Concert review: Sparks, Royal Albert Hall, May 29, 2023

A few songs into Sparks first-ever headlining show at the venerable Royal Albert Hall, Russell Mael told of how upon first moving to England (in 1973), he and Ron would walk by the Hall and dream of playing there. But, he noted, they knew that only big (successful) bands played there. So what did it mean that Sparks has sold out two shows there? 

May 27, 2023 CHIRP Radio playlist (Show #667)

9:00 AM Tina Turner • Total Control • We Are the World • Columbia

9:06 AM The Ides of March • Lead Me Home, Gently • friendly strangers: the warner bros. recordings • Warner Bros./Rhino

9:09 AM Harrison • Blue Sky (featuring Nanna.B) • Birds, Bees, The Clouds & The Trees • Last Gang

9:15 AM Angie Stone • Good Man • Love Language • Conjunction Entertainment/SoNo

May 20, 2023 CHIRP Radio show playlist (Show #666)

9:01 AM 10CC • Old Wild Men • Sheet Music • UK

9:04 AM Bat For Lashes • In Your Bed • The Bride • Parlophone

9:07 AM Baby Rose • Love Bomb • Through and Through • Secretly Canadian

9:13 AM Paul Simon • Wait • Seven Psalms • Owl

May 13, 2023 CHIRP Radio Playlist (Show #665)

9:00 AM Al Green • Take Your Time (featuring Corinne Bailey Rae) • Lay It Down • Blue Note

9:05 AM Papas Fritas • Say Goodbye • Helioself • Minty Fresh

9:09 AM Hannah Sandoz • hole • Leaving the party early • self-released

9:14 AM Moby • Run On (Feat. Danielle Ponder, Elijah Ponder) • Resound NYC • Deutsche Grammophon

May 6, 2023 CHIRP Radio show (Show #664)

9:00 AM Gordon Lightfoot • Canadian Railroad Trilogy • The Way I Feel • United Artists

9:07 AM Noname • Sunny Duet (with theMIND) • Telefone • self-released

9:09 AM Kelly Reed • Stupid Idiot • Stupid Idiot • self-released

9:14 AM Rodney Crowell • No Place to Fall • The Chicago Sessions • New West

April 29, 2023 CHIRP Radio playlist (Show #663)

9:01 AM Harry Belafonte • Skin to Skin • Paradise in Gazankulu • EMI Manhattan

9:05 AM Soccer Mommy • night swimming • color theory • Loma Vista/Concord

9:09 AM Angel Bat Dawid • LACRIMOSA- Weeping our Lady of Sorrow • Requiem for Jazz • International Anthem

9:15 AM The National • The Alcott (with Taylor Swift) • First Two Pages of Frankenstein • 4AD

April 21, 2023 CHIRP Radio playlist (Show #662)

10:01 PM The Beach Boys • Johnny Carson • The Beach Boys Love You • Brother/Reprise

10:04 PM Solange • I Told You So • Sol-Angel and the Hadley St. Dreams • Geffen/Music World

10:08 PM Kate Davis • Reckoning • Fish Bowl • ANTI-

10:14 PM Sparks • Veronica Lake • The Girl Is Crying in Her Latte • Island