The crowd at La Salles was ready to hear the sounds of one of Chico's most popular party bands and a tribute band from one of the most popular bands of the '80s on Friday.
Stung, the ultimate tribute to The Police, hailed from the Bay Area with Chico being just one stop on the band's journey to conquer Northern California. Buffalo Creek took a break from touring the West and recording its new album to play some of the crowd's old favorites and try out some new material.
Buffalo Creek riled up the crowd with songs from its latest album, "Signal to Noise" which had people singing along to songs such as "Firecracker." The loyal fans were already dancing on the floor as beer was spilled out of carelessness and joy.
"So far, our best stops have been in Truckee and Tahoe," said bassist August Germar. "And we're still working on Sacramento."
Buffalo Creek hopes to release a new album this summer featuring all new material with the same Buffalo flavor.
Stung took over the stage after Buffalo Creek's set and did a tedious sound check before jumping off the stage to put on their Police jumpsuits. The suits were complete with a portrait of The Police on a large patch sewn on to the backs, while lead singer Bee also had his hair spiked in a very Sting-like manner.
The stage was set with Christmas lights on the microphone stands and a blue police light. However, it was the stuffed bee on the drum kit -- affectionately named Lil' Bee -- that brought the ensemble together.
The power trio then happily decided to take the crowd back to the '80s and perform the reggae-tinged pop-rock that made The Police so popular nearly 20 years ago.
Bee's enunciation of syllables embodied Sting's to the point where the crowd had to do a double take.
"I've been doing this (imitating Sting of the Police) since I was 9," Bee said. "And I'm always afraid that I don't sound as good as I do in my head. Luckily, most people say that I do."
The band bounced into a portrayal of "Don't Stand So Close to Me" that had the audience dancing and singing, even though they didn't all know who the band was. After a while, the crowd realized that Stung was a cover band and they were soon shouting out their requests. Most of the crowd was panting for "Roxanne" but the band held out while they, in Bee's words, "brought old gems to a new generation."
Although Stung, for the most part, stayed very true to the original versions of the songs, the band periodically slipped into more personalized renditions. The drums became harder and the guitar became faster as the band went into a trance-like state. "Nothing is as passionate as unrequited love," Bee said as the band dove into "Every Little Thing She Does is Magic."
By the end of the set, Stung gave in to the crowd's requests and played a song that was about "the trials and tribulations of falling in love with a whore."
The band's rendition of "Roxanne" invigorated the crowd and got them ready for yet another twist in Stung's rendition of The Police's music.
"So Lonely" had more of a reggae influence than the original version and ended with Bee and the crowd singing "No woman, no cry" to each other.
After the show, the band was greeted by newly won fans, who showed their appreciation for the cover band with handshakes and hugs.
"We've been together now for 2 years," Bee said of his bandmates, who all share their love for being children of the '80s.
Though the band members have never seen The Police perform live, they did have the opportunity to sit in on a few songs with some of the former members at a birthday party.
This was Stung's third trip to Chico, and the band members were excited about getting their image known in California. Stung hopes to someday play the clubs of Los Angeles and New York. But for now, the band gets to entertain the idea of performing in the Netherlands, where it has an offer to play.
Valerie Lum can be reached at
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