On Friday, March 22, the first of the 鈥淩ock Icons鈥� concerts will take place on Radford University鈥檚 main campus with the music of Sting and the Police. This free, public concert will cover some of the band鈥檚 most iconic and best loved songs as well as highlights from Sting鈥檚 solo career.
The ensemble is directed by Dave Rivers, a professor in the Music Business program. Rivers, who also teaches a Beatles class, brought last year鈥檚 performance of Pink Floyd鈥檚 鈥淒ark Side of the Moon鈥� album to Radford as part of the 鈥淩ock 50鈥� series.
Where the 鈥淩ock 50鈥� series performs a complete album from start to finish, the 鈥淩ock Icons鈥� performances feature music from across the careers of prolific and influential rock artists, often exploring alternate versions of classic songs.
鈥淪ting and the Police were chosen as the first in this concert series because of the wide range of styles that could be explored from New Wave and punk to rock, pop and jazz,鈥� Rivers explained.
The music is performed by the Commercial Music Ensemble, a student band with a unique role on campus.
Established in 2019, the group plays rock and pop music concerts on Radford鈥檚 campus. The CME is the house band for the annual 鈥淩adford Idol鈥� talent competition and regularly collaborates with the Dance department and the Radford band and choirs.
Many of the students intend to have a career in the music business and Rivers says these kinds of performances add depth and understanding to their educations.
鈥淭he student musicians and singers get a deeper appreciation of some very important music that was a radio staple from the 1970s through the 1990s and beyond,鈥� he said.
While popular music will no doubt continue to change and evolve, having that understanding gives them a competitive framework and since of value for music produced before they were born.
One of those students is senior Anthony Del Grosso from Washington, VA. An accomplished guitarist, Del Grosso is also a member of Radford鈥檚 Guitar Ensemble and a Music Performance major.
Del Grosso says that playing the part of Andy Summers, the Police鈥檚 six-stringer, requires an appreciation for the uniqueness of the artist.
鈥淎ndy Summers is tasteful in his playing,鈥� Del Grosso said. 鈥淗e knows when to stand out and when to stand back as he carefully navigates the Police鈥檚 classic songs.鈥�
Del Grosso says that playing in Summers鈥� style requires specialized practice exercises.
鈥淢uch of the guitar work of Andy Summers requires large stretches with the left hand as well as continuous barring, which is typically avoided as much as possible in guitar repertoire. This created the need for me to strengthen my left hand.鈥�
Remarkably, Del Grosso鈥檚 study of classical guitar lead him to just the source for this.
鈥淭he perfect place to find this strength training?鈥� he asked rhetorically. 鈥淭he technical exercises written by Francisco Tarrega in the late 19th century.鈥�
The bass player is Maddy Nase, a junior Anthropological Sciences major and Music Business minor from Harleysville, PA. The music ensembles at Radford are open to all students and she鈥檚 found the CME to be a way to maintain a lifelong love for music and performance.
鈥淚 grew up listening to the Police but hadn't familiarized myself with a lot of their songs on bass guitar, so it was a great experience to learn all of the music as a group,鈥� she said.
鈥淚t has given me a new appreciation for all the detail and complexity that went into the compositions.鈥�
Nase says Sting鈥檚 bass style is demanding, but fun to play.
鈥淚 think it's interesting the different techniques and tones that he plays with,鈥� Nase said. 鈥淚 especially enjoy the tone on "Message in a Bottle" because it adds to the anguished feel of the entire song.鈥�
Sam Slaughter, a sophomore from Christiansburg in Business Management, has the job of filling Stewart Copeland鈥檚 shoes. Copeland, whose unique style blends rock and reggae with Middle Eastern and African rhythms, is typically ranked in the top 10 rock drummers of all time.
Slaughter has found Copeland鈥檚 creativity and variation from song-to-song inspiring.
鈥淪tewart Copeland has a very spontaneous style of drumming, and he never does things the same way twice,鈥� Slaughter explained. 鈥淗e is so all over the place.鈥�
Slaughter says he was a Police fan before, but like Nase, he has a new appreciation for the music as a performer.
鈥淪pending this much time on it has kind of re-wired my own drumming to be more free or wild.鈥�
In addition to the music, the Rock Icons: Sting and the Police concert will feature trivia and flashback video before the show and between sets and Professor Rivers promises a moving and timely performance of Sting's Cold War plead for international sanity, "Russians."
The show will take place in Davis Performance Hall located in the Covington Center at the corner of East Main and Jefferson Street on Radford鈥檚 main campus.
The show will begin at 7:30 p.m. with seating opening up at 7:15. The concert is free and open to the public. Tickets will be distributed at the door.