to see your favorite band those things just didn't matter. It was great!

Setlist:

“Message in a Bottle”

“Synchronicity II”

“Walking on the Moon”

“Voices Inside My Head”

“When the World is Running Down, You Make the Best of What’s Still Around”

“Don’t Stand So Close to Me”

“Driven To Tears”

“The Bed’s Too Big Without You”

“Truth Hits Everybody”

“Every Little Thing She Does is Magic”

“Wrapped Around Your Finger”

“De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da”

“Invisible Sun”

“Walking In Your Footsteps”

“Can’t Stand Losing You”

Encore one:“Roxanne”

Encore two:“King of Pain”

“So Lonely”

“Every Breath You Take”

Encore three:“Next To You"