There’s not much to say about Russell and Ron Mael’s long-running synth-pop duo Sparks that hasn’t already been expounded upon in great detail in Edgar Wright’s excellent Netflix documentary “The Sparks Brothers.”
Yet, you haven’t really experienced Sparks until you’e caught them live.
The Mael brothers — Russell is the buoyant 74-year-old frontman and Ron, the 77-year-old, deadpan keyboardist with an acidic sense of humor — rocked New York City’s Beacon Theatre with their no-frills, no-fat power pop for approximately 90 minutes on Tuesday, June 27.
Their show, comprised of catchy hits “The Number One Song In Heaven” and “This Town Ain’t Big Enough For The Both Of Us,” as well as goofy crowd pleasers like “Balls” and “Beaver O’Lindy” and select tracks from their 2023 album “The Girl Is Crying In Her Latte” was exquisitely arranged; no moment felt extraneous.
Of course, the six-piece band “started” with their hook-y piano confection “So May We Start” which set the tone; this would be a cheeky, self-referential evening.
They maintained that ironic yet inspired high-wire act for the remainder of the gig (the song “Nothing Is as Good as They Say It Is” told from the perspective of a 22-hour-old baby that’s “seen it all” if you didn’t believe us), certainly an impressive feat for a group that’s been performing in some capacity since 1968.
Plus, Ron’s stoic, mustachioed face behind the keys, only breaking when absolutely necessary, is one of music’s greatest running gags.
More than anything though, Russell’s soaring Freddie Mercury-like pipes — why isn’t he fronting Queen instead of Adam Lambert for the group’s 2023 ‘Rhapsody Tour?’ — was reminiscent of the best glam rock of the ’70s.
At 74, he hasn’t lost a step and sounds just as powerful, unhinged and in control as he does on Sparks’ 26 (!) studio records.
That being said, genuinely surprising, dizzying, left-turn electro interludes within songs like “We Go Dancing” jerked the tone so hard that audience members turned to their seat mates slack jawed with “did that really just happen?” expressions.
In more tranquil moments of jamming, the laid-back crowd sang along to the group’s well-known classics as well as tracks that were released just this year; it doesn’t matter if you’ve never heard a Sparks song before, the band makes sure to land on clever, catchy choruses that everyone can join in on.
To close the show, they bookended the concert’s meta beginning with the tongue in cheek “Gee, That Was Fun” and “All That” referencing the show coming to its conclusion.
My only complaint is a personal one — Sparks didn’t play my three favorite songs! If only they’d performed “Mickey Mouse,” “How Are You Getting Home” and “I Wish You Were Fun,” their tight set would have been even more perfect.
Final verdict: After 55 years together, Sparks still sounds like Queen was put in a blender with T. Rex, The Beatles and Kraftwerk. If any of those bands strike your fancy, seek them out live now, now, now.
Sparks 2023 schedule
At the time of publication, Sparks has 11 concerts remaining on their 2023 tour schedule.
Below, you’ll find all upcoming tour dates, venues and links to the cheapest tickets available for each show.
| Sparks 2023 tour dates | Ticket prices start at |
|---|---|
| June 28 at the Keswick Theatre in Glenside, PA | $37 |
| June 30 at the Lincoln Theatre in Washington, D.C. | $31 |
| July 1 at the Wilbur Theatre in Boston, MA | $31 |
| July 3 at The Danforth Music Hall in Toronto, ON, CA | $51 |
| July 5 at the Copernicus Center in Chicago, IL | $43 |
| July 6 at the Pabst Theater in Milwaukee, WI | $50 |
| July 8 at the Arvest Bank Theatre in Kansas City, MO | $56 |
| July 9 at the Boulder Theater in Boulder, CO | $49 |
| July 12 at the Texas Theatre in Dallas, TX | $96 |
| July 13 at Austin City Limits Live in Austin, TX | $36 |
| July 16 at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, CA with They Might Be Giants | $31 |
(Note: The New York Post confirmed all above prices at the publication time. All prices are in US dollars, subject to fluctuation and include additional fees at checkout.)
Vivid Seats is a verified secondary market ticketing platform, and prices may be higher or lower than face value, depending on demand.
They offer a 100% buyer guarantee that states your transaction will be safe and secure and your tickets will be delivered prior to the event.
Sparks set list
Want to see if Sparks plays your favorite tracks on tour?
You can find all set lists from the ongoing tour courtesy of Set List FM.
Below, you’ll find what they played on Tuesday, June 27 at New York City’s Beacon Theatre.
01.) “So May We Start”
02.) “The Girl Is Crying in Her Latte”
03.) “Angst in My Pants”
04.) “Beaver O’Lindy”
05.) “When I’m With You”
06.) “Nothing Is as Good as They Say It Is”
07.) “It Doesn’t Have to Be That Way”
08.) “Balls”
09.) “Shopping Mall of Love”
10.) “The Toughest Girl in Town”
11.) “Escalator”
12.) “We Go Dancing”
13.) “Bon Voyage”
14.) “Music That You Can Dance To”
15.) “When Do I Get to Sing ‘My Way'”
16.) “The Number One Song in Heaven”
17.) “This Town Ain’t Big Enough for Both of Us”
18.) “Gee, That Was Fun”
Encore:
19.) “My Baby’s Taking Me Home”
20.) “All That”
Indie rockers on tour in 2023
Sparks not coming to your city?
If that’s the case, here are just five dynamite acts that might fill that Sparks-sized concert hole in your heart.
• Death Cab For Cutie with The Postal Service
Want to see who else is on the road? Check out our list of the 52 biggest artists on tour in 2023 here.