SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: SWEET – LIVE AT THE MARQUEE 1986

SWEET
LIVE AT THE MARQUEE 1986
METALVILLE

Sweet continues re-releasing older and hard to find CDs from the past. Not only are the albums being re-released, but they are also being made available on vinyl. Live At The Marquee was recorded at London’s Marquee Club in February 1986, shortly before the legendary venue closed down.  It was available in the early 1990s but has since become somewhat of a collector’s item. Now it is back.

By 1986 Sweet were not the powerhouse commercially that they were in the mid to late 1970s. That did not mean they did not play well or that they did not have their fans. This version of Sweet was a tough, loud, and hard band. And their legions of fans certainly enjoyed the performances. Listen to the crowd throughout the live album, they are with the band and enjoying every minute.

All the big hits are here, “Ballroom Blitz”, “Fox On The Run”, “Action”, “Sweet F.A.” and an incredible version of “Love Is Like Oxygen”. “Love Is Like Oxygen” is a real gem, if only for the inclusion of “In The Hall Of The Mountain”, which simply must be heard to be appreciated. But there are deeper album cuts as well, “Someone Else Will” (a B-side from 1974), “Restless” (from 1974 album Sweet Fanny Adams) and “Set Me Free” (also from Sweet Fanny Adams). The crowd knows the songs and enjoys, along with the extended guitar and drum solos. Even in 1986, it felt like a nostalgic concert. Hearing it now, it sounds like a distant and exciting time.

Live At The Marquee 1986 is an exciting live album. It is raw and yet well recorded. Sweet have changed over the years and continue to make new music. This live album serves as a reminder of their past glories. The solos tend to be a tad too long, and excessive, but then, wasn’t that what heavy rock ‘n’ roll was and is all about? Sweet does it well. The band is tight and play like they live for that moment on stage. There is no pretense, just good hard rock ‘n’ roll. Fans will enjoy finally getting their hands on an album that has been out of circulation for far too long.

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