The album’s first taster, “Whippings and Apologies (Live on the Moon)” – taken from their 1972 record A Woofer In Tweeter’s Clothing – is out today. According to the band – Ron and Russell Mael – the lunar concert followed an invitation after their 2025 world tour. They don’t specify who invited them. We can guess NASA, or aliens.
“Honoured
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),” the brothers said in a statement. “Thank you, Moon!”
They
also noted Blanchett’s off-stage contributions during the four-day
flight to the moon. “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!”
Supposedly recorded in front of a
sold-out lunar crowd, the setlist spans the duo’s five-decade career,
from early cuts like “Beat the Clock” and “This Town Ain’t Big Enough
For Both Of Us” to more recent material such as “The Girl Is Crying In
Her Latte”. The band’s current live lineup includes guitarists Eli Pearl
and Evan Weiss, bassist Max Whipple, and drummer Darren Weiss.
Back
on Earth, Sparks continue a run of summer dates. Following recent
performances at London’s Live At Chelsea and Glasgow’s Kelvingrove
Bandstand, remaining 2026 shows include Blackpool Opera House (15 June),
Bournemouth International Centre (17 June), Bristol Beacon (18 June)
and a spot as special guests of Gorillaz at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
(20 June). Festival appearances include Green Man and Rock En Seine,
with additional UK dates in York and Southend-on-Sea later in August.
Sparks Live On The Moon Tracklist
“So May We Start”
“Do Things My Own Way”
“Reinforcements”
“Academy Award Performance”
“Goofing Off”
“Beat the Clock”
“Please Don’t Fuck Up My World”
“Running Up A Tab At The Hotel For The Fab”
“Suburban Homeboy (“Ron Speaks” Version)”
“All You Ever Think About Is Sex”
“Drowned In A Sea Of Tears”
“JanSport Backpack”
“Music That You Can Dance To”
“When Do I Get To Sing “My Way””
“The Number One Song In Heaven”
“This Town Ain’t Big Enough For Both Of Us”
“Whippings and Apologies”
“Lord Have Mercy”
“The Girl Is Crying In Her Latte”
“All That”
