Monday 22 October 2012

Sparks - Manchester Ritz - September 2012

One band that made me realise that music didn't just go dum dum dum was Sparks back in the 70's, seeing them on Top Of The Pops was a revelation, no band around sounded like them. Over the years I have dipped in and out of their career, but not until the mid 90's when they brought out the Plagiarism album, did I really get into them, and hunted down the back catalogue, and have loved them ever since.


To hear they were touring, and playing nearby, was a must see occasion, despite the fact that it would be a stripped down performance, hence the name, Two Hands, One Mouth, I bought my ticket and counted down the days. Parking nearby I couldn't contain my excitement of seeing them for the first time. Obviously I had seen live footage over the years, but to actually see them......


Bang on time Ron came out on stage first and played a 5 minute sampler of the songs that would be performed tonight. Over the last few years they have moved into an almost musical theatre approach to their sound, and this with the stripped down approach worked so well, even on the more rocking numbers. The audience sang, cheered and whooped as classic after classic was reinterpreted.



They left the stage briefly for a pseudo encore, instead of piano accompaniment it would be a hard electro sound for 'Number One Song' and 'Beat The Clock' during which Russel took over the keyboard and Ron was centre stage, time for his crazy dance.


Soon the evening was over, an evening not to forget. My two hands and one mouth are exhausted from clapping and cheering, this town was definitely big enough for all of us.

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