Rock Monsters Romania

I hadn’t felt this hyped for a concert for a long time. While walking through the dark streets of Bucharest on my way to Control, blasting their new album in my headphones, I was actually feeling the excitement build up in my bones. That is because this was my second time attending a The Kryptonite Sparks show. The first time I saw them live (concert review here) was at Quantic, about three months before. That show absolutely blew me away. I knew what to expect, and they didn’t disappoint.

When I arrived, I went to take a look at the empty stage, as I usually do. One thing that stood out was the flowers with which the microphone stand was decorated. Those are some of the prettier stage decorations I have seen in a live concert up to this point. While it may not seem much, I think it did make a difference in the way I perceived the opening act, Missed Call. While the name was new to me, I can say I really enjoyed their performance. I think the Iași based band has quite a lot of potential, and I suggest you take some time to hear what this group has been putting out (like their latest release “Find out, maybe”).

After the beautiful performance by Missed Call and a short break, The Kryptonite Sparks entered the stage. Remember when I said I was really hyped for this concert? Well, I was not the only one. The club was full of people who couldn’t wait to hear The Kryptonite Sparks play, and it really showed when the trio made their way to their instruments. The intro song “Start” (which also marks the start of their new album, “ERAI”) gave me the biggest chills down my spine. I don’t know what it is about it, but that outer-space atmosphere got me more and more excited by the second.

Apropos their new album, this new addition to their discography represented an element of novelty for the concert. Although some of the songs featured on the album had already been released as singles, other songs (such as “Noapte pe Venus,” my personal favorite) have first been released on this very album. That being said, their classics weren’t omitted, one of which they sang with a special guest, Ana Petcu. She brought so much energy on the stage with her presence. It was obvious she was ecstatic to be there, and that electrifying excitement made its way to the audience. Her presence was much appreciated.

There is a pattern I have noticed in The Kryptonite Sparks concerts (that is, if two concerts are enough for me to draw such conclusions). During both concerts, they took a few moments to just stand there and look at the crowd, to take in the experience. This does make you, as a concert attendee, feel like the artists in front of you enjoy the concert experience at least as much as you do. In turn, this makes you like the artists more. At least I know I fell prey to this. One of their gimmicks illustrates this: they always invite some fans on stage to have fun next to them. Also, Răzvan Diaconu always has a moment where he steps off the stage to just look at them. It’s obvious he appreciates it a lot. I think the band truly enjoys playing live concerts.

To address some of the more technical aspects of the concert, the lighting contributed greatly to the atmosphere. I don’t have much to say about this specific domain because my knowledge on the subject is terribly limited, but from an average observer’s point of view, the set felt fitting. The sound quality was good, although for the first few songs I felt like Răzvan Diaconu’s voice should have been louder. It is important to note though that I was sitting in the first few rows. Further in the back, the volume might have felt just right.

I do have some things to add, though. At the moment of me writing this article, I still have some mixed feelings about comparing this concert to the first TKS concert I ever got to see. I feel like that one had a little more impact, maybe more energy. While Quantic is a bigger venue (and I assume more people were in the crowd), it was also my first time seeing them. As much as I would want to, I cannot really objectively compare the two. I am unable to put myself in the shoes of experiencing this last show at Control as if it were my first time seeing The Kryptonite Sparks live. 

To conclude, I want to congratulate everyone involved in making this concert possible. Control, Missed Call, Ana Petcu, The Kryptonite Sparks, and the people don’t know who took part in the making of this event. Experiences like this keep me alive and feeling. There is no way to overstate how much I recommend attending a The Kryptonite Sparks concert. Especially if you are not feeling that well emotionally. They have a way of cleaning up your circulatory system so that bad vibes leave your body for a little while. So, go and buy tickets to their next concert!

Review and Photos by Eduard Istrate