Live Review: Sparks - Eventim Apollo, London 19/06/2025
Sparks electrify the Eventim Apollo.
In support of their 28th album no less, Sparks play two majestic shows at a buzzing Hammersmith Apollo. Off the back of a storming performance on Later... with Jools Holland earlier on in the week, Sparks are really riding a wave after the release of their latest album ‘Mad!’. The art pop band formed in 1971, by Californian brothers Ron and Russell Mael, who are now both in their mid to late seventies.
They duo have built quite a reputation over the years for their sarcastic and witty lyrics, as well as unique stage presence with singer Russell’s falsetto vocals and highly energetic stage presence, combined with Ron’s theatrical scowling and manic keyboard playing making them a mesmerising spectacle on the live stage. Legend has it that John Lennon saw Sparks on TV, and phoned Ringo Starr to say: "You'll never believe what I'm watching– Marc Bolan is playing a song with Adolf Hitler!"
Famously Anglophiles, they attempted to emulate the sound of their English idols, such as the Who, Syd Barrett-era Pink Floyd and the Kinks, sometimes even pretending to be an English band while on the LA club circuit to really try and emulate the British psychedelic sound of the Sixties.
They in turn have influenced a cornucopia of iconic British singers and bands including Queen, Joy Division, New Order, Depeche Mode and The Smiths. Morrissey in fact named ‘Kimono My House’ as one of "His favourite LPs of all time". The Smiths' guitarist and composer Johnny Marr said: "There's nothing better than commerciality crossed with an interesting mind" and named ‘This Town Ain't Big Enough for the Both of Us’ as a key influence on their sound.
In 2015, the band released an album with Scottish indie rock band Franz Ferdinand, as the supergroup FFS. Their 2023 album's lead single, "The Girl Is Crying in Her Latte" features a music video with actress Cate Blanchett dancing to the song. Cate memorably joined them on stage at Glastonbury that year dancing theatrically in a bright yellow suit.
After a thunderous reception, their second song and new single ‘Do Things My Own Way’ from their latest album is a pure dancefloor filler, the song really setting the party vibe explosively so early on with its pulsating synths and hypnotic, menacing lyrics sounding absolutely irresistible as singer Russell snarls ‘Got the fuel, Broke the rules, Gonna do things my own way’. ‘Beat The Clock’ gets the packed Apollo jiving in wild abandon. Impressively, Sparks have decided to have no support act, instead playing a longer, career comprehensive set from their vast back catalogue, coming to London after a four night run in Japan– no mean feat for a duo in their late seventies. ‘Please Don’t Fuck Up My World’ provides a more melancholic moment in the set, as Russell sings ‘Please don’t fuck up my world, I’ve got nothing to live for’, and the dramatic tone feels perfectly suited to the theatrical setting of the Apollo tonight.
Fascinatingly, in an interview with the BBC, Ron said that “Getting success late in their lives, getting awards too… we're pinching ourselves. Having these wonderful things happening right now is kind of… illogical”. Potential commercial success had previously eluded them, as whenever they started to become popular with Ron adding, “We changed our music, incorporating marching-band music, swing, rock opera, Euro-pop, or even an alpine glockenspiel song. If you don’t like this, we don't care – I think that's the essence of what popular music should be”.
Their latest album ‘Mad!’ was released in May this year, and reached their career best ranking reaching second in the UK charts, the album seeing the brothers examining various cultural phenomena such as branded backpacks, tattoos and performative devotion. This eccentricity is channelled in sheer abundance tonight at the Apollo with huge hit ‘Thus Town Ain’t Big Enough For Both Of Us’ seeing the set reach a state of pure euphoria before they even play their encore. Returning to the stage, ‘The Girl Is Crying in Her Latte’ and ‘All That’ conclude a livewire set, with Sparks still flying as they leave the stage.
Words by Brendan Sharp
