The Day the music will die: They are moving Sparks
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(I only just registered, so this message may be a little outdated to some *Sorrie*) For those of you who do not know what I am talking about visit: www.rebellyon.f2s.com/read.jpg
I want to protest a little, but I fear no one will follow suit...
When I heard that they are going to move Sparks over to the Fire Disco venue, I got a little upset. The place is sheer opulance with its 30,000 sq feet. The dance floor is simply so big that it is effectively smoke-free due to the rules and high ceiling. The environment is such that one can get very high to the tones of well mixed Techno and Eurodance.
There are theories behind this move: one of which is that some people want to destroy the Ah-Beng and Ah-Lian culture of Singapore by effectively isolating what is viewed as their heartland... their "holy land". They do not realise that the move will have very far reaching consequences.
1) Singapore has a very specialised Eurodance culture and people have a tendency to associate this with Beng and Lian-dom. I for one, am in the industry and feel a sadness that it has been marginalised to social unacceptance. The rhythmic dancing found in Sparks is a pretty unique and truly emotive art. One can scoff until he tries to imitate his/her local local Beng/Lian.
2) The crowds will clash. Fire loyalists will continue to go to the Fire venue and Sparks customers will have no choice to go to Orchard Plaza to immerse themselves in what they have known as their club culture. Due to the fact that Fire is aimed at the muslim crowd and Sparks' crowd comprises mostly of members of our colourful subculture, they will no doubt be conflicts and violence will erupt.
3)Moving Sparks will draw crowds away from the central Orchard area. Club hoppers will suffer from this lack of accessibilty.
4)Retro (as in the new genre theme of Spark's successor Club: Grease) will not be able to last very long in the Singapore Club mentality. The genre pertains to a very specific period of music history and will loop in on itself. Plus, it is nowhere as dancable as Euro and has much fewer classics. (Trust me, I've done my homework in this. Used to be my job)
5) finally, by condemning Sparks along with its associated crowd, Singapore is embracing the "middle-classed-yuppie-who-spends-more" to its breast. Tell yourself, do you truly subscribe to that image? I don't.
Rumour has it that the move would take place on the 11th of Nov. If anyone shares the same views as me, please speak up.
(I listen and mix music across the spectrum... so please don't hit me with with "Metal/Trance rules!" or such. Thanks...) otherwise, drop me a line and I will see you on the 7th floor of Taka on the 11th
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I totally agree
Sparks holds precious memories for many ... it is not just a mere artifice of brick and mortar, and the powers-that-be who oversee this move should take that into account first. Besides, does it not make good business sense to let such a *legendary* place stay where it is, instead of moving it away and destroying the atmosphere which made it so well-beloved in the first place? -
yeah...especially those nights for the punks having a good time hooking girls...get some actions behind the alley and, drugs.
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I have one point to add to the topic post:
Some people like to say songs such as Mouse T's "horny", Madison Avenue's "Don't call me baby" and Tom Jones' "Sex Bomb" are retro. These are recent songs and there is a misconception as some people like to tie in top forty hits with Retro. Grease would play Retro and top forty... so I admit to a mistake by classifying Grease as a fully "Retro" Club along with an insinuation that it would only play old songs. A good example of a pure retro club would be Samsara in the Mohammed Sultan Stretch. -
Hi, just to expand a little on what Rebellyon had to say.
Firstly, I don't know why Sparks has to move, as the place they are now is just fine for their setup. The place Fire was in before is old now and face it, just isn't a nice place to go to and party.
Secondly. It WILL lose a lot of their action from the greater Orchard road area. I know this doesn't mean much, because most of Orchard road is busy, however, I have noticed that the Orchard plaza part of the area is just not favoured and most people prefer to meet at Lido or around the Venom / Taka area.
Thirdly. Sparks is now known to be at Taka, close to the trains, and just about everything else. I seriously do not think they should change it now. Does anyone know why they have to move?
That is all I have to say......DO NOT MOVE SPARKS!!!!! -
Yes. Truly, Orchard Plaza is a little run down and not entirely conducive for clubbing. The whole building, after office hours, looks like it was made for the filming of those Triad movies involving large gang brawls and elaborate stunts.
Perhaps this has already been taken into account and the move was meant to isolate and contain a large degree of anticipated violence in the plaza? One can only wonder. Guess that Novaleisure's management has only considered milking the retro/top 40 crowd without much consideration in the way of the social impact that would be caused by the move. -
Agree. Orchard road is away from the main hub of traffic and while retro may cater to the so called biggger spenders of the older age group, it just shows that they are ignoring the supportive clinete of their mainstream young clubbers
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sorry i meant orchard plaza not orchard road
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sorry i meant orchard plaza not orchard road
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Wow, I am real glad that someone finally voiced out the fact that Sparks is not a place for juvenile delinquents but for real dance music lovers. So what if people dare to dress in a fashion deemed as ah beng or lian by others? It is a matter of preference and fashion trends. Besides this superficial world is making me sick, plain judging people from how they dress and ceasing to see the real side of them. Sparks is a place for techno-music-lovers and I ain ashamed to be a member of Sparks cos the music makes me wanna dance all nite. I hate the music at Zouk *eww*. So come on all the dudes and babes, come join in the fun at Sparks hehe
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Indeed. Euro/Pop-Techno is the most dancable form of dance music. Lyrics that flow with the melody and addictive tunes that stick in the mind; the dancing carries on even after the songs stop
Another interesting thing is that Singapore's Eurodance culture is seemingly entrenched in the sad stereotype of 'Ah Beng' and 'Ah Lian' -ism. In response to Seraphina, people are entitled to their own culture/sub-culture/counter-culture... so I like to say its not only a matter of HOW ppl dress but rather how they behave and organise themselves. To put things straight, I respect Singapore's favorite sub-culture. Yes, I acknowledge they have their bad habits and misgivings... but every man has the capacity for some degree of fault... isn't it so?
An update - Apparently, the information I received regarding the closing date of Sparks is inaccurate (As it is still in business at the present moment). The coming of Olivia Newton John (To sing at the opening of Grease) would herald the end of the great Sparks spirit. Until news of her arrival comes, there's no reliable information regarding the Sparks move...yet. -
I know Fajar and some of the bouncers there, it is certain that they will move but well the date ain fixed, but seriously it is gonna be so sad if less people are gonna frequent the place. Yet at the same time it will be kinda cool to meet up with ya old pals there with lesser crowd but more intimacy between friends
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Seraphina: On the contrary, they will be MORE ppl in a SMALLER place after the move takes effect. (What about the Fire disco regulars?) The information of the move has been publicized long before I brought up this thread and I know some Sparks regulars are beginning to go there like there is no tommorrow. Although I would take the latter behavior as a tad bit hysterical, its good to see that there is evidence of conviction towards Sparks as the de-facto Techno club.
Sadly, I believe myself am unable to join clubbers on their final pilgrimage to Sparks (when it does happen) because I fell down the stairs recently and cracked my right Ankle. Can only hope that the repercussions of the move can be rectified somehow... -
Aiyah how come liddis? so sad... me also too bz to go there now. got work. sianed. And when I go there arh, some of my frens who hates techno whole day say sparks is so lian and beng and all those stuff, it really pisses me off sometimes
