Sparks — aka brothers Ron and Russell Mael — this month will release their first-ever live album, a 2CD set called Two Hands One Mouth recorded on their European tour last year that found the duo performing for the first time without a full band or computers — a show they’re bringing to Los Angeles and San Francisco this spring.
The live album, like the shows themselves, find the Maels performing as just a duo, with Ron on keyboards (two hands) and Russell singing (one mouth). The Two Hands One Mouth: Live in Europe live album is set to be released March 18, and the band is now taking pre-orders on its website.
The Maels write:
“This is the first ever official live recording of Sparks. The ‘Two Hands One Mouth’ tour in Europe, from which these recordings were taken (the tour continued in Japan and soon America), has been an exceptional experience for us and, judging by the reaction and feedback, also a memorable and emotional event for Sparks fans. As a result, we want to celebrate the event with a souvenir for all Sparks fans that captures this tour and the unique format of the performance. While we began the tour with certain fears of not having the safety net of a band or computers, we soon realized that the format was wildly successful (for us and for the audience) in highlighting in the purest form the core elements of what Sparks has always been–our musical world conveyed through our songs and our vocals and performed in a most aggressive way. What seemed to always set us apart was, we think, made emphatic in this format.”
Sparks is set to perform its Two Hands One Mouth shows at Coachella in April, and the brothers have added special additional performances in Los Angeles and San Francisco. Both L.A. shows are sold out, but tickets are available for the April 10 concert at The Chapel in San Francisco.
According to Sparks’ Facebook page, additional concerts in other U.S. cities “will be announced very soon.”
See full tour dates and Two Hands One Mouth tracklist below:
UPDATE: A second San Francisco date has been added on April 9; tickets go on sale Tuesday.
Sparks tour dates:
April 9: The Chapel, San Francisco, CA
April 10: The Chapel, San Francisco, CA
April 12: Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival, Indio, CA
April 16: Hollywood Forever Cemetery, Los Angeles, CA
April 17: Hollywood Forever Cemetery, Los Angeles, CA
April 19: Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival, Indio, CA
Tracklist: Sparks, Two Hands One Mouth: Live in Europe
CD 1
1. “Sparks Overture”
2. “Hospitality On Parade”
3. “Metaphor”
4. “Propaganda”
5. “At Home, At Work, At Play”
6. “Sherlock Holmes”
7. “Good Morning”
8. “Under The Table With Her”
9. “My Baby’s Taking Me Home”
10. “Singing In The Shower”
11. “The Wedding of Jacqueline Kennedy To Russell Mael”
12. Excerpts from THE SEDUCTION OF INGMAR BERGMAN
“I Am Ingmar Bergman”
“Mr. Bergman How Are You?”
“We’ve Got To Turn Him ‘Round”
“He’s Home”
13. “Dick Around”
14. “Never Turn Your Back On Mother Earth”
15. “This Town Ain’t Big Enough For Both Of Us”
16. “The Rhythm Thief”
17. “Suburban Homeboy”
18. “When Do I Get To Sing ‘My Way’”
CD2: THE ENCORE
1. “The Number One Song In Heaven”
2. “Beat The Clock”
3. “Two Hands One Mouth”
The LA dates are wrong. They are playing on April 16 and 17, not 17 and 18
Thanks for catching that. Fixed now (plus 2nd SF date added)