Sparks – Glasgow Concert Hall

When I took Emma to see Sparks on their previous tour, I knew she would enjoy it.

What I didn’t expect was quite how much she would enjoy it.

By the end of that concert she was completely won over, which isn’t difficult to understand. Sparks have spent more than fifty years proving that they’re one of the most original, inventive and entertaining bands in popular music. Every time you think you’ve figured them out, they head off in a completely different direction.

So when they announced another tour, there was no way we were going to miss it.

Well, almost no way.

As usual, I tried to save a few quid by buying restricted-view tickets. Having suffered through the infamous restricted-view section at the Usher Hall recently, I approached the purchase with a degree of caution this time. If I was going to buy restricted seats, I was going to make sure they were the best restricted seats available.

Thankfully, this strategy paid off.

Unlike the Usher Hall experience, where the word “view” felt somewhat optimistic, the seats at the Royal Concert Hall turned out to be excellent. In fact, once we were settled in, I realised there probably weren’t many significantly better views in the venue.

For once, bargain hunting had worked.

The concert itself was another reminder of why Sparks remain such a unique force in music.

Russell Mael continues to possess one of the most distinctive voices in pop, effortlessly moving between theatrical grandeur and moments of surprising tenderness. Meanwhile, his brother Ron sits behind the keyboard looking as though he’d rather be almost anywhere else while somehow being one of the most captivating performers on the stage.

It’s a combination that shouldn’t work.

Yet it works brilliantly.

One of the joys of seeing Sparks live is the sheer unpredictability of their catalogue. Songs from different decades sit comfortably beside one another because the band have always operated in their own universe. Whether performing newer material or classics from years gone by, everything feels unmistakably Sparks.

The audience, unsurprisingly, loved it.

Emma certainly did.

Having converted her on the previous tour, this felt less like introducing her to Sparks and more like returning to visit old friends. Very strange friends admittedly, but friends nonetheless.

The only drawback of our excellent vantage point was that it wasn’t particularly ideal for filming.

The angle made it difficult to capture the stage properly, and as a result the footage I managed to record was somewhat limited. I did my best under the circumstances and captured what I could, but there were moments when simply watching the show seemed like the better option.

Imagine that.

To help fill in the gaps, I also borrowed a couple of videos from elsewhere online. Hopefully the original uploaders won’t object too strongly. If they do, I’ll happily remove them, but in the meantime they help provide a fuller picture of a truly excellent concert.

Looking back, this was another fantastic night with one of the most consistently creative bands ever to grace a stage.

The seats were better than expected, the performance was everything we’d hoped for and Emma once again got to enjoy a band that has somehow remained gloriously eccentric for over half a century.

Not many artists can claim that.

The videos below include the footage I managed to capture along with a little assistance from fellow concert-goers on the internet. Together they provide a glimpse of another memorable evening in the company of Sparks.

And, remarkably, a successful restricted-view ticket purchase.