Berkley, Calif., 03/04/1979

The Police

(Concerts.wolfgangsvault.com)

When The Police perform in front of nearly 20,000 at the St. Pete Times Forum on July 11, chances are the show won't exactly be edgy. But there was a time when the trio played punk clubs and wowed rowdy listeners with a feisty concoction of rock, reggae and funk. That's what listeners get here, a show featuring the trio touring in support of their debut LP Outlandos d'Amour and playing in front of maybe 1,000 or so at Zellerbach Hall in Berkeley. Sting sounds gruff; there's not a hint of the New Aginess that would plague his future work. He was an angry young man in '79, performing soon-to-be classics like "Can't Stand Losing You" and "Roxanne" with the passion of an artist just starting out.