SPARKS

Raoul · Posted: Tue May 27, 2008 4:56 pm Post subject:

This one and the eighties albums ,I don't know good,but love songs like When I'm with you and Young Girls!!The encore as a great dedication.

Physicality · Posted: Tue May 27, 2008 5:00 pm Post subject:

Ah the stream kept messing about with Singing In The Shower! I loved the bits I saw though.

I definitely think it is one of their best songs they've written.

Physicality · Posted: Tue May 27, 2008 5:02 pm Post subject:

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

OK -- that was fun. That slick Harold Faltermeyer sound, though... I can honestly say i didn't even like it in the '80s. Whomp That Sucker tomorrow is going to be such a relief!

"Singing in the Shower" was a huge, pleasant surprise.

It's been mentioned before, but ... here's yet another album with a power-packed final track. One concern I'd had about 21x21 was that each show would plod through a weak Side Two, but there are some real gems among those ending tracks (including on the next two albums).

sparksfanlm · Posted: Tue May 27, 2008 5:03 pm Post subject:

Doefie · Posted: Tue May 27, 2008 5:06 pm Post subject:

The live stream worked very good tonight, the show didn't always... When I'm With You and Young Girls were OK though, and I guess Singing In The Shower was the best part of the evening?

Still, a big thanks to Sparks for sharing all these great shows with us (the fans sitting at home)!

Andy · Posted: Tue May 27, 2008 5:07 pm Post subject:

Another winner and a fantastic finale, 'singing in the shower' excellent
_________________
when shit turns to gold, the poor will be born without arseholes

RODDON · Posted: Tue May 27, 2008 5:08 pm Post subject:

Sorry Physicality - just giving my honest opinion. Would have been too easy to go down the "every Sparks concert is a great concert" road.........

My praise has been lavish every other night so far though!! Looking forward to the rest of the gigs immensely.
_________________
The mountains may crumble............

lilywearsmoschino · Posted: Tue May 27, 2008 5:14 pm Post subject:

Fab to hear Singing In The Shower, Terminal Jive sounded great tonight and benefited from being performed by a really good, rocking band with powerhouse drumming from Steve N. Not a big crowd but WHAT A GREAT ATMOSPHERE!!

Gutted at missing tonight and tomorrow night's show and can't wait to be back in Islington/Shepherds Bush for the remaining 11. More than half way through already, doesn't time fly when you're having fun, and boy am I having fun!

_________________
http://www.facebook.com/#!/profile.php?id=678905447

straightlookingenie · Groupie Joined: 18 Jul 2006 Posts: 128 Location: Pluto

Not having heard this album before, I was really happy to watch this show. I guess it didn't grab me as much as the not-heard-before Introducing Sparks show did, but wow, YOUNG GIRLS! Not-PC maybe but what an awesome awesome tune.

I loved Ron's beret and Russell's ascot (at least what looked like an ascot). And yay for Singing in the Shower!!

That being said, When I'm With You is still one of my fave Sparks tunes. I always put that on mixes.
_________________
Popshifter.com: One Giant Leap For Fankind
http://popshifter.com

Billy Stevens · Posted: Tue May 27, 2008 5:17 pm Post subject:

watched online,between working, didn't sound that good to me, but as I wasn't there can't pass judgement. Great batman T-shirt though Rolf!
_________________
Don't let it get me!

BigManRestless · Posted: Tue May 27, 2008 5:53 pm Post subject:

I don't care what the general consensus is - I LOVED that. I'm even going to stick my neck out and say best one so far, certainly the most enjoyable, I was sweating buckets from dancing.

The sound was spot on, a reallly nice "fat" sound. Singing In The Shower - superb.

11/10

Tvcoahran · Posted: Tue May 27, 2008 6:12 pm Post subject:

YOUNG GIRLS & STEREO sounded great. i love how russell refused to apologize or show any regrets for writing such sleazy lyrics. backup vocals for YOUNG GIRLS was fantastic too.

Whats the deal with all the "not my favorite album" disclaimers? how bout if you dont say its your favorite album, we wont assume it is.
_________________
-T.v. coahran
www.myspace.com/tvcoahran

kev hook · Posted: Tue May 27, 2008 6:15 pm Post subject:

Not one of my favourites by a long chalk, but the second half was as tight as it gets I thought........

As an aside from the performance though, it was nice to catch a couple of people at the end of the streaming complaining to the guy on the sound desk about the lack of keyboards in the mix. And this is coming from someone who likes their guitars LOUD. What a load of old baloney from the sound tech - sound on stage going blah blah blah - we havent been able to hear Ron from the word go - even the one line he had to speak (Under the table) was screwed up by the mic either not being on or not being loud enough. If what is expected hasnt sunk in yet then theres no hope - after all theyve had 10 days now to perfect it. Ron being Ron, he would have ensured all the keyboard sounds were stored at the correct levels during 4 months of rehearsing surely, so that cant be used as an excuse to pass the buck either. I can only assume they have a cracking monitor mix on stage and are blissfully unaware of the sound out front. Perhaps the sound people should be reading these posts - what on earth must they be doing during the daytime rehearsal and evening soundcheck ? Faultless band, but Sparks are Russell AND Ron. If they need another pair of attuned and experienced ears just shout in this direction please.........you are not doing this fine bunch of musicians justice. Have a word please Republic. Rant over

_________________
"Nothing of a liquid nature's gonna mess with me...."

http://www.myspace.com/alphamael

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

Just back home...

Couldn't really fault it. The band played really well, and John Thomas really brought out "that" sound... Great to hear Singing in the Shower.

TJ isn't one of my favourite Sparks albums but, as I've mentioned in relation to other Sparks albums, that doesn't mean that I don't like it or that I think it's a bad album per se!

Now, can a guru please set me straight on something...? Why did Russell *keep* referring to Terminal Jive as "the last one of the 70s"? Even my original vinyl copy says 1980...? Was it that the songs were written and/or recorded in 1979 but not released until 1980...? Apologies if this is a FAQ...

However, Whomp That Sucker is by far my favourite 80s Sparks album, so I can't wait for tomorrow! I may lose control during "Don't Shoot Me"...

Noisy Boy · Power Groupie Joined: 20 Feb 2006 Posts: 292

Setlist:
When I’m With You
Just Because You Love Me
Rock N Roll People In A Disco World
When I’m With You (Instrumental)
Young Girls
Noisy Boys
Stereo
The Greatest Show On Earth

Singing In The Shower

Band:
Ron
Russell
Steve Nistor (Drums)
Jim Wilson (Guitar, Backing vocals)
Marcus Blake (Bass, Backing vocals)
John Thomas (Keyboards)

Support:
Scroobius Pip Vs. Dan Le Sac

I’m pretty sure that opinion would be that anything that followed the euphoria on the last album/ gig would be a letdown. And in some respects it was – the attendance was quite low (by the time Dan Le Sac & Scroobius Pip reprised their wonderful set from last week, only 58 people were in the room, rising to 75- they counted!), and the sound mix was a bit fluid (too much guitar in one song, too much keys in another), but the whole experience was still wonderful. Ron & Russell may have publicly stated that this is their least favourite album, but Ron’s beret (indicating the popularity of When I’m With You in France, I suppose!) and Russell’s continued onstage enthusiasm would suggest otherwise. All songs were delivered with panache, and vigour, and the smaller crowd responded in kind! Not as much dancing, but plenty of shouting and approval. The best song of the evening was probably Noisy Boys (for obvious reasons) and would’ve been slightly edged out by Young Girls (noted by Russell as being on Word Magazine’s recent list of inappropriate songs) had the keyboards been mixed slightly higher. Interestingly, John Thomas's sterling keyboard work was a lot more to the fore than Ron's, but no worse for it. He took the solos on When I'm With You perfectly, and added some nice textures to the sound.

The surprise encore was another highlight, and a nice dedication to the late Fred Chichin. As Russell noted, this was their final album of the 70s, and their decision to u-turn from Harold Faltemeyer, would lead to their 80s output, which begins tomorrow…can't wait!

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

kev hook · Posted: Tue May 27, 2008 6:58 pm Post subject:

Billy Stevens · Posted: Tue May 27, 2008 7:23 pm Post subject:

Ok, now's my time to jump upto the plate! I admit I only watched tonight online,whilst at work.But I was at Woofer, Propa and Indi! I watched Big Beat,intro and No.1 online whilst working and in my honest opinion this was the worst( I have the album on vinyl). The sound was bad online, but also Russell looked so like he was going through the motions throughout the gig as did Ron in places, it was obvious watching Russell that all was not right on the sound front,but again I only saw it online! If I had of been there, I would of probably had a great time!
_________________
Don't let it get me!

Andy Whelan · Posted: Tue May 27, 2008 7:46 pm Post subject:

I agree with the latest comments about the sound, Ron's synth was frequently too low in the mix (again...), but occasionally appeared suddenly to have been beefed up, only to disappear again. A shame...

Overall, though, I thoroughly enjoyed the evening. From where I was standing, effectively 3 rows from the front, Russell didn't seem to me to be going through the motions, and was genuinely appreciative (as was Ron) that anyone had bothered to turn up for what seems to be Sparks' most lambasted album. It was certainly the sparsest attendance so far.

I've always had a soft spot for it, perhaps because I was in France when it was really popular. I loved Ron's beret and the faux-French accent.

And I agree, why did Russell keep going on about the 1970s? I'm sure this was the first Sparks album of the 1980s. At least, it was for me...