/ / / / / CONCERT REVIEW



SAM SPARRO / LIVE IN LONDON

:: October 04 :: Shepherd's Bush Empire, Shepherd's Bush

[ Setlist: S.A.M.S.P.A.R.R.O . 21st Century Life . Cut Me Loose . Hot Mess . Money . Sally/Sex Shooter . Sick . Black & Gold . Pocket . Gypsy Woman (She's Homeless) (Crystal Waters Cover) ]

Lively closing show by indie music's man of the hour Sam Sparro. He wrapped up his multidate UK WONKY POP trek in London at the famed Shepherd's Bush Empire venue. The place was sold out and the vibe was celebratory as he closed his tour.

The show started with the eponymous track S.A.M.S.P.A.R.R.O. which was sung by three really charismatic gospel-like singers on backing vocals. They really filled the stage and gave each of the songs life that night. In between songs they'd break out into old school dances, doing the Running Man and the Roger Rabbit with the crowd screaming along in full camaraderie.

Sam was good vocally, he managed to be charismatic and charming on stage and you could tell he cared about his fans and his audience. During one point, a concertgoer threw orange undies on-stage adorned with Sharpie-inked messages of adoration. Sam gleefully accepted and offer up some laughs at the randomness of the gift. Moments like this just warmed up the show throughout.



My favorite moments of the show had to be the back-to-back jam session of "Sally" and "Sick." The band was going and everything was in full tilt. The lyrics, the lights, the music all came together for a delicious aural experience.

Plus, "Black & Gold" -- the song Sam has come to be known for -- was the ultimate part of the already great night. The entire house was on its feet for it and were singing every line when he held his mic out into the audience (including myself). I was moving around the venue getting a feel for the place and the crowd and scores of refreshed, calm faces were dancing, chanting along with drinks in hand and whistling on from the rafters.

As if it weren't already a great show, Sam finished the gig with a few more tunes from his debut and brought down the house with a rousing, fleshed out rendition of Crystal Water's '91 classic "Gypsy Woman (She's Homeless)." His big-voiced background singers accentuated on every note and even filled in with vocal pieces from Soul II Soul's "Back To Life." It was such a good show that as people left the venue one girl filled with joy screamed out "I want to be Gay!" as if it was just simply unfair that she wasn't. At least for that night, we could be anything we wanted.

...
[Edited 10/8/08 18:15pm]

*jammin in the corner*
just STOP. THINK ABOUT IT. DON'T THROW IT AWAYYYYY -- RECYCLE IT!
*shaking*
STOP. THINK ABOUT IT. DON'T THROW IT AWAYYYYY -- RECYCLE IT!
*shoulder bounce*
STOP. THINK ABOUT IT. DON'T THROW IT AWAYYYYY -- RECYCLE IT!


[Edited 10/7/08 8:40am]

LIVE VIDEO FROM THE SHOW OF "S.A.M.S.P.A.R.R.O."



...
[Edited 10/7/08 8:54am]

wow.glad you had a good time. thank you for sharing.

SAM SPARRO!!!!!

Wish I'd been there!


Amessing

Thanks! It was a great show. I hope he brings it to North America. Visa issues prevented it from happening last month.

qule

Side note: Sneaky Sound System was also there as the opener, but they weren't that exciting. It was a DJ set with Connie singing over records, no live band. Not worth much hoopla.

MORE VIDEO FROM THE SHOW: "SALLY/SEX SHOOTER" (LIVE)

I like that. I think they're playing Cameo's "Word Up" underneath.

Cinnie said:

Yep. They are. It flowers into "Sick" after the small "Sex Shooter" flourish.

You can actually hear it flowering into "Sick" around the 3:57 mark. If whoever panned the camera over a little more to the right you would catch me jumping in the air. I was GOING to that song. You can hear me screaming a little bit in the clip.