Andy Summers, best known
as the guitarist of the world-famous rock band The Police, is currently on the
second leg of his Cracked Lens + A
Missing String theater tour, which began in the fall and winter of 2023.
Currently 81 years old, Summers is in his prime and shows no signs of slowing down!
As the title suggests, the show is a fabulous multimedia blend of music, art, and comedy. Summers demonstrates his virtuosic prowess on electric guitar, playing both self-contained pieces as well as unleashing unbridled leads over backing tracks of his solo music and Police hits, while decades of his photographic artwork unspool behind him on a big screen. In between, Summers pauses for hilarious interludes, recounting humorous anecdotes of his various globetrotting adventures as a member of The Police, as a solo artist, and as a curious itinerant explorer. Every now and then, Summers lounges on a sofa while watching some of his filmed escapades along with the audience.
I know this is a cliché, but it is absolutely true – at this advanced stage of his life and his career, Summers’ playing has never been better. The same goes for his energetic persona and his wit.
I had the good fortune of catching this show in October 2023 in Patchogue, Long Island, and just recently in Newton, New Jersey, in June 2024. I even had the pleasure of meeting and talking to his long-time right-hand man, Dennis Smith, for the first time in person about 40 minutes before the Newton show. As many of Summers’ fans who have had the similar pleasure will attest to, Smith is an extremely charming and delightful chap.
If you are a Police fan and especially an Andy Summers fan and Summers’ show comes to a theater near you, make every effort not to miss it! It is absolutely worth it!
--Raj Manoharan
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