Sparks in Milan: the first time in Italy of a cult band
What do you expect from the review of the SPARKS concert last night at the Archimboldi in Milan, if one who bought (from Carù) their first album in 1971 – when they were still called Halfnelson – and who since then follows them faithfully and convincedly, despite the others and lows of their career and their record production (26 albums of unpublished, some compilations and an album in condominium with the Franz Ferdinand?
My devotion to Ron and Russell Mael is bomb -proof, and the only risk I ran, arriving at the theater last night, was to remain unplugated, but not entirely satisfied. I knew they would not have made all my favorites among their pieces – they would have been too many (see here and here) – and if I had a specific concern it was the one that Russell, the singer of the Duo, now almost seventy -seven -year -old, could not show off properly the falsetto for which he became famous (famous, of course, inside the circle of loyal fans of a band. worship “is very appropriate).
Among the loyalists, last night there was no Enrico Ruggeri (engaged in concert in Piacenza), with whom when we met, at the Sanremo of 1980, we discovered that we shared the passion for the Sparks, and there was not my friend Silvio Poli, unable to participate in causes of force majeure; However, there were Stefano Bianchi (who for Rockol interviewed Russell a few weeks ago) and the writer Matteo B. Bianchi. Not exactly two very young; Moreover, the audience was made up of, let’s say so, seasoned aficionados (with some rare exceptions, but with one for me unexpected female presence: I thought I would have found myself at an Alpine gathering). Unfortunately, the theater was not very crowded; The promotion of the concert was good, the advertising instead seemed quite lacking
Yesterday was the first Italian concert of the duo; Which had passed in our part in 2015, for three concerts together with Franz Ferdinand (with whom they had formed an extemporaneous band called FFS, such as saying Franz Ferdinand Sparks, or for Fuck’s Sake, who released the eponymous joint album and held three Italian dates, poorly promoted, in 2015: 7 July in Genoa, 16 July in Catania, September 3 in Treviso).
I had listened to the Russell alone in 2007, on the occasion of a concert that could have been extraordinary and that was a half flop – we wrote here). On that occasion, in addition to hearing him recanty two Beatles songs (“When I’m Sixty Four” and “It’s All Too Much”) together with a stellar cast (here the wide review of hearing anxiety) I had also had the opportunity to exchange two words with Russell, and to make me an example of the invitation that I had made the year before for my wedding – an elaboration of the cover of the cover of the cover of the cover of the cover of the cover of the cover of the cover of the cover of the cover “Angst in My Pants”, the 1982 album of the Sparks.
Ron Mael, on the other hand, had never seen him in person. Ron, eighty years old next August, is the “older brother” of the Sparks, the keyboard player with the mustache that on December 27, 1974, when the duo presented his “This Town Ain’t Big Enough for Both of Us” to “Top of the Pops”, John Lennon brought to the phone to warn a friend: “Watch, there is Hitler on TV!”.
The concert began with Swiss punctuality, at 9 pm precise, and the group, welcomed by a very affectionate applause, opened the evening with “So May We Start”, from the soundtrack of the film “Annette”, of Leos Carax, for which the Sparks made the soundtrack in 2021.
Effectively supported by a band of four young men – two guitars, one bass and a battery – whose ages added probably do not reach the total age of the two brothers Mael, Russell and Ron have appeared in excellent shape, and as we expected to find them: always statuesque on the keyboard the second, gymnastic and jumping the first, with the voice still capable of its characteristic falsetti. The ladder (which you find in the queue) has unrolled between songs of the new album “Mad!” And repechage from the albums of the past, with some surprises (“Goofing Off”), the inevitable “This Town Ain’t Big Enouaught for Both of Us” and three songs taken from the 1979 album “N ° 1 Song in Heaven”, made together with Giorgio Moroder (“Beat the Clock”, “Number One Song in Heaven” and “Academy Award” Performance “)
Particularly successful, from the point of view of originality, was the version of “Suburban Homeboy” (from the album “Lil ‘Beethoven”, from 2002, reviewed here) for which Ron left the keyboard – branded “Ronald” and not “Roland” – to support the brother in the interpretation of the text, in a sort of funny and surprising recitative (he did not surprise the second excursion. Proscenio di Ron, who on “Number One Song in Heaven” did not miss his routine of the “Ballet Mécanique”).
Until that generous moment of applause but sitting in the armchairs, the public got up (with some crews of joints and, as Stefano Bianchi commented fiercely, “a roteure of catheters”) on the notes of “Music You can dance”, and standing remained until the end, recalling the band for the (expected) bis and, at the end of this, paying a long (and deserved) brothers Mael; Russell, optimistically, has promised that we will see them soon in Italy. We lucky few-thanks to Spin-Go-we had the opportunity to greet them in the ftershow, and it was, I really have to say, a beautiful emotion, for one that follows them from the distant 1971. Too bad that in the lineup there were no “Amateur Hour” and (my favorite) “Never Turn Your Back on Mother Earth”; It will be for next time, if there will be – and if we are there.
Scaletta:
So May We Start (from the soundtrack of “Annette”, 2021
Do Things My Own Way (from “Mad!”, 2025)
Reinforcements (from “propaganda”, 1974)
Academy Award Performance (from “N ° 1 song in Heaven”, 1979)
Goofing Off (from “Introducing Sparks”, 1977)
Beat the Clock (from “N ° 1 song in Heaven”, 1979)
Please don’t fuck up my world (from “to steady drip, drip, drip”, 2019)
Running up a Tab at the Hotel for the Fab (from “Mad!”. 2025)
Suburban Homeboy (from “Lil ‘Beethoven”, 2002)
All You Ever Think About is sex (from “in outer place”, 1983)
Drowned in a Sea of Tears (from “Mad!”, 2025)
Jansport Backpack (from “Mad!”, 2025)
Music that you can dance to (from “Music that you can dance to”, 1986)
When do I Get To Sing “My Way” (from “Free Sax and Senseless Violins”, 1994)
The Number One Song in Heaven (from “N ° 1 song in Heaven”, 1979)
This Town Ain’t Big Enough for Both of Us (from “Kimono My House”, 1974)
Whippings and Apologies (from “to woofer in tweeter’s clothing”, 1973)
Lord Have Mercy (from “Mad!”, 2025)
Bis:
The Girl is Crying in Her Latte (from “The Girl is Crying in Her Latte”, 2023)
All that (from “to steady drip, drip, drip”, 2019)
