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21X21 fan reviews...7)Introducing Sparks
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MissmissyTannenbaum
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Joined: 29 Sep 2007
Posts: 164

PostPosted: Sun May 25, 2008 7:25 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I expected this album to work fine on stage. It's so diverse and the drum'n bass isn't so prominent that the vocals drowns out.

Ah I was right the concert was great
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lost in space
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PostPosted: Sun May 25, 2008 7:49 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

allydodd wrote:
The cynics declared this was always going to be rubbish - a duff album meant for a largely ungrateful US market, ushering the first of the flat nights. Typically, Sparks proved them entirely wrong.



I have always LOVED this lp and got my copy new in 1980 from the city where I live's independent record store. All those years ago I imagined that it would be fantastic to hear goofing off played live but that would never happen, well 28 years older I finally got what I wanted and boy was it ever worth the wait. The lp as a whole is cited as a bit of a low point in both Sparks career and productivity from most camps, but the live retrospective performance given last night blows those arguements clean out of the water. This show surpassed the Kimono Show and then some. Yes the crowd numbers were down, but we were well up for making a noise, to the point that without looking over my shoulder I would have taken for granted we had a full house. The band feeding from the audience approval, were on fire musically those guitar solos on those mysteries and goofing off were exqusite, and Russell's voice sounding supurb. For the rock critics and po-faced fans out there that have slated this lp in the past, shame on you all this has been one of the highlights of the (very strong) tour so far and as Russell said Goofing off as an encore contender - hell yes!
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Kermit
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PostPosted: Sun May 25, 2008 7:52 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

"Introducing Sparks" surely was a big surprise for a lot of people last night. When it was released it was supposed to be an intruducer to a lot of doubters as to what else Sparks could do. Unfortunately most of the UK had deserted Sparks by then and moved on but hopefully after last nights performance it really will be reinstated as an introducer to what Sparks can do. This album absolutely rocked in all it's live glory! The summertime atmosphere clearly came across with the opener of the wonderful "Big Surprise". Outdoing even those Beach Boys themselves, the sound and harmonies from everyone, along with the crowd, came over loud and clear. I hope Russell caught all the Hawaiian shirts in the crowd. The lovely Ricky from Honolulu had come with a bag full of shirts for everyone to make this night a special night for us all and Aloha to you Ricky!! It certainly was a very special night!!
"Occupation" was a highlight. I wanna see the video to this one too. The band were so tight tonight sounding even better tonight than the album if that's possible. Backing vocals enably assisted by a more than harmonious chorus in the pit answering back with all the oooh ohs and la las! I think even Russell was surprised at the reaction to this one. Lyrics 500 miles an hour again!! A great singalong number!!
"Ladies" such a cute fun song. Harmonies working again so good to this one. The mix was right up there tonight for the backing vocals, best so far!
It makes me so glad I was brought up in a era when vinyl was released so you got a song sheet with your 12 incher!! None of this download only rubbish today!!! Would Sparks be getting such a great reaction to all these songs had they not been released in an age when a lyric sheet was a must with each album? Nothing like the feel of good a 12 incher!! Oooer!!
The driving "I'm not" with it's echoey vocals came over really well. The guitar on this one was just astounding! Jim in his total element here.
"Forever Young" will surely keep us all forever young with it's crashing intro and Russells screaming "Alright"!!!! You know you're in for a blaster with this one. It was the B-side to the sadly ignored "Big Surprise" at the time. It had me jumping round my bedroom at the time at the tender age of 16.
Then the highlight of the album "Goofing Off". With it's gypsey lead up to the way this song unfolds before it rocks out is a joy to behold. Should have been the single at the time. So totally coming alive though in a live environment. When the guitar gets going to this one just must get some damp knickers going in the audience!! Fantastic! It has to be in the final set no matter wether it's got enough votes or not!! We wanted Sparks to sing this one again, another rendition would have gone down so well but Sparks are sticking rigidley to the setlist. Got one of those though, thanks Sue.
The sleazefest of "Girls On The Brain" was a stounder. "Over the Summer" had the sweats really going and the heat was rising. Beach Boys couldn't do this one better. Absolutely sizzling!
The closing "Those Mysteries" had a few tears going. A fitting ending with it's roaring aah aah aah aahs!!! Sparks chorus sounded great on this one and when it fades right down to the "Why's there you...?", you could hear a pin drop before it comes right back in at ya. The drums crashing back in on the final chorus and the guitars rock us out after a truly astonishing show. Wonderful wonderful song!! It was a real tear jerker to see the flames going up over the cover of this one at the end. "Intoducing Sparks" certainly had it's reincarnation tonight and again like last nights "Big Beat" must have converted a few doubters as to how strong these albums actually are.
I was hoping for "I wanna hold your hand" as the encore to this one as the single was released around the time of "Introducing" but "Alabamy Right" was a fitting encore as well. Harking back to "Propaganda" for it's B-side it still fitted the set tonight. One of those songs that could have had an extra few minutes added on the end would it to be ever be re-recorded again or in a live set. There just wasn't the room on the old 45's.
It seemed to go so quick tonight though. Only 9 toons to this album. Billy you were sorely missed tonight but Kev rocked it tonight for ya. The party continued at the Eddie after and meeting more and more beautiful people from all over the world. Denmark and France in!! Welcome guys!! This is all such an amazing experience and uniting so many people from so many different walks of life but with one common bond of their love of the music. I haven't witnessed this ammount of genuine camaraderie since the acid house days of clubs like "Shoom" and "Spectrum" back in '88. Yeah we might not be as young or as beautiful as we were back in those days but the souls have grown and they are shining through very brightly! Sheer Joy!!!
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lauraleeandme
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Joined: 18 May 2008
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Location: London, UK

PostPosted: Sun May 25, 2008 8:50 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

This was absolutely fantastic! I had never heard ANY of those songs before and I'm completely blown away. Two things struck me most. First, the continuity between the first couple of songs and Big Beat. Second, the brilliance in the overall theme of the rest of the album, in which Ron is trying to see how far he can take familiar and overdone pop song forms -Greek syrtaki/cossack song in Goofing Off; the Beach Boys sound in Over The Summer; the grand rock ballad in Those Mysteries etc.- and infuse them with the Sparks sound. To my mind, this also explains why Introducing is the end of an era: having exhausted the familiar pop song form and paid creative homage to its best traditions, the Maels could only be interested in new things...
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Robin Davies
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Joined: 16 Jun 2004
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PostPosted: Sun May 25, 2008 10:02 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Fabulous show, mainly because of the best sound mix after Indiscreet. Goofing Off was as good as I hoped it would be. It's always baffled me that this hasn't been a regular in their set over the years.
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Billy Stevens
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Joined: 23 Oct 2002
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PostPosted: Sun May 25, 2008 12:24 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks Rolf, I am still walking round the house in a big sulk! See you on June 7th!
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unprinted
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Joined: 23 May 2008
Posts: 55
Location: London, UK

PostPosted: Sun May 25, 2008 4:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

themightybishop wrote:
seems like there's at least another 200 watching from the comfort of their homes!


Well, if I'd heard about this in time, I'd have got a golden ticket, but various other commitments mean this is the only way I can do most of them.

I'm hugely grateful for the streaming - thank you to everyone responsible.

Quote:
cheeky sods on the door sell the tickets for £23.50!


Perhaps that's just on the day - in advance, the venue box office was the way to get them at £20, not £20 plus extortionate extras like 'being allowed to buy them' taking the total to £25ish.

I had a vision of touts having to offer their wares at less than box office prices for most of these... or did they just go for Kimono?

Quote:
those old songs he'd forgotten about are really rather good still.


Damn right.
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eyesbleed
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Joined: 11 Jan 2002
Posts: 616
Location: Odessa TX

PostPosted: Sun Jun 29, 2008 8:35 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Just watched the youtube vid of Goofing Off that Davyboy1001 posted & I'm totally floored. My dropped jaw is still touching the floor.
I certainly never expected that song to be THAT good live.
Absolutely amazing.
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PETER RAWCLIFFE
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Joined: 23 May 2008
Posts: 4927
Location: Cleethorpes

PostPosted: Thu Jul 03, 2008 6:20 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Probably the best gig for me,Ive always loved this album and Goofing off was the highlight of the show,I think Ron & Russ enjoyed it as well which pleased me.9/10
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