SPARKS
US cult favourite makes their long awaited Sydney Opera House debut
"We’ve played many iconic venues this year and now we’re happy to add the Sydney Opera House to that list." - Sparks
Sydney —
One of pop’s most influential and beloved cult bands, Sparks, will perform at the Sydney Opera House for the first time in their 50+ year career for one spectacular career-spanning night in the acoustically-transformed Concert Hall.
The brainchild of Californian brothers Ron and Russell Mael, Sparks have been at the forefront of cutting-edge pop since the early 70s and continue to captivate global audiences with their pioneering, genre-defying repertoire crossing art rock, glam, electro, new wave and baroque-pop.
From their breakthrough hit 'This Town Ain't Big Enough for Both Of Us’ through to their recent globally acclaimed albums ‘Hippopotamus’ and ‘A Steady Drip, Drip, Drip’, and their award-winning musical movie 'Annette', the enigmatic outfit have created their own unforgettable brand of experimental and bold artistry traversing music, performance and film.
Levels of interest in the band, already at a high, were further amplified by Edgar Wright's joyous 2021 documentary 'The Sparks Brothers'. The ultimate cult musical act, Sparks has influenced the likes of Joy Division, Beck, Depeche Mode, Björk and many more.
After releasing their 26th studio album 'The Girl Is Crying In Her Latte' to universal critical acclaim – with the iconic Cate Blanchett featuring in the music video of the title track – Sparks kicked off a world tour playing venues like the Hollywood Bowl, Royal Albert Hall, and Glastonbury Festival, which introduced their expansive discography to new audiences and reinforced their lasting impact on contemporary music.
“We are beyond thrilled to welcome art-rock heroes Sparks for their first-ever show at the Sydney Opera House this October as part of our 50th anniversary celebrations. Currently surfing an all-time career high after more than 50 years of ambitious, uncompromising pop music, the enigmatic Mael brothers have lost none of their melodic brilliance or humour and this performance in the Concert Hall promises to be one for the ages,” said Sydney Opera House Head of Contemporary Music, Ben Marshall.