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SPARKS Discussions about the band SPARKS
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fatherjack Fan-in-Training
Joined: 07 Jun 2005 Posts: 24 Location: London
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Posted: Sat May 31, 2008 8:21 pm Post subject: |
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That wou;d hurt somewhat....... _________________ I would rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy |
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fatherjack Fan-in-Training
Joined: 07 Jun 2005 Posts: 24 Location: London
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Posted: Sat May 31, 2008 8:47 pm Post subject: |
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Night 12,
Was not looking forward to tonight (not one of my favourites).
Due to the space in the room,checked out the sound.
Right of stage,boomy, bassy.
Front of stage, (sorry people) too much keyboard.
Left of stage,Very tinny.
Still enjoyed the night but had to contend with the Broooooce Springsteen fans on the tube (He's playing just up the road) PLUS the remnants of the Circle Line alcohol protest.
(As from tomorrow it will be illegal to drink alcohol on London's underground).
As a protest, somebody decided to organise a day of "last-day" drinking around the Circle Line (which just goes around London-again and again).
cheers for the extra police etc. missed my connections and now am only just home (well 25 minutes ago).
And for the additional £25 cost of a taxi.......
Stuff it, I will now revisit "In Space" with pleasure.
As an aside, I met a couple (Husband and Wife) at the bar. He was explaining to her "YOU SURELY REMEMBER THEM, HE HAD A LITTLE MOUSTACHE..etc.etc).
As soon as the band came on, she was like a whirling dervish,dancing like a loony and loved every minute.........
Another convert methinks.
Rabbits tomorrow...........good album.
See those of you that can be,there.
_________________ I would rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy |
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Charlie Bucket Certified Fan
Joined: 11 Dec 2007 Posts: 54
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Posted: Sat May 31, 2008 11:56 pm Post subject: |
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Has the sound engineer from the last 11 shows finally been sacked or has he actually learnt his trade at last??? tonight was awesome sound wise!!! couldnt fault it at all. Had a blinding night, Sports was the highlight for me, then over to the Eddie for some laughs and then on to a late night Depeche Mode party where upon arriving I requested MLG's cover of NTYBOME which the DJ duly obliged with, or something like that. I'll probably be sober again by tuesday! |
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BigManRestless Certified Fan
Joined: 26 Mar 2008 Posts: 94 Location: London
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Posted: Sun Jun 01, 2008 4:54 am Post subject: |
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Charlie Bucket wrote: | Has the sound engineer from the last 11 shows finally been sacked or has he actually learnt his trade at last??? ! |
Ha! That's exactly what I thought - great sound tonight (apart from the mic fluffs). I did fear that with this phases of keyboard heavy albums all we'd hear would be drums and vocals (oh - just like Number One In Heaven then )
Outer Space is my least favourite album, and nothing really changed from hearing it live, but what a cracking show.
Highlights (as on the album) - Cool Places, All You Ever Think About Is Sex and I Wish I Looked A Little Better.
The band were clearly having a ball, when Ron came on without glasses I suspected some custard pie thing would be going on somewhere. And his larking about when Russell said Steve was missing a few shows was great.
Medicore album, stunning live show. 10/10 |
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Noisy Boy Power Groupie
Joined: 20 Feb 2006 Posts: 292
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Posted: Sun Jun 01, 2008 5:13 am Post subject: |
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fatherjack wrote: | Night 12,
Was not looking forward to tonight (not one of my favourites).
Due to the space in the room,checked out the sound.
Right of stage,boomy, bassy.
Front of stage, (sorry people) too much keyboard.
Left of stage,Very tinny.
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I forgot to add this to my Whomp review - you can really appreciate what the soundman is doing when you hear the stereo'd guitars properly, but if you're not in the 'sweet spot' then it sounds lopsided and uneven. Unfortunately, with a venue like Islington Academy, that sweet spot is very hard to find. The sound engineer is doing his best, but it's not an acoustically brilliant venue, and if you're not in front of the stage, or stuck in the lower ceiling'd bit, well, you're farked, really. |
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Kermit Guest
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Posted: Sun Jun 01, 2008 6:39 am Post subject: |
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I was looking forward to this one. A great party album and Sparks getting a bit more dancey along with the rocky pop feel. No coat check at the N1 tonight, I guess they weren't expecting it to be busy tonight but we had a decent enough crowd who were there to see, have fun and dance goddammit!!
An appearance from Jane Wiedlin would have been too much to ask for I guess for the opener of "Cool Places" as I expect she's well busy with her Go-Go's anyway or as Russell explained tonight more that she's entertaining on reality TV in the States. Well it sounded well cool on your own Russell. The fact that Sparks managed to have a hit in the States with this one, as much as I love it, it's not one of the best, says something about the American audience. Oh what a different place America would be if they all tuned in to the fun and joy of Sparks music. (Not that I don't love America, just the govt could do with sorting out)
Then in to "Popularity". Great catchy, fun stomper, a perfect song to introduce any young Sparks fans into the joy of Planet Sparks. Happy, happy song. Things get a bit more serious on the shouting "Praying For a Party" but get going again for one of the albums hightlights, the up tempo "All You Ever Think About Is Sex". Love Rons tinklings on this one. Great tune and fun lyrics that very much applied to a few people in the audience tonight, mentioning no names!!!! (wink wink)
"Please Baby Please" is the albums low I think but it's back on track for the very LA sounding "Rockin' Girls". Very "Introducing" sounding I think this one. I hope Linda Lou whoever she is appreciates this one and that there were no trips to the doctor needed!
"I Wish I Looked A Little Better" is a nice, sprightly toon and is the other album's hightlight (imo). Love it's deep oh oh ohs. Shame it's such a short one.
"Lucky Me Lucky You" without Jane again didn't matter but it's pretty lightweight and I don't think it will be challenging the "Best of" set at Shepherds Bush somehow. The fun comes back though with "A Fun Bunch Of Guys From Outer Space". I love the line "We speak English real good".....as every alien should do by the time they get here anyway, it's only polite.
Finish off with the plodding "Dance Godammit". I always expect Sparks to do a turn up on this one and up the dance and change the vibe and go more up tempo, but it plods along untill the end. I think it's just a case of sheer exhaustion by this point that they just can't dance no more.
The obvious encore of "Sports" was well good. I hadn't heard this track before. The 12" copy I had had the A-side repeated on the B-Side so although "Sports" was listed I got "Cool Places Again" on my copy. (Mmm, I might have a collectors item there). But a great tune to finish off with and one to discover now. The custard pie in the eye for Ronnie at the end of this one just had to be done and I'm so glad that they did. Ron not wanting the albums artwork to be interpretated quite so literally but a classic moment for any Sparks fans that were in attendance. Nice one!!! (God help us for "Hello Young Lovers"). Typical that my battery in my camera decided to conk out so I hope somebody has got a good pic of this magic moment.
Great party tonight though and some nice smiling faces leaving the Academy after. Again, live,"Sparks In Outer Space" really came alive.
Over to the Eddie and more people still keep coming. Great to see you all. Hello to the guys from Norway. Hope you had a good night out. We all had fun at the bar who provided us all with custard tarts after the gig and thank yous to all at the Eddie for really getting in to the swing and having fun, getting in a DJ and making the whole experience that much more fun for everyone.
My this is exhausting though. Really gotta pace myself, none of us are getting any younger but looking forward to "Pulling Rabbits Out Of A Hat" tonight. That's gonna be another party!!! |
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Andy Whelan Power Groupie
Joined: 14 Jan 2002 Posts: 340 Location: London
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Posted: Sun Jun 01, 2008 11:24 am Post subject: |
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Contrary to what others have said previously, this is one of my favourite Sparks albums, and I thought it was reproduced brilliantly - for a change the sound was excellent, and I've been standing in more or less the same place every night.
I partilcuarly enjoyed the more synth-based tracks such as All You Ever Think About Is Sex and A Fun Bunch Of Guys..., and at last Ron's Roland/"Ronald" keyboard was loud enough!
And Sports as an encore followed by the custard pie just topped off the evening perfectly. |
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E-Clect-Eddy Sparks Guru
Joined: 22 Jun 2005 Posts: 7555 Location: Amsterdam
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Posted: Sun Jun 01, 2008 5:50 pm Post subject: |
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I love SPORTS but it did lacked a certain something live... _________________ "Somebody's been putting pineapple juice in my pineapple juice!"
www.last.fm/user/E-Clect-Eddy |
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Charlie Bucket Certified Fan
Joined: 11 Dec 2007 Posts: 54
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Tj Sundown Power Groupie
Joined: 21 Oct 2002 Posts: 388 Location: Clifford, England
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Posted: Fri Jun 06, 2008 5:49 pm Post subject: Outer Space |
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Every gig a dream. Sparks are Out O' This World! _________________ Reaction
Elation
Joy
Joy
Joy |
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Alex Robertson Sparks Guru
Joined: 11 Jan 2002 Posts: 41425 Location: Crawley,West Sussex
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Posted: Fri Jul 11, 2008 2:14 pm Post subject: |
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PowPowPow..bumped this up for you. |
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