SPARKS - MAD! TOUR

General On-Sale: Fri, April 11 @ 10:00 AM

If the world is a cafe, its ridiculous patrons babbling ridiculously all day long, then Ron Mael is the guy on his own in the corner that you don't notice, quietly sipping his coffee. But he's watching, listening, making notes. Those notes become songs for his band, the legendary Sparks, to be sung by his brother Russell in his unmistakeable falsetto.

Despite the efforts of Edgar Wright's superb 2021 documentary The Sparks Brothers, which introduced the duo to a wider audience than ever before, the exact creative dynamic between the siblings remains inscrutable, as mysterious and unknowable as their private lives.

The one thing we know for certain is that Ron Mael is one of our most acutely perceptive observers of social mores. In a different discipline – dramaturg, cartoonist, novelist, cineaste, chronicler – he'd be a Moliere, a Hogarth, a Fitzgerald, an Altman, a Swift. He just happens to work within the medium of popular song. Another thing we know for certain is that Russell Mael has the asset of a talent to put those observations across in a uniquely arresting manner, captivating as a frontman and gifted with a countertenor voice of extraordinary range. The alchemy between Ron on keys and Russell on vocals – Two Hands, One Mouth, to invoke the name of one of their tours – is simply what they do. And they've rarely done it better than on MAD!, the band's 28th studio album.

Released in May 2025 on new label home Transgressive Records, MAD! finds Ron and Russell examining cultural phenomena such as branded backpacks, tattoos, performative devotion (whether to a God, a lover, a celebrity or a sports team), the hegemony of banter, and the rise of influencers. ('Running Up A Tab At The Hotel For The Fab' seems to be inspired by the modern-day parable of fake German heiress Anna Delvey, or at least someone very similar: “Will you visit me in Rykers?”)

 

VIP packages:

Disclaimer: Please e-mail [email protected] with any customer service questions. All VIP package elements will be rendered invalid if resold. Name changes will be issued at the sole discretion of 237 Global. VIP instructions will be sent via email no later than three days (3) prior to the event. If you do not receive this email three days (3) prior please email [email protected]. Your VIP merchandise will either be handed out on-site or shipped - specifics will be emailed no later than 3 days before your event. All VIP package elements and contents are non-transferable; no refunds or exchanges; all sales are final. All VIP items and experiences are subject to change. Please note that the information provided at the time of purchase (e-mail and mailing address) is the same information that will be utilized for shipping and individual contact requirements where applicable. 237 Global, the artist, tour, promoter, ticketing company, venue or any other affiliated parties are not responsible for outdated or inaccurate information provided by the consumer at the time of purchase. If you have any questions regarding your VIP elements, or have not received you VIP information within three days (3) of the event date, please email [email protected]. Please add [email protected] to your safe senders list to ensure receipt of all necessary show information.