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tackydaughter Junior Groupie
Joined: 28 Nov 2007 Posts: 40 Location: Edinburgh
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MarkRae Groupie
Joined: 11 Mar 2008 Posts: 199 Location: London
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Posted: Wed Jun 11, 2008 6:45 pm Post subject: |
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binaryRooster wrote: | Over the (many) years, I've experienced much gig brutality: people landing on my head diving off the stage, people just hitting the folks who were lucky enough to be standing next to them and cans and bottles flying through the air like a modern take on the battle of Agincourt. In light of this, i've always found the Sparks crowd a joy to be with! |
Indeed so... Anyone who ever saw The Pogues in the mid-80s will know what a rowdy crowd feels like...
I was once at a Jimmy Nail gig years ago (I'm a Geordie), and at the beginning of the gig he came on wearing a yellow and purple polka-dot dress and DMs... About half-way into the first number, a massive fight broke out in the the front few rows, and he signalled to the band to stop. I thought he was going to appeal for calm, but unstead he jumped off the stage and joined in - now that's rock'n'roll... |
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Andy Whelan Power Groupie
Joined: 14 Jan 2002 Posts: 340 Location: London
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Posted: Wed Jun 11, 2008 7:31 pm Post subject: |
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MarkRae wrote: | DeeDee wrote: | I don't know how you can measure a 'TRUE' fan! |
Russell answered this question several years ago, quoting from a review in one of the music papers:
"The thing about being a Sparks fan is knowing that you are right and everyone else is wrong." |
This was originally in Time Out a few years ago. I kept the article specifically because of this comment.
As a golden ticket holder, I can only reiterate a comment I made in one of the threads reviewing a particular show - it's been a privilege. |
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Eve Sparkologist
Joined: 20 Mar 2002 Posts: 615 Location: England
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Posted: Thu Jun 12, 2008 4:49 am Post subject: |
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sjadey wrote: | Das ist nicht zu fassen!
This thread went from the ridiculous to the sublime Mahnamahna!
If you live in London, how can it have cost you 5 x 350 quid to travel to and from Islington or are you staying over at the Ritz? Some people have travelled from Australia to see these shows and they're not complaining! Lots of people couldn't make mid-week shows due to work. Presumably anyone who sees all 21 shows, either lives within commuting distance or has taken a month off work!
As for being pushed to the back, are you a man or a mouse? You can move can't you? As people vacate a spot to go to the bar/toilet, move into the gap. Move to allow people to pass behind instead of in front of you. If somebody moves forward past you, pretend you're with them and follow them. Standard crowd tactics really.
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If you want to wind even more people up you can do that. - Actually when I had to get out the smoke during Plagiarism I was somewhat put out by the number of people pulling faces as I was trying to out to get some air. Next time I'll either faint on them or stay and cough in their faces, see how annoyed they get then.
I do think a number of those people probably never go to other gigs. When you get knocked down or dragged to the floor, had lumps of hair pulled out, had some croud surfers boot hit you in the head, get felt up, watched people throw up over the back of the person in front, seen guys unszip and pee where they're standing come back to me. You may realise how lucky and tame Sparks gigs are.
I've not taken a month of nor do I live in commuting distance and I've made all the shows. |
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T.N.K. Power Groupie
Joined: 18 May 2008 Posts: 416
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Posted: Thu Jun 12, 2008 4:55 am Post subject: |
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MarkRae wrote: |
Indeed so... Anyone who ever saw The Pogues in the mid-80s will know what a rowdy crowd feels like... |
I saw them at the George Robey, which I think has closed now? It was terrifying! _________________ Even
Dwarfs
Started
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kev hook Sparks Guru
Joined: 05 Jun 2004 Posts: 2134 Location: This Town
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Posted: Thu Jun 12, 2008 5:21 am Post subject: |
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This doesnt even deserve the time its taking to type. What planet are you on FJ ?
BLESS YOU RON & RUSSELL.
_________________ "Nothing of a liquid nature's gonna mess with me...."
http://www.myspace.com/alphamael |
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themightybishop Certified Fan
Joined: 04 Dec 2007 Posts: 73
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Posted: Thu Jun 12, 2008 1:25 pm Post subject: |
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" was once at a Jimmy Nail gig years ago (I'm a Geordie)
was it compulsory? because, if it wasn't, i'd keep it quiet if i were you! |
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Andy Certified Fan
Joined: 12 Sep 2004 Posts: 74 Location: Wales
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Posted: Thu Jun 12, 2008 3:25 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks for a fantastic 20 nights, unfortunately, I don't think I'll have access to a computer tomorrow night, so am gutted I wont see the concert.
All the best 'In the future'
A _________________ when shit turns to gold, the poor will be born without arseholes |
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Girl With Everything Fan-in-Training
Joined: 31 May 2008 Posts: 19 Location: New Zealand
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Posted: Thu Jun 12, 2008 7:02 pm Post subject: |
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Well I'm not going to support what fatherjack says - it's very clear that Sparks have many more loyal fans than those who were fortunate enough to get to see them this time around.
I would like to make two comments on this posting though:
1) Unless I'm very much mistaken, a lot of what he says is tongue in cheek (ie a joke). If so perhaps you should lighten up a bit OR ...
2) Assuming he really is as arrogant as you think he is, why give him the satisfaction of bothering to reply to him. Lots of people post interesting topics on here and are virtually ignored (even though hundreds of you read them). Others don't get any thanks for the recordings they make available. So why reward fatherjack with your attention? It's like noticing the naughty child and ignoring the well behaved one.
Just my opinion. _________________ Sparks do it in the dark! |
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binaryRooster Fan-in-Training
Joined: 10 Jun 2008 Posts: 23 Location: UK
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Posted: Fri Jun 13, 2008 9:31 am Post subject: |
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Personally, i think Father Jack was trying his luck. Who knows, he might yet end up backstage quaffing champagne with the band tonight! However, i've always disliked the whole "i like this band more than you" stuff - it's just snobbish nonsense but the whole point of forums is that you, me and Father Jack can voice our opinions. Obviously we're not going to agree on everything but isn't it better that we do? After all, if can we get one person admitting that he actually paid to see Jimmy Nail wearing a dress than surely we can all make this a better world.
Amen.
Liked the naughty child metaphor! |
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MarkRae Groupie
Joined: 11 Mar 2008 Posts: 199 Location: London
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Posted: Fri Jun 13, 2008 10:54 am Post subject: |
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binaryRooster wrote: | After all, if can we get one person admitting that he actually paid to see Jimmy Nail wearing a dress than surely we can all make this a better world. |
Absolutely! Unless he happens to mention that he doesn't like Jimmy Sommerville because, of course, that opinion isn't allowed... |
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Girl With Everything Fan-in-Training
Joined: 31 May 2008 Posts: 19 Location: New Zealand
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Posted: Fri Jun 13, 2008 6:13 pm Post subject: |
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Absolutely, everyone has the right to voice their opinion. It just irritates me that posts like this get far more of a reaction than more potentially interesting ones. _________________ Sparks do it in the dark! |
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MissmissyTannenbaum Groupie
Joined: 29 Sep 2007 Posts: 164
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Posted: Wed Jun 18, 2008 1:45 pm Post subject: |
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veryoldfan wrote: | What a bizzare request.
I would quite like it if Russell gave me a foot massage after every gig whilst Ron served me cocktails and read me poetry but, back in the real world.......
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Lol, this is something I wouldn't say no to
Well the post is just plain weird, there couldn't have been to much thought behind it.
I've been to alot of concerts and festivals but I can never recall behaviour like described in so many posts here. _________________ Don't blame that on me I ain't no Tony Perkins, I'm saner than you are, I know that for a fact |
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Lady Is Lingering Sparkologist
Joined: 28 May 2008 Posts: 482 Location: Dublin, Ireland
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Posted: Wed Jun 18, 2008 3:33 pm Post subject: |
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Girl With Everything wrote: | Absolutely, everyone has the right to voice their opinion. It just irritates me that posts like this get far more of a reaction than more potentially interesting ones. |
But I think it is an interesting post, a totally nuts one I admit, but it gives you a peek into the bizarre world of some fans who feel they're owed something for all the enjoyment a band has given them. Weird attitude. Anyway, I think you can tell this post is a bit loony by the way it's addressed to R&R personally.
MarkRae has said it all really. But I'll add a few things.
Imagine getting snide over something like seeing an exclusive item you got with your golden ticket on ebay? As if anyone, least of all Sparks, has any control over what people sell on ebay!
This whole REAL fans thing really gets up my nose. You don't own Sparks. They owe you nothing. They've presumably lightened up your life for decades. Though you clearly could do with some more lightening up. You obviously consider yourself a superior type of Sparks' fan. Well, I hate to break it to you, but you're not. You've no right to assume you're somehow better than others who like them. So what if you saw new faces at some gigs. You don't know why that was. Maybe it's the only gig they could get to. And what's wrong if some unfamiliar faces appear at Lil Beethoven or Hello Young Lovers? Sparks are an exciting band who continue to evolve musically. You should be happy that they've a new fanbase not resentful of it. As for getting pushed around by these Johnny-come-latelys, which I suspect you are exaggerating, you're a Big Boy, push back or move. What they hell are you bothering us and the band about it for? There wasn't any football rioting on the nights I attended and some of them were packed.
I attended 7 concerts. It cost me over 2,000 euro in total to do this. I didn't travel from Australia or the US but I flew over from Dublin twice and spent my time in various hostels while I stayed here. It cost me a lot more than a golden ticket and commuting by train, which I would have been only too happy to do if I lived anywhere in the proximity of London.
I'm off now to write to R&R and complain that the floor was sticky in the Islington Academy. They should have looked into that. It was very uncomfortable. Also I got served a really bad and over-priced meal in a tapas bar near the venue and I'm sure they can do something about that as well. _________________
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MarkRae Groupie
Joined: 11 Mar 2008 Posts: 199 Location: London
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Posted: Wed Jun 18, 2008 4:05 pm Post subject: |
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Lady Is Lingering wrote: | You don't own Sparks. They owe you nothing. |
There's a Peter Hammill song called "Energy Vampires" which sums this up perfectly, albeit from the other side of the coin, as it were...
http://www.sofasound.com/phcds/tfnlyrics.htm#5 |
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corina Sparkologist
Joined: 28 Jun 2008 Posts: 645 Location: israel
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Posted: Sat Jul 12, 2008 5:50 pm Post subject: |
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its hard to believe that fans of such smart and sophisticated band like the sparks, will behave like bullies...
if somebody did push and shove at a sparks show, he should be punished by not seeing their gigs anymore _________________ life isn't much, but there's nothing else to do. |
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Alex Robertson Sparks Guru
Joined: 11 Jan 2002 Posts: 41423 Location: Crawley,West Sussex
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Posted: Sat Jul 12, 2008 7:08 pm Post subject: |
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Good idea...we'll circulate the offender's picture around every future Sparks show and we will all pointedly ignore him/her if perchance they get past the venue security. |
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APOLLO74 Groupie
Joined: 03 May 2004 Posts: 154 Location: TORQUAY
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Alex Robertson Sparks Guru
Joined: 11 Jan 2002 Posts: 41423 Location: Crawley,West Sussex
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Posted: Sat Jul 12, 2008 8:07 pm Post subject: |
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Can't find the merit in dragging up an old post(at no-one's behest)which was suitably answered/dealt with a month ago(give or take a few days). |
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corina Sparkologist
Joined: 28 Jun 2008 Posts: 645 Location: israel
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Posted: Sun Jul 13, 2008 7:17 am Post subject: |
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Alex Robertson wrote: | Good idea...we'll circulate the offender's picture around every future Sparks show and we will all pointedly ignore him/her if perchance they get past the venue security. |
of course i was just kidding with my idea of punishment.
but if you do want to punish bullies...dont ignore them...beat them!
(kidding again, of course...dont take me too seriously) _________________ life isn't much, but there's nothing else to do. |
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