Brothers Russell and Ron Mael’s musical stylings have been anything but conventional over the past five decades, and yet they are among music’s most underrated geniuses. Embellishing elements of pop music with operatic vocals, synth-heavy melodies and songs about everything from stubborn erections to manifesting one’s own destiny, Sparks is your favorite band’s favorite band.
Throughout the night, Russell skipped, pranced and danced around the stage like the showman he has always been known for. Juxtaposed to that, Ron maintained his po-faced, stoic demeanor while sitting almost completely still behind his keyboard. Few moments saw Ron break character into a smirk, and at one point during the song “The Number One Song in Heaven” he even stood center stage to deliver a comical running man before settling back into his apathetic act.
Throughout the show, bright white stage lights were cast on the crowd, and it was obvious that the Mael brothers were interested in seeing who their audience was. Even after 50-plus years of performing, the genuine excitement and awe from the stage was obvious and refreshing to see.