SPARKS

P. Elsen · Posted: Thu May 29, 2008 2:17 am Post subject:

unfortunately I could not be in England for this concert of the most underrated Sparks Album.
But there was a strong idea about the great perfomance (and sound) the ban d delivered on streamline.

Just remember meeting Ron an Russell one day outside of the Musicland Studio at the former Arabella Hotel in Munich back in summer 1980, when they recorded the album.
Ron invited me to come back 3 weeks later to listen to the new album.
Unfortunately I could not take the chance,as I was living in Cologne that time and did not have time then to go ...

BigManRestless · Posted: Thu May 29, 2008 4:51 am Post subject:

They certainly worked on the sound for Whomp That Sucker last night - it was much improved, apart from some horrible hums when Ron switched keyboards.
Another triumph, another contender for the best so far...what more is there to say? Highlights - just about everything, but Don't Shoot Me, Upstairs and Wacky Women really stood out. I even wondered why on Earth I'd left Wheres My Girl off my iPod when I uploaded the album. It's going back on once the lovely new remaster arrives.

I rather like this shot I got of Russell:

themightybishop · Certified Fan Joined: 04 Dec 2007 Posts: 73

it was a good show from a sound point of view. there is now a private party feel to it all with an equal balance of hard work and appreciation between band and audience. it doesn't matter that there was around 125 people there, the adulation is equal to ten times that many.
as this isn't an album i much care for, i stood to the side and tapped my foot occasionally. some of the audience i could see were really really into it! i looked for signs of lethargy from the band as previously suggested, but it wasn't there or it was well-hidden. don't shoot me is the reason why i switched off in the eighties. i bought tips for teens. liked it, then flipped over for the b side and thought "this isn't for me". well, with joy division and echo and the bunnymen for competition, a perma-tanned pair from la weren't saying too much of relevance to this scouse teenager!
i'm thinking though, the next 5 nights might be a bit of a trial...

Eve · Posted: Thu May 29, 2008 6:46 am Post subject:

I liked the support - best one so far, yes they're like Dexys, many younger folks won't have heard the original band so why not?

Whomp was fantastic - loved it. Crowd were up for it and so were the band. Great performane. Before the show I was wondering how they (Russell) would handle the vocal affectations on this album, shouldn't have worried. Brilliant job - I hope more of these make it in to the regular set.

Who said they lost it on SS? I loved that.

sean's sparks thing · Posted: Thu May 29, 2008 7:32 am Post subject: Womp it!

I really love 'Womp That Sucker', great music and lyrics, great singing and a whole lot of fun!
The show tonight was wonderful, as everyone has mentioned.
It rocked and Russell's singing was superb.

Really enjoyed that one!

For any Womp doubters still out there, check the remastered reissue on 'Repertoire'...and prepare for reassessment!

Joan of Arc · Posted: Thu May 29, 2008 9:27 am Post subject:

Thank you, Thermaland!

Really appreciate the details I couldn't hear last night. It's a bit like constantly missing the punchline of a joke when everyone else is ROFL.....
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barnacles · Posted: Thu May 29, 2008 9:48 am Post subject:

Superb Show. I've been to them all and Whomp and Introducing have been my favourites. The performances on both were exceptional, Jim was cranked up in the mix (which has been patchy at times....minor quibble) Russel's delivery was impeccable and the songs really shifted up a gear live.

MarkRae · Groupie Joined: 11 Mar 2008 Posts: 199 Location: London

MarkRae · Groupie Joined: 11 Mar 2008 Posts: 199 Location: London

themightybishop · Certified Fan Joined: 04 Dec 2007 Posts: 73

hi mark
in the way that i generally find them hard work compared to the previous 8 albums. there's individual tracks i like (such as that's not nastasia and suzie safety from wts) but really they are not my cup of tea. there's a kind of monotonous feel to the drumming and i don't find the songs complex enough. but there you go, we're all different, and people can't believe that i love the eurovision song contest.
damned shift lock still seems broken!

rwolf'68 · Posted: Thu May 29, 2008 1:22 pm Post subject:

~Wacky, Wacky, Wacky Women ..........loved it as well as ALL THE REST.
Getting Crazy here people. What a marvelous time I am having for this history making event. ALL OF THEM HAVE SOUNDED GREAT TO ME. No complaints whatsoever. Keep on rockin' guys, you're doin an awesome job and we appreciate it to da max!

timahall · Posted: Thu May 29, 2008 2:11 pm Post subject:

I'll never, ever, ever understand why any Sparks fan would have a problem w/ Whomp or Angst - both classic Sparks albums. They're so much fun! Not liking them is like not liking fun! Great performance last night and Friday's should be even better. MICKEY MOUSE LIVE!!!!!

Polish Steve · Newbie Joined: 29 May 2008 Posts: 9 Location: Northolt

Brilliant show - best of the 10 so far though they've all been incredible. So good it even provoked me into setting an account up. This show started at a high and never dipped - highlight for me a stunning version of Upstairs - surely another song to resurrect for future live shows

Looking forward to eleven more. Its all been a blast, the music of course and the amazing performance each night of Ron, Russell and the superb band (those guys are incredible) , the support acts (except the Kimono DJ!), the wonderful world of Sparks fans with their enthusiasm, their friendliness and just the way everyone connects. And of course the street theatre of Islington to keep us amused ...what chance 'The Lurker' on a skateboard in his suit with shades and cigarette as a big finale? (you have to be there!)
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themightybishop · Certified Fan Joined: 04 Dec 2007 Posts: 73

dafom · Junior Groupie Joined: 23 Feb 2006 Posts: 41

timahall · Posted: Thu May 29, 2008 7:49 pm Post subject:

veryoldfan · Groupie Joined: 22 Mar 2002 Posts: 197

Surprised that nobody has mentioned 'I Married a Martian'. Fantastic rendition by Russell who continues to astound.

Whoever it was (Noisy Boy?) that said that Jim isn't very animated obviously wasn't looking during 'Nastassia' and 'Whacky Women', he was bouncing about grinning from ear to ear, I actually remarked to the person behind me that Jim looked to be having the time of his life.

Ron and Russell both seemed very smiley yesterday as well, Ron was quite bouncy at the end, I think everyone - band and audience - had a blast. Brilliant gig.

Andy Whelan · Posted: Fri May 30, 2008 10:16 am Post subject:

There still seemed to be some niggling sound problems, this time with the guitar disappearing randomly, and the backing vocals too once or twice. Ron's keyboards sounds far more audible though...

All the same, another great night, and the highlight for me was Upstairs. Mrs Whelan came to this one and was suitably impressed, particularly with I Married A Martian, which she thought at first was called I Married A Model. Arguably the lyrics make even more sense with that one change!

I still can't really believe I'm now seeing all of these albums live, after having lived with them for so long, and having not seen Sparks at all until 1994 as they never seemed to tour in the UK in the 1980s. It's hard to explain - like Citizen Kane to someone who's blind (sorry, always loved that line!)

Loreley · Posted: Fri May 30, 2008 10:16 am Post subject:

The gig was amazing, but I think it's time for a teeny-weeny complaint from my side...

...what happened to the keyboard solo on Suzie Safety?!
That's my favourite part of that song, it just lifts it up to a whole new level.
And it didn't drown in the mix or anything, since I was right in front of Ron and I could clearly see that he wasn't playing it.

That made me a little bit grumpy (for about 30 seconds), but then they just blew me away with Nastassia and I sort of forgot the killing of Suzie Safety. Sort of.
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Kermit · Guest

This was really the one I was gonna struggle on. When "Whomp That Sucker" came out I was busy on the dancefloors of London having the time of my life. I was just in to dance music at the time and I just didn't click into "Whomp" at all at the time. For me I thought oh no..they've lost it. I just didn't like the songs. England certainly weren't playing Sparks anymore, they were long forgotten, and with the dance scene blossoming here it just seemed that Sparks had gone back home to try and push over in their own homeland instead. So I never really got in to "Whomp" or "Angst" (but that's Friday).
Chatting with Jim Wilson at the Eddie the night before I was telling him I was gonna struggle with "Whomp" but he assured me that they were gonna make a special effort to convert me on this one cos the band really love this album. Well I gotta say although I wasn't in total sing-a-long mode I did my best and from the opening of "Tips for Teens" I knew they were all gonna do a great job at changing my opinion on this one all these years later. This is such a fun tune that I had initially dismissed it still never ceases to amaze me that with this live experience we are really getting to reinvestigate stuff that we might have all missed over the years. I still think of all Sparks albums this one sounds the most dated in an eighties way whereas all the previous ones are timeless. (For me anyway).
It was good to see a good crowd out tonight though which I was really surprised at but still people are coming from all over and getting in the swing! Seeing "Whomp" live is great though cos I got to see it better now than when it came out here. Russells vocals are greatly stretched on some of these tunes and he's still sounding fresh as a little miss daisy!!! I love the energy of "Upstairs" and it's crowd retorts went down so well. It's such a party album this one , I could hear the B52s doing a great cover of this one.
"I Married A Martian" was fab! I gotta say I thought the lighting was great on stage tonight as well, all greens and mauves, very nice for the martians to have fun in. I know the sound guys have been getting a bit of a rollicking some nights but I have to give a good thumbs up to the lighting guys tonight cos the stage was looking really good!
My favourite of the night next though "The Willys". Again a tune I had ignored but after tonight I woke up singing it the next morning. The lyrics are just fantastic and Russell was having so much fun singing this one. I'm so glad I've come back to this tune.
"Don't Shoot Me" & "Suzie Safety" are still ones I struggle with though sorry. But I really wasn't ready for the utter madness of "That's Not Nastassia". I had kinda liked it before but live again and with Russells explanation about Nasatsia being a friend of Giorgio Moroders it really whomped me truly. Love it! Best track on the album for me. Total chaos! I'm so glad I've come back to this one as this is now one of my fave Sparks tunes in it's utter madness!! Where is Mr Moroder in all this as well? His presence would have been an extra added bonus.
So I was well ready to enjoy "Wacky Women" too by then. And it rocked!! What a barmy army we are? I love being a Sparks fan. Just how much fun are we all having? Shame we can't beam Sparks songs from outer space down on to mother earth and cheer it up just a little bit!!!!
"Get Crazy" was a very fitting encore and left us all in a very happy party mood which this album of all Sparks albums is the one for fun. I'm so glad i've come back to it, it's like a new Sparks album to me and that can only be a good thing. Well done guys you converted me!! Now I've just this angst in my pants that I've gotta sort out for tonights show. Another one that I didn't care for at the time but I'm sure Sparks will prove me wrong again. For sure!!