Sparks announce new live album 'Sparks Live On The Moon'

Sparks – pop’s perennial pioneers – continue to boldly go where no band has gone before. Having pushed the boundaries of music for more than 5 decades, the eternally adventurous Ron and Russell Mael now achieve another first with Sparks Live On The Moon. The twenty-track performance is captured here in all its heavenly glory, complete with intro and outro by Cate Blanchett.

“After our 2025 World Tour, Sparks accepted an invitation to do a special one-off concert on the Moon, more precisely at the Taruntius Crater, near Mare Fecunditatis. Honored to be the first band to perform on the moon, let alone at the beautiful Taruntius Crater, we couldn’t have imagined the lunar fan interest, with all tickets being grabbed up within an hour, Coordinated Lunar Time (CLT). Thank you, Moon! And a big thank you to Cate Blanchett for taking the time out of her busy schedule to accompany us on this journey and perform emcee duties at this special concert. What a riot Cate was on the mission’s 4-day flight, helping us pass the time with hours of gravitational-pull jokes and the like!

So sit back, close your eyes and imagine the wondrous setting, and enjoy Sparks’ first full concert album, Live On The Moon.”

Russell Mael and Ron Mael, Earth 2026

Available to order now as a limited-edition moon coloured, marbled double LP, 2CD and download, the first track ‘Whippings and Apologies (Live On The Moon)’ - the original version was on the 1972 album A Woofer In Tweeter’s Clothing - is out today.

Back on earth Sparks are playing a run of shows this summer. Following dates in Japan, their first ever performances in New Zealand and a return to Australia, the band kicked off the European leg with spectacular performances at Live At Chelsea and Glasgow’s Kelvingrove Bandstand this weekend. Remaining 2026 dates are:

• Monday 15 June – UK, Blackpool Opera House
• Wednesday 17 June – UK, Bournemouth International Centre
• Thursday 18 June – UK, Bristol Beacon
• Saturday 20 June – UK, London, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium (special guests of Gorillaz)
• Thursday 20 August – Netherlands, Nijmegen, Openluchttheater De Goffert
• Friday 21 August – France, Charleville-Mézières, Cabaret Vert Festival
• Date tba – UK, Crickhowell, Green Man Festival
• Tuesday 25 August – UK, York Barbican
• Wednesday 26 August – UK, Southend-on-Sea, Cliffs Pavilion
• Date tba - France, Rock En Seine
• Saturday 29 August – Belgium, Antwerp, De Roma

Following the release of their acclaimed 28th studio album MAD! and the companion EP MADDER!, the band’s 2025 world tour was rapturously received - plaudits included Louder Than War describing the show as “a hundred minutes of energetic, thrilling pop songs” while the Spectator called it “an unadulterated triumph”.

Since storming into the UK charts, minds and airwaves in 1974 with ‘This Town Ain’t Big Enough For Both of Us’, Sparks – brothers Ron and Russell Mael - have been at the cutting edge of pop, creating new musical genres and inspiring generations of musicians. The influence of “your favourite band's favourite band” – stars of Edgar Wright’s film The Sparks Brothers - has been recognised by successive generations of artists from Joy Division and Squeeze to Depeche Mode, Bjork and Beck, to The Last Dinner Party and beyond. Their impact on music cannot be overstated - as super-producer Jack Antonoff declared “all pop music is re-arranged Sparks”.

Sparks Live On The Moon 

2LP - TRANS971X & 2CD - TRANS971CD

Tracklisting

1. So May We Start

2. Do Things My Own Way

3. Reinforcements

4. Academy Award Performance

5. Goofing Off

6. Beat the Clock

7. Please Don't Fuck Up My World

8. Running Up A Tab At The Hotel For The Fab

9. Suburban Homeboy ("Ron Speaks" Version)

10. All You Ever Think About Is Sex

11. Drowned In A Sea Of Tears

12. JanSport Backpack

13. Music That You Can Dance To

14. When Do I Get To Sing "My Way"

15. The Number One Song In Heaven

16. This Town Ain't Big Enough For Both Of Us

17. Whippings and Apologies

18. Lord Have Mercy

19. The Girl Is Crying In Her Latte

20. All That