“It's that weird band”

But let’s start at the beginning :) For reasons that make a good story afterwards and were a bit of an adventure to live through at the time, there had been little to no sleep for us the night after the Glasgow show. We’d also both mostly lost our voices. Hooray, time to go to Blackpool!! 🤣 We made it onto the train and found out about Live On The Moon – very exciting! [Note: We had remained unaware of the AI issue since we’d been very offline, but the situation has now been addressed adequately in my opinion. We know Sparks wouldn’t ever purposefully use AI for art purposes.] The train journey was fun as a group of friends was on the same train as us, and for the second half of the journey we all sat together and yapped. (Bless you train journey, none of us ever get to hang out enough so this was awesome!)

We arrived in Blackpool and were super excited about the place! Unfortunately I was also starting to fall apart now, having been awake for over 30 hours. But this is the point of the story where I do a massive shout-out to Sparks friends because people’s kindness made me cry. (A friend had accidentally booked 2 hotels for themselves for the next night and decided to just give me one of her rooms which was darker and more quiet to give me better odds for the next night.) Being absolutely dead sadly meant I couldn’t hang out with people before the show which I had really wanted to. (@parts-of-me-unravelling in particular, I am still bummed out about this!) I’d have to be more subdued with bouncing along during the show (and worst case, sit back down, but excitement overrides tiredness anyway). We also would have to not shout “WOO!” as much. (Sorry Sparks 😭)

We got to the venue which was really beautiful! We had amazing second row seats near the centre of the stage :) Just like at the Glasgow show we saw there were microphones set up along the edge of the stage. (More recording happening??) As more and more friends kept arriving we made plans to meet up somewhere after the show. (If I could still be upright by the end of the show, I would be there damnit! Seeing Sparks friends is something you have to pry from my cold dead hands!) Chris Hawkins was the DJ who was the opener for the night and his musical choices were great. No remixes, just a selection of really great songs that are well loved. We were just chilling and having a good time. We were also trying to figure out what we’d do when Sparks would hit the stage. Would this be an audience we’d be able to get on their feet right at the start? Do we stand up the second they arrive? Do we stay standing, or sit back down? (Important things to ponder.)

✨ SHOW TIME!!! ✨

...yeah, so, we obviously immediately stood up 😎👍🏻 Also as awesome and special the Glasgow show had been, I gotta say I was loving being at an indoor show again! There’s the suspense that comes from the combination of darkness and lights, you can really hear the audience around you properly, and it’s just being nicely enclosed in a world of Sparks. Excitement was high!!

1 We put all our love and enthusiasm into So May We Start? and Ron's grin during the song was particularly good!

2 Not everyone in the hall had gotten up, some clusters here and there. I sat down again for Do Things My Own Way as it seemed the people behind us didn't want to stand up and didn’t want to ruin things for them. The friends next to me remained upright, like total legends. The view was really good from my seat and the sound in this venue was so good!!! As I was not wobbling around now I could film the cool and fun bits where Russell is clapping next to Ron :D (Though I didn't catch the "roll the dice" for some reason that I can not explain because I love that part so much!) I love those parts where Russell is backlit 🔥

3 Reinforcements! OKAY, back out of my seat!!!!! Tired or not, I gotta!!! Jumping and clapping and doing the arm thing is just too much fun, and too important! I’ll cherish every time I get to hear this song live and it’s not complete without giving it everything!!!! (The people behind us still were sitting down. The Russ side crew was going for it though!)

After the song Russell said something about being in Blackpool, saying it's "a unique place - if you know what I mean" 🤣 oh my god.

4 Sherlock Holmes. Enjoyed this from my seat to calmly soak in all of its beauty. God it really is so beautiful, and the sound in this venue really is so good! My Two Hands One Mouth DNA was loving the hell out of this. Russell's voice was so immensely beautiful, it somehow seemed his voice is even better than last year? (Maybe it's just heightened because the sound in this venue really was good.)

At some point during the show I noticed you could see the shadow of Russell's silhouette on the wall, I don't know during which song I first noticed it but I thought I'd throw it in here now because it was one of those things I'd occasionally look at. It was a beautiful thing. (Many people seemed to have enjoyed that as I've found multiple photos and some videos of it.) Another thing of note that I don't know when it became noticeable, but the pink Russell was wearing lit up under fluorescent light!!!

5 Russell talked a bit before they started Beat The Clock, which leads us to his next iconic quote of the evening. "(...) And we kinda changed things up a little bit on that album, and got slammed for it. For changing things, because we were supposed to be a rock band ... they said 'Sparks are going disco!?'. And you know, we didn't think it was disco, it was just a different approach. We went to our now buddy Giorgio Moroder [pause to encourage people to cheer] and said, 'what do you think about working with Sparks', and he said *GERMAN ACCENT* 'o ja, dats ein good idee, ja' ... and we did the album Number 1 In Heaven. And all those nay-sayers who said 'Sparks have sold out', 'they've gone disco, they're not a rock band any more', about 40 years later they changed their mind, and uh the album is called Number 1 In Heaven, this is called Beat The Clock." O JA, DATS EIN GOOD IDEE, JA. HAHHAHAAHAHA (We had some Germans in our vicinity who seemed to especially love this, too.)

I think from here on I couldn't be bothered to sit down any more, FUCK IT SPARKS ARE TOO GOOD FOR THIS. They deserve a lively audience! The guy to my left got up as well and gave up on sitting down, feeling encouraged by my decision. I wasn’t using my voice but “yelled” along to “you gotta beat the clock, you gotta beat the clock!” The song sounded fantastic, Russell's falsetto!! Also I was really loving this light setup! :D (Glad to have been able to see this indoors as well now!)

6 MICKEY MOUSE! We again raised our hands and clapped them, hehehe!! God I still can't believe this is on the setlist!!! It's SO GOOD live! I captured Russell listing off the different animals again because it’s just 🔥Also at one point during the song Russell changed the lyrics from "Disneyland, California" to "Blackpool, England" which obviously has a different amount of syllables so, that's a feat. It made me smile so much!! (It definitely seemed fitting for the kind of place Blackpool is.) [We kept thinking about this a lot during the rest of our stay in Blackpool, and even spotted a "Disney World" attraction on one of the piers!]

7 Running Up A Tab At The Hotel For The Fab sounded SO FUCKING GOOD in this venue! This is the first time I think I've seen them where the sound for that song was *truly* right. All the instruments as well as Russell's voice were so clear, distinct and well balanced. *CHEFS KISS* That song is always a party and I LOVE hearing it live but this was BY FAR the best time I've ever heard it!!! SO GOOD. (Really can not overstate how good it sounded, it was really really good!) It hit harder than ever 🔥 And I loved having the drama of the lights with it, too 😎

8 There was a bit of a Ron chant when Ron stood at the ready for Let's Get Funky which was excellent! (Good audience!) I was so excited for this!!!! Having seats near the middle is absolutely perfect for Let's Get Funky! BRING IT ON!!! The light on Ron looked great. Ron's line delivery was immaculate. We really were in a prime spot for the dance! Ron did a gesture of rubbing the grease on his knee which I loved!!! [And in my footage I noticed Russell was equally doing that?!! YOOO!] After the second dancing bit Russell turned to step away and nearly bumped into Ron which positively cracked me up. When they were waiting for the LET'S. GET. FUNKY. from the voice from above, it seemed Russell gestured the Funky right at us?!?!?! Maybe we were just in the right spot where he'd have gestured anyway? Who knows, it was great though! (Footage!) I can not emphasise enough how great this was to see from this really really good spot we had in the middle! Also I just loved seeing this indoors, with the lights and all! Russell did a little move again when Ron said "we get ... funky a lot" as well. At the end of the song I WOO'd before realising I was doing it and promptly stopped, oh god my poor voice 😅 I have no control, IT'S LET'S GET FUNKY! (STILL NOT OVER THE FACT THEY ARE REALLY PLAYING THIS!) After the song Russell said: "Doin' it Blackpool style, Mister Ron Mael." Which started another little Ron chant.

9 Porcupine. I decided to film a little bit of it as I hadn’t done so yet at the other show and it’s pretty special that they decided to play it for this tour :)

10 A Walk Down Memory Lane. "and decide who it is that might make it okay" is such a banger of a line that really hits me. It feels so fitting that they picked this song in these times. Also, Russell’s delivery of “and that’ll be that!” was everything! Russell started singing one of the lines too early and that was honestly great, he looked like his internal dialogue was "oh." He stopped the phrase dead in its tracks. (It was even greater when I later on saw footage a friend made and Ron just stares at him as it all happens. A thing of beauty.) The falsetto part of this song though!!!! SO BEAUTIFUL. #teamfalsetto #teamthesoundissogoodinthisvenue!! (I know, I am repetitive.)

11 I was filming the start of JanSport Backpack because I *ALWAYS* end up with no footage of the DOW, DOW, DOW hand movements that I love so much. But guess what. Russell ended up just doing something else at the start this time LMAO. (I got the DOW's at the end though. Finally!) My other favourite thing about this song is the parts where the song consists of yelling out OH WHYYYYY (it’s great and cathartic. I need to start doing this when there's a minor inconvenience in my life to be honest.)

12 Music That You Can Dance To – will everyone finally get up now? I forgot to look around and check hahaha, too busy bouncing around and enjoying what’s happening on stage! Russell did an exaggerated movement for "cracks you like a whip". (What a guy.)

13 In introducing When Do I Get To Sing “My Way” Russell mentioned that Sinatra had played this exact venue in the past, and that he had also recorded a live album here. "So this next song is going out to Frank Sinatra". During the song whenever Russell sang the line "when do I Get to feel like Sinatra felt" he gestured down at the stage. Russell had been looking really cheerful throughout this gig (increasing with time), and it especially stood out during this song every single time the chorus was about to kick in. Russell did that thing of standing with his arms wide and smiling, in wait for it to hit and kick off. It was so great 💖

14 Number One In Heaven. We're now firmly in the part of the show where the whole audience is definitely engaged, the vibes were excellent! Many arms were in the air! 😎 After Russell’s jump at the start of the song and getting the audience clapping Russell did one of his skip dances to get his mic - life is good!! And Ron’s dance was obviously excellent and well loved! Having gotten more sense into me after seeing Sparks the day before, I got my camera out for the LA LA LA LA’s and Russell’s YWAH (hahah didn't mean to type that but that's actually accurate!) sounded very extra. (I love it.) I genuinely think this might have been one of the best times I've ever heard this song because, I gotta mention it again, the sound in this venue was so good and it was just so beautiful. The audience gave a very well deserved long applause after.

15 This Town was REALLY FUCKING GOOD. (I don’t know what to say here after seeing it many many times but I never stop losing my shit when they play it. If you've ever experienced it, you know how much of a banger it is and how audiences go nuts for it!)

Russell at this point remarked on the reception they've been getting in Blackpool. “I think it’s our first time we’ve ever been to Blackpool, is that correct?” He stood at the edge of the stage and leaned to hear the response of the audience. “Yes.” (...) “Or yes, or no. Anyway.” He followed it up by saying they really appreciate the amazing reception tonight. 💖

16 Russell kept jumping for a while during the instrumental part of Whippings And Apologies and I was losing my SHIT over it! :D FUCKING GREAT. (I already posted a video of this a few days ago, see here.) SHE'S GOT HOLY WATER RUNNING THROUGH HEEERRR VEINS *bounce bounce bounce bounce* No further explanation necessary I think. Plus, there was more slapping of his upper leg! HECK YEAH. Favourite move of the tour imo. (Also Russell signed a fun circular motion in the air for "over and over and over" at sone point.)

After the song Russell was doing a little introduction of the song and asked the audience for the title of it, whether he truly forgot the title again or not, I loved that 😂👍🏻

17 MY DEVOTION. The start of the song immediately felt magical with the lights. Seeing them only as silhouettes standing between the lights :) Gah my heart. This song definitely hit me harder here, in an indoor venue... With the sound being so clear in this venue too!! :) I am so so glad it's on the setlist <3 (The whistling!! I just can't.) Russell was smiling as the final notes of the song were played and everything felt so nice. (I love how at a Sparks show everything in the world feels right for a bit.)

When the band members were leaving the stage I tried to wave at them but without much success. The applause was very warm and I think there was a Ron chant going on somewhere shortly before Ron and Russell left the stage. Russell smiled and waved at some people.

18 Right before (Baby, Baby) Can I Invade Your Country started some guy decided to yell "WE LOVE SPARKS!!!" which the whole audience started responding to with a big cheer, exactly as the song started hahahaha. That was a bit messy on our (the audience's) part, but! HERE. WE. GO!!!!!!! I couldn't stop myself from yelling a WOOO! this time, I was so excited!!! Jumping around during this show was not as comfortable as the show in Glasgow as between the chairs I couldn't hold on to anything to anchor myself, and having not much of a voice I couldn't sing along as the day before, but I gave it my best bouncing-without-actually-jumping and mouthed along to the whole thing all my heart. GOD I love this song, I love Sparks!! I love that they're playing this!

19 The Girl Is Crying In Her Latte was super fun as a lot of people were very into doing the "WOW!"s (myself included, obviously) and I loved looking around and seeing it across the hall :D Also Russell seemed to be kind of bothered by his mic pack at one point during the song and I kind of cherished that. (Memories of trousers being hoisted up having been special to me hahaha, though that wasn’t happening this tour because he was wearing a belt!)

The band intro was AMAZING and eventful. Russell introduced Eli, Max and Darren to much cheering from the audience, and before Russell could even start his "I didn't forget anybody" shtick a guy had already begun the Ron chant. Russell held his hand to his ear which egged everyone on to be louder. Meanwhile Ron was sat behind the keyboard looking like he was sleeping??? 🤣 Russell made his way over to Ron and Ron "woke up" once Russell started talking: "And over here on this big giant keyboard, my big brother Mister Ron Mael." Everyone cheered and applauded, and when it seemed to die down a little people started a Russell chant (Hooray!! We managed another one!). Russell let it go on for a little bit, then said "Thank you, but that ruins our whole thing..." He sounded so disappointed. Sorry guys 🤣 Just incredible. (I've managed to film this which I am super happy about! It was the best!)

Russell then continued to say they hadn't known what to expect playing in Blackpool, but that we'd been "way way way beyond all of our expectations". AND THEN THINGS GOT EVEN BETTER?! "Does anybody live in Blackpool? Or you travel to-" The audience started responding by ways of cheering as well as yelling. "Live in Blackpool?" Cheering. "Travel to Blackpool?" Louder cheering. "Okay, I see." Ron was smiling behind the keyboard. "I get it now." People giggling. "We uh-... the 15 minutes that we spent here we enjoyed staring at that tower. *pointing up*" (Laughter) "It is a really cool tower." "As far as towers go." "And um, then we stared at that rollercoaster thing down the road a bit. And that was cool too." "And then the next thing we wanna do is get fish and chips." CHEERING. Russell raised his arm into the air. "Except Ron won't eat the fish and chips because he is a vegetarian." More cheering. Ron hides his face behind his hand. "So Ron will have a double order of chips." More cheering. Ron's face reappears with a smile on it. People applaud for a bit. "Now that I've totally ruined the mood for the next song, we would like to do one more number. (Russell bows) Thank you." This was absolutely the funniest and also best way to go into All That. (For the record, I really loved Blackpool and what I've seen of it but Russell's slight roast was extremely funny and was a big success as far as I can tell. And yes, I managed to capture this whole part as well!! Footage coming soon!)

20 All That sounded so great in this venue with its amazing sound, and Russell’s banter had made it all feel even nicer.

I don't really remember what was said after this. It was time for the photo though! We thought we'd never make it in because of where we were in the audience (right behind R&R). The guy taking the photo was aiming the camera and there was just no way. But then the guy raised his hands above his head instead and held the camera really high?! Okay LET'S GO!!!! I gave it all my enthusiasm! ❤️‍🔥

Again no idea what was said after that, but there was lots of applause and Russell was going around to wave at people. @dinkydiamond had the right idea and decided to climb over the chairs in front of us as most of the front row had now moved to stand near the stage. Russell shook some hands while the audience kept cheering. And then they left. (Aww.)

*****

WHAT AN AMAZING SHOW! It was so beautiful! They sounded so great!!! The sound in this venue was REALLY GOOD. Exactly how you want it to always be!!! That combined with the fact that Sherlock Holmes was back on the setlist, and many of the songs featuring Russell singing falsetto (hooray!!! My favourite!), reminded me in some ways of the THOM era (and that is a VERY good thing). Also I was really really happy during Running Up A Tab because I think that was the first time it truly sounded great and well balanced, this time I could actually hear Russell's voice clearly and distinctly. Just amazing! And Russell had been so happy throughout! And he'd made so many funny remarks! (Also, a paparazzi style photo of R&R turned up on facebook later on of them indeed getting fish and chips that evening. I can’t say I necessarily approve of taking sneaky photos but I am delighted to know that they did get their fish & chips and alleged chips & chips.)

After the show spirits were high. (Met @callowcadet for the first time which was so cool!!) We decided to check the artists entrance before joining friends at a pub, and got to wave off the car with blinded windows that departed. At the pub I ended up mostly talking to one person (...it’s really not enough time to talk to everyone! Aa!), but it’s someone who really deserves a special shout-out. A friend who I’ve known here on tumblr & then in person since my early days as a Sparks fan. (I have no idea if you’ll end up reading this, but it meant so much to see you again. I cherish our conversation so much!) The pub was closing around 10:30pm and we walked to the hotel some friends stayed in because a friend was so kind as to give us some sleep medication (because yeah, holy shit…). We then got stuck in the lobby talking for an additional hour and a half because we’re Sparks fans and we love talking and spending time too much for it to end so quickly. It was really, really nice. And then as we were saying goodbye, another friend walked in who I hadn’t spoken to yet but had been so excited to see! 🤣 We talked for another half an hour before finally saying goodnight.

Our Sparks tour adventure ended here, but I am so happy that Glasgow and Blackpool were the two shows we had decided to go to. It couldn’t have been any better! That night I may have been delirious and feverish from having experienced so much with no sleep in between, but I’d do it all again to see Sparks and all these friends. (Though not more than two shows in a row, by god I am not built for it... 🤣) ✨I’ll be back for more in August! ✨

*****

Little bonus story: we spent the next day exploring Blackpool (I loved it so much!) but my favourite thing was finding a carousel at the end of the North Pier. I remarked that Ron and Russell would’ve loved it, “just a shame there’s no music playing”. The words had barely left my mouth and then this happened…