Reviews

The Sweet – Islington Academy 2023 – Full Review by Dawn Osborne

Written by Dawn Osborne on December 24, 2023

Devastating to hear from his own lips that Andy Scott has reached stage four of his cancer, but the Sweet rocked and, there was no way anyone would have known without being told.

Opener Sari Schorr made a fantastic impression on the crowd with her Joplinesque vocals and, despite being accompanied only by an acoustic guitar, filled every inch of sonic space making it amazing that there was only two of them on stage. Singing songs about ‘Freedom’ and ‘Regret’ and a song about Robert Johnson at the Crossroads which she was inspired to write on a trip to New Orleans, she can belt them out for sure. There’s a deep round quality to her vocals reminding me also of Leigh Matty of Romeo’s Daughter at times. She can do pure and clear, and then raspy and Rock n Roll, switching between them at ease. For a last song they take the pretty simplistic ‘Down Down’ by Status Quo and made something more of it, altering it beyond recognition to something richer than the sum of its parts.

Coming on in a gold and black drummer boy jacket (Andy Scott) and a purple jacquard tailcoat and red and gold waistcoat with lace jabot (Paul Manzi) The Sweet are dressed perfectly for a Christmas gig and everything seems like business as usual with ‘Action’, ‘New York Groove’ and ‘Hellraiser’. Soon as the photographers leave Andy Scott takes the formal gear off to get more comfortable informing the crowd that there will be no fancy lights as he’s 74 years of age and if they make the stage black he will fall over. The comedy continues as Manzi points to his own outfit saying I’m dressed as Willie Wonka because I am surrounded by Sweets.

‘Burn On The Flame’ followed with a whammy bar filled solo and sounds like a car revving that Andy manages to get out of his guitar prompting Manzi to say “Andy’s on fire tonight”. Taking us back to with 70s amazing harmonies on ‘The Sixteens’ Andy does his powerful falsetto and I realise that with Manzi singing the verses I can understand all the lyrics.

We were to be treated to two singles from the forthcoming new album ‘Full Circle’ but we only get ‘Don’t Bring Me Water’ before ‘Changes’ is interrupted and the band stop as one of the crowd went unconscious. They wait till said guy is safely in the hands of security for medical attention. Electing to move on Andy left the stage to let the others do a medley of early singles from 1971 ‘Co-Co’, ‘Funny Funny’ and ‘Poppa Joe’ getting the crowd bopping away, before he came back for the majestic ‘Everything’ showing that he can still knock it out of the park songwriting wise. Bass player Lee Small shows how good a vocalist he can be live.

‘Set Me Free’ is the big Rocker it always was with Andy playing his guitar with a beer can. Following a Freddie Mercury like Q and A sing along with the crowd there is utter nostalgia with the stomping beat of ‘Teenage Rampage’, ‘Wig Wam Bam’ (my favourite which gets me dancing) and ‘Little Willy’ (adored by the crowd).

At this point everyone is devastated by the announcement from Andy that his cancer has progressed to stage four, but then, characteristically, he makes a joke of it saying “I am taking all the pills including a female hormone which means I am looking at shoes, having hot flushes, crying on my own thinking all men are bastards”. It gets a laugh, but certainly I felt sad for the rest of the show, it is sobering indeed. Next up is ‘Love Is Like Oxygen’, only one of the finest songs Andy has ever written and it is sad indeed to think this is the last chapter for such a fine talent. Andy continues to try to lighten the mood saying “I hope the guy who went unconscious is back with us breathing again” … then with mock annoyance “enjoying our alcohol backstage.” Then after announcing that he’s been told not to drink he necked a pint..

After Andy introduced the band, including naming Manzi as the best Rock voice in the UK right now, Manzi underlined the preciousness of the occasion by pointing out that “this Andy Scott ain’t no hologram” and referring to Andy’s unmistakeable guitar tone and style and “crazy high voice” that had kept Sweet going for fifty years.

Then there’s the unmistakeable intro to my other most favourite track ‘Fox On The Run’ with Andy’s amazing falsetto on backing vocals. He’s running his hands right down the neck repeatedly with gusto and no hint that there’s anything wrong at all. Lee Small is doing a repeated pirouette hop with his bass. ‘Blockbuster’ is next, followed by ‘Ballroom Blitz’ – energetic full throttle versions. Sari Schorr comes on to help with backing vocals and the party atmosphere. Manzi finishes off with a jumping split kick and the mike stand held aloft in triumph.

It really was impossible for me to escape that this might be the last time the band ever get to do this, although we are all hoping for a miracle. I literally would not have known that Andy had even a cold tonight, never mind the enormity of the situation. Definitely one not to miss. So glad I was there.