Sparks Bristol review from their O2 Academy gig

Posted on: 2017-09-28

Our rating:

It's more than a gig, it's more than a show, it is something that only Sparks can do.


As a young child I can vividly remember watching Top of The Pops with no real loyalty to any specific genre of music. One image that springs to mind is that of a very strange man with a very baggy suit and a tiny box moustache, almost Charlie Chaplin without the hat, playing a keyboard with a thousand yard stare. This eccentric character was one half of a band called “Sparks” also fronted by his brother. The song the band were playing was “This town ain’t big enough for the both of us” and the reason I remember this so clearly was down to two things; the weird Ron Mael playing the piano and the sound of a gunshot ringing out on every chorus.

That is where my memory of Sparks stayed, as the mighty movement of punk rock sucked me into its mist and from my new found loyalties I would not look back for many years.

Being a man of fifty and spending lots of time more unselfishly and less biased looking back over the music of my youth, I decided to grasp the opportunity to enter the unknown and take myself back to those early years in my living room and come and see Sparks for real.

Sparks in Bristol

The night started with what I would describe as a “different” kind of crowd, did Sparks ever have a certain type of fan? Some bare a vague resemblance to Ron Mael’s unique look, but one thing that is very obvious is that there are no young people.

The support act is carried out by the young keyboard player from Sparks backing band. Dressed as a young gun from the American 50’s rat pack he plays backing tracks on a record player ..yes.. a record player and croons along to the revolving vinyl with authentic scratches for good measure. It is different, certainly something I have not seen before. I am now hoping that the main act is going to be a little more enlightening than this .

It's time! The lights go down and the cheers go up as Sparks arrive on the stage all dressed in striped sailors smocks except Ron Mael who dons a white and black stripped blazer. From the off the band break into “What the hell is it this time “ straight on to “Propaganda”. Russell Mael the younger of the two brothers at a 68 years of age struts the stage and is already hitting notes that are nearer to the realm of a young choir boy than a man of his years. Carrying a radio mic Russell can communicate to everyone that he already has them eating out of his hand.

Although now 72 years young, Ron Mael still sits at his keyboard with his emotionless stare and the slightest tip of head to acknowledge the unforgiving applause from the excited crowd .

Mael Junior says “hello” to Bristol as he leads the very young energetic band into more numbers. As the band play “ When do I get to sing my way “ I am starting to become speechless at what I am witnessing, this track is one of the nights highlights for me. With the theatrics of an 80s Queen gig and the lyrical tones of The Rocky Horror Picture Show it is very hard to fit this show into a box, all I know at this point is it's going a country mile beyond where I believed it would.  

Sparks have released their first album in 8 years  and embarked on a world tour hence while we are all here. The title track Hippopotamus is a very cleverly worked number both vocally and lyrically and is possibly the closest song to describe the eccentricity of Sparks as an act. New numbers” Missionary Position” and “ Edith Piaf (said it better than me ) “ are laced either side by previous album favourites.

Sparks Hippopotamus album available now

Just when we think this remarkable show cannot get any better, it does! Russell bounces from one end of the stage to the other getting the ecstatic crowd joining him as the electric intro of their massive eighties hit “ The number one song in heaven “ kicks in with a heavy rock back line played by the young sailors. As the venue jumps to their favourite song of the night so far the most surreal moment of the night happens. As the song breaks into a drumbeat clapping frenzy, the static Ron Meals stands up from statue like state and walks to one end of the stage to face the crowd, then for no apparent reason he does an almost pacing dance walk and then returns to the keyboard and his trance like state, we love it and the myth that he does not move has been dispelled. With no breathing space between, they unleash the monster “This town ain’t big enough for the both of us ". This is even better than the record recorded back in the early seventies.

The band bow out in a line along the stage to the longest applause. They thank the crowd and leave through the curtains to only return and play Johnny Delusional and Amateur.

As Sparks thank us for the second and last time they are genuinely humble and in disbelief of the Bristol reaction so far into their career. Russell explains that this is what drives them to continue making music and says with pure honesty that this has been the “show” of the tour. Even Ron nods and says Thank you.

When I look back to my childhood and seeing this “funny” band on TV, I never realised how pioneering they would be to the likes of New Order, Depeche Mode, Muse to name a few along with some of the early new wave icons I fell in love with. I would really honestly put this show in my top five all time gigs I have attended. Sparks are eccentric, intelligent, clever and masters of their craft. They are a musical treasure that I wished I had not turned my back on so many years ago.I just hope that I get the chance to do it all again. It's more than a gig, it's more than a show, it is something that only Sparks can do.

Sparks in Bristol



Article by:

Mike Headington

Born and bred in Weston-super-Mare, Mike has played in bands over the last 30 years and has an avid interest in a wide range of music genres. With a passion for live music he spends endless nights watching all types of bands, both famous and not so famous. With a love of Bristol’s infamous venues and the thriving music scene he also follows the local football club in red with a passion. His mission statement is...Keep it real, keep it live and Keep on Rocking!!