SPARKS IN MOSCOW 2007
Sparks in Moscow. 1st and 2nd June 2007.
"We are flying Aeroflot! "
«We are flying Aeroflot!». This line is 100% true right now: this time Sparks have flown to Russia on Aeroflot. More precisely, it was Ron and Russell Mael who have flown Aeroflot. They, native LA citizens, have decided to spend their vacation in Moscow. To spend their vacation and to give 2 exclusive concerts- first and only ones this year.
They have picked Russia not accidentally - while their first voyage here was 100% hazard and as they have put it "suicidal visit to completely unknown audience", this time they traveled to Moscow absolutely certain of their fans as they have had a great success last time February 2006 in Moscow and July 2006 in St. Petersburg. I have met them several times during their previous visits and I am100% certain of their willingness to comer here over and over. "We just wanted to have a week-long vacation, play Russia once again and than to continue our work over new album", says Russell Mael.
Sparks, the band that was created back in 1968, was always ahead of world`s musical fashion. Ron and Russell changed so many musical styles (to name a few: rock, glam-rock, electronica, electronic disco, disco, tough disco, pop music, new wave, industrial, hip-hop, synthpop, punk rock, classical orchestral music, instrumental and even country-style), had so many followers including Pet Shop Boys, Erasure, Depeche Mode, Soft Cell, Bronsky Beat, Franz Ferdinand that we were all waiting for their visit to Russia. And they finally came in 2006!
And here they are, once again. Again on extreme - last time they were in the middle of extremely cold weather, now they are here with extreme hot +35C! They are here in Moscow club "Apelsin".
Before the first gig the audience was absolutely hot. Many of us have waited this moment of whole our lives. Many of us wanted to estimate Sparks level with "cold hearts". But this "cold hearts" instantly became so hot at the very moment Ron and Russell came to the stage!
Ron`s traditional dance at the very beginning was awesome! He threw his blue raincoat to the crowd and to my pleasure, I was able to grab it! These things happen once in 100 years, I can tell you!
Right after this magnificent moment Russell came to the stage! In grey costume and red scarf. After first sounds of "Achoo" the audience came wild- it was IT. This very special moment of all our lives!
So different people tonight became overwhelmed by Here in Heaven, Something For The Girl With Everything, No. 1 Song In Heaven and of course, When Do I Get To Sing “My Way”, This Town Ain`t Big Enough For Both Of Us è Amateur Hour.
The latest unique album " Hello Young Lovers" was presented by astonishing – Dick Around , Perfume and Waterproof . For me the best thing of the whole show was "Tryouts For The Human Race" from the revolutionary No .1 In Heaven album. Russell`s superb falsetto along with Ron`s synthesizers arrangements made our hearts beating so fast.
The audience wanted so more, so after a short break Sparks returned to the stage for encore. Russell performed Suburban Homeboy , acoustic version of magnetic Change è minimalist version of powerful Dick Around .
Full track list of first concert on 1st June 2007:
1. Achoo
2. Something For The Girl
3. Here In Heaven
4. Tryouts For The Human Race
5. No.1 Song In Heaven
6. Mother Earth
7. Music That You Can Dance To
8. Pineapple
9. Dick Around
10. Perfume
11. Waterproof
12. My Way
13. This Town
14. Amateur Hour
ENCORE:
15. Suburban Homeboy
16. Change
17. Dick Around- acoustic
But for real fans everything has just started! Our Russian fanclub had prepared some surprises- we had made our official white T-shirts with our logo on the front and Ron and Russell photo along with "We are flying Aeroflot" phrase on the back. Moreover, during our meeting with Ron and Russell backstage we made them our presents- authentic Aeroflot pilot uniform and Aeroflot plane model. Ron and Russell were so happy about that. Nobody can think they gonna put on those clothes during second gig!
I arrange a meeting with Ron and Russell for myself and 5 fellow members of Russian Sparks fanclub: Arsen (Moscow), Tatyana (Moscow), Anna (Novosibirsk), Eugene (Moscow) and Dasha (Samara). I am so happy I really made this. We made some more presents to Ron and Russell - Dasha`s drawings of R&R and from me 2 Cheburashkas- Russian cartoon`s characters!
The audience gone wild when everybody saw Ron and Russell in Aeroflot uniform during encore of second show- Ron was wearing Captain`s hat and Russell pilots shirt and a black tie. Before that there were Hospitality On Parade , In The Future, Bon Voyage and much much more but the real MOMENT was when Sparks were performing Aeroflot! We were so lucky to see them wearing Aeroflot uniform. " Stewardesses look like high-school beauty queens / They never say nyet, service supreme, supreme" sang Russell and we all were agree- Aeroflot is the best!
It was best gig of my life and when it was over, tears came out of my eyes!
2nd show (2 June 2007) track list:
0. It`s A Sparks Show
1. Happy Hunting Ground
2. Something For The Girl
3. Bon Voyage
4. In The Future
5. Tryouts For The Human Race
6. No.1 Song In Heaven
7. Mother Earth
7-1. Ron Laughing Man
8. Music That You Can Dance To
8. Pineapple
9. Dick Around
10. Perfume
11. Waterproof
12. My Way
13. This Town
14. Amateur Hour
ENCORE:
15. Suburban Homeboy
16. Change
17. Dick Around- acoustic
We are hopping next time Sparks will fly Aeroflot... Once again!
P.S. And of course, we will never forget Ron`s and Russell`s words to us on Sparks official website:
" We would like to thank the Russian Sparks Fan Club as well as all the Russian fans (and non-Russian fans who flew in specially!) who came to our 2 Moscow concerts for a truly memorable time in Moscow. Your fantastic reception at the 2 shows is something we will not forget. And a special thank you for the wonderful Aeroflot gifts that we were presented with after Saturday's concert. We can't wait to come back to Russia to perform once again next year when our new album is completed. See you soon,
Ron and Russell"
