Photo Credit: Munachi Osegbu
Am I surprised that Sparks are still touring? YES! Am I surprised that Sparks are still touring and able to put on a show like they did in Glasgow? Absolutely! Should I be? Apparently not, as they continue to relentlessly tour. With Russell and Ron Mael on fine form and the band finessing a twenty-song set that spanned their career, we were blown away by this performance from two men in their late seventies. The crowd felt the same, shouting for more as the band played until they legitimately could, keeping things to curfew in Glasgow’s reputable Royal Concert Hall.
Kicking off with a predictable but refined ‘So May We Start’ (from the soundtrack for the film Annette), a fun night was clearly in store. We predicted that new album Mad would get a plug, and that was so, with tracks like ‘Do Things My Own Way’, the playful ‘JanSport Backpack’, the absurdist ‘Running Up a Tab at the Hotel for the Fab,’ the subdued ‘Lord Have Mercy’ and the poignant ‘Drowned in a Sea of Tears’. It was a fervently energetic set of live music that sent gig-goers eagerly to the merch stall.
Spritely and perky for two men in their near-eighties (even Ron, who tends to quietly and slowly stroll out), their performance was infused with the expected verve of a band named Sparks. Ron’s performance of ‘Suburban Homeboy’ (from 2002 LP Lil’ Beethoven) was one of the more enjoyable moments, as were the anticipated tracks. ‘The Number One Song in Heaven’ was the number one song in that auditorium that night (and a reminder of the great work of Giorgio Moroder), as everyone gave it their all on a Tuesday night. The two-track encore was relished as we bum-boogied to ‘The Girl is Crying in her Latte’ recalling Cate Blanchett’s presence in the video, and clapped along to 2020 track ‘All That.’
Sparks! What live wires!
Sparks are playing Edinburgh Playhouse on Friday 18 July 2025
