SPARKS • BIG BEAT • Live at Carling Academy 23 May 2008—Complete Show, New Edit / Re-Construction

So in the spring / summer of 2008 the most adventurous and constantly intriguing band Sparks embarked upon the unthinkable: performing every single one of their (at the time) 20 albums live in their entirety to lead up to the premiere of their (at the time) new album ‘Exotic Creatures of the Deep.’ This all took place in England and I’m forever jealous of those who were lucky enough to attend. I myself had literally just graduated high school in the States and could in no feasible way be there; however, those of who weren’t lucky enough to be there in person were thankfully able to watch the shows via live stream. Most of us have still been holding out hope for an eventual “official” release of these shows, where several of the songs performed were surely done so for the first and only time, but 13 years later…it doesn’t look promising. I got a little tired of waiting myself and had been wondering recently if it would be at all possible to edit a complete show from the fan-shot videos and so forth we have available thus far, and so this crazy project began.

I do have to admit that my appreciation for this particular has grown more over the years. I just wasn’t an instant fan at first hearing around the age of 17. This show also has one of my absolute favorite moments ever during “Tearing the Place Apart” when Russell messes up and looks so adorably crushed. But to undertake this major feat and only have a flub like that on one occasion is quite impressive! Thanks to a wonderful anonymous source who already had a wonderful audio mix done for me, and for another anonymous source for the full webcast video, and also to YouTube users dcee73 and Sparksfannr1 for their wonderful fan-shot videos!

No copyright infringement intended, all rights belong to their respective owners. I make no money from this project and it is merely a new edit by a longtime fan FOR the fans. Please enjoy and let me know what you think! All my best xxtyler

BIG BEAT
Originally released 1976
Performed live at Carling Academy 23 May 2008


SET LIST:
00:00:00 - (Introduction)
00:01:01 - Big Boy
00:04:53 - I Want to Be Like Everybody Else
00:08:39 - Nothing to Do
00:12:08 - I Bought the Mississippi River
00:14:52 - Fill-Er-Up
00:17:44 - Everybody’s Stupid
00:22:12 - Throw Her Away (And Get a New One)
00:27:21 - Confusion
00:31:02 - Screwed Up
00:35:40 - White Women
00:39:49 - I Like Girls
00:43:00 - (Band Intro / Intermission)
00:47:10 - Tearing the Place Apart (Take 1)
00:49:14 - Tearing the Place Apart (Take 2)
00:52:46 - (Exit)


BAND:
Russell Mael (vocals)
Ron Mael (keyboards)
Steve MacDonald (bass)
Steven Nistor (drums)
Jim Wilson (guitar & backing vocals)
Marcus Blake (guitar & backing vocals)