The Bowery Presents Sparks - MAD! Tour

Ron Mael (keyboards, songwriting, moustache) and his younger brother Russell (singing, charisma, looks-looks-looks) were born and raised in Los Angeles, and first recorded under the name Urban Renewal Project and subsequently Halfnelson, before settling on the name Sparks in 1972. Despite being mentored and produced by Todd Rundgren and signed by Bob Dylan's manager Albert Grossman, American audiences initially proved unreceptive to Sparks' uniquely arch, ironic aesthetic, and their breakthrough came instead after they relocated to London with a new backing band, scoring a huge hit in 1974 with the cinematic, staccato single "This Town Ain't Big Enough For Both Of Us", and unleashing full-scale Sparksmania in the UK.

And, after all these years, they continue to break new ground. Their 2025 tour, the first leg of which begins on 8 June in Japan, ends on 8 July in Milan. Although Russell performed in Italy once as part of a Sgt Pepper anniversary concert and both brothers played there with FFS, this will be the first-ever Italian Sparks gig.

MAD! opens with the song "Do Things My Own Way", a piece of typically forward-facing progressive pop which is the album's lead single and focus track. But it also functions as something of a manifesto for the Maels themselves. Because Sparks are a band who have always, always done things their own way.

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• This October, 8th October, 08:00 pm, Eva Ayllón: 55 Years with Special Guest Daniela Darcourt in Boston
• This October, 9th October, 08:00 pm, Soul and Science: The Music of Kenny Werner in Boston

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