Angel Air Records (label)
05 August 2013 (released)
02 September 2013
This live recording from the Marquee club represents a landmark in Sweet’s history, showing an edgier side to the band. Guitarist Andy Scott had assembled a new line up (original frontman Brian Connolly went separate ways in 78) and took the new outfit where he always wanted his Sweet to be: to a mighty cranked up rock firmament!
Featuring original members Andy Scott (vocals / lead guitar) and Mick Tucker (drums), the rest of the outfit was comprised of ex-Iron Maiden singer Paul Mario Day (lead vocals), Mal McNulty (bass) and Phil Lanzon (keyboards). While McNulty is an integral part of Slade these days, Lanzon joined Uriah Heep, where he still remains.
From the outset, fans can expect high-octane renditions of classic Sweet numbers, starting with the aptly titled ‘Action’ and blasting through ‘Sweet Fanny Adams’ complete with scorching guitar riffs. ‘Love Is Like Oxygen’ is given an almost epic makeover here, complete with pompous Emerson, Lake & Palmer fanfare-like keyboard sounds, and drum solo! Hell, I’ve seen Emerson, Lake and Palmer perform at the High Voltage Festival a few years ago, and rest assured they would have been impressed by this!
‘Restless’ and ‘No You Don’t’ provide perfect vehicles for Paul Mario Day to impress us with his mighty vocal skills (quite different from Connolly, but better suited to Sweet’s harder sound), especially the latter one with it’s extended and super-killer guitar riffs is stadium fodder. Mr. Scott, I salute you!
Not contempt with being left in the shadow, Mick Tucker also gets his chance to shine with a fiery solo, working his drum kit to the ground during and after ‘Someone Else Will’.
Other hits include the ultra-fast ‘Set Me Free’ and ‘Ballroom Blitz’ (announced with “Everybody for the Ballroom Blitz then?” and performed in a manner that suggests indeed Blitz!). ‘Fox On The Run’ is another testosterone-pumped take on one of Sweet’s best-loved hits, and it was also the last number of the night.
Well, not quite, as due to audience demand (clearly evident on the live album) The Sweet found themselves playing a mini-encore (the two bonus tracks on the album): ‘AC/DC’ starts off clever and with the opening chords of ‘Wig-Wam Bam’ actually, before turning into yet another rock opus, while closing number ‘Burn On The Flame’ provides fans with a fitting adrenaline rush.
A fantastic live album (originally released in 1989) showcasing a über-talented band during a three-night residency at the Marquee, one year before the club closed its doors for good. And it all sounds as far removed from ‘sweet’ as possibly can.
