May 1

The legendary US art pop icons, Sparks, are coming to New Zealand for the very first time this May!

Inspiration to generations of musicians –from New Order and The Smiths to Björk & Beck – Sparks broke through with their 1974 smash Kimono My House, setting in motion a wildly eccentric trajectory that saw them apply their unforgettable touch to art rock, synth pop, new wave, movie musicals and everything in between. Their influence & impact on music cannot be overstated – as super-producer Jack Antonoff declared “all pop music is re-arranged Sparks”.  

More than 50 years into their singular career, the Californian art-pop icons have never been more beloved. Buoyed by Edgar Wright’s admiring 2021 documentary, Sparks have gone from strength to strength, scoring major films, releasing critically acclaimed records, and touring the world with rapturously received, sold-out performances.  

They’ve collaborated with everyone from electronic guru Giorgio Moroder to Todd Rundgren, The Go-Go’s Jane Wiedlin and maverick French filmmaker Leo Carax (on 2023’s musical Annette) and earned high-profile fans from Paul McCartney to “Weird Al” Yankovic.

Following the May 2025 release of their acclaimed 28th studio album MAD! and the companion October 2025 EP MADDER!, the band’s recent world tour was rapturously received. And who can forget the cameo from Cate Blanchett, who danced in a canary yellow suit in their film clip for ‘The Girl Is Crying in Her Latte’, which then became a tribute nearly every night on their mammoth 40-date world tour!

With more than six-decades of classics – including ‘This Town Ain’t Big Enough for the Both of Us’, ‘Angst In My Pants’, and ‘The Number One Song In Heaven’ – plus recent hit albums The Girl Is Crying In Her Latte (2023) and MAD! (2025) in their arsenal, Sparks is set to deliver a euphoric evening of music that has become the stuff of legend.

THU 21 MAY TOWN HALL, CHRISTCHURCH
SAT 23 MAY KIRI TE KANAWA THEATRE, AUCKLAND

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