Cult art-pop pioneers Sparks have announced their return to Australia with newly added headline shows in Melbourne and Brisbane this May, marking their first local performances since 2023.
The Los Angeles duo, brothers Ron Mael and Russell Mael will perform at Melbourne’s Palais Theatre on Thursday May 28, followed by a Brisbane show at the QPAC Glasshouse Theatre on Saturday May 30. The dates sit alongside their previously announced appearance at Vivid LIVE at the Joan Sutherland Theatre on May 25.
The shows come in support of the band’s prolific recent output, including their 28th studio album MAD! (2025) and its companion EP MADDER! released later that year. Their latest world tour has been widely praised, reinforcing the Maels’ reputation as one of pop’s most inventive and enduring acts.
Sparks’ 2023 album The Girl Is Crying In Her Latte also generated significant attention thanks to its title track video starring acclaimed actor Cate Blanchett. Reflecting on the collaboration, the band said meeting Blanchett in Paris led to the unexpected opportunity, joking that they can now “forever say we co-starred in a film” with one of the great actors of the era.
Suggested Sparks viewing:
Title track from their 2023 album ‘The Girl Is Crying In Her Latte’ with video featuring Cate Blanchett – watch HERE
Sparks Glastonbury performance from 2023 featuring Cate – watch HERE
A Conversation Between Sparks and Cate Blanchett – watch HERE
When Sparks last toured Australia in 2023, the response bordered on euphoric. Playing to packed theatres in cities including Melbourne and Sydney, the duo delivered career-spanning sets that balanced meticulous musicianship with their trademark wit and theatrical flair. Audiences were treated to everything from early cult classics to newer material, with the band’s famously tight arrangements and Russell Mael’s elastic vocal range drawing consistent praise. For many fans, those 2023 shows reaffirmed Sparks not just as influential pioneers, but as a live act still operating at peak creative energy.
Long regarded as “your favourite band’s favourite band,” Sparks continue to influence generations of alternative and indie artists, with critics praising their live shows as both emotionally resonant and gleefully absurd.
Presented by Destroy All Lines, tickets for Sparks’ Melbourne & Brisbane shows go on sale for the general public at 9:00am local time on Friday March 27th. Artist, promoter & mailing list presales are at 9:00am local time on Thursday March 26th, sign up HERE.
https://www.facebook.com/sparksofficial
https://www.instagram.com/sparks_official/
https://www.destroyalllines.com/tours/sparks
