Image: Munachi Osegbu

Sparks will return to the Bournemouth International Centre for the first time in eight years, as interest in the legendary duo reaches unprecedented heights.

The band last performed here back in 2018 as one of the support artists for Beck. Now, more than 50 years into their career, Ron and Russell Mael find themselves not on the fringes as a cult favourite, but firmly centre stage - illuminated by the full beam of the spotlight.

For anyone with even a passing acquaintance with Sparks, the outlines of their story are already iconic. Californian brothers Ron and Russell Mael met while studying at UCLA and began making music together in the late 1960s under the name Halfnelson. Their explosive Top Of The Pops debut with ‘This Town Ain’t Big Enough For Both Of Us’ stunned a generation and delivered an all-time classic, setting the tone for a career defined by bold originality and fearless reinvention.

Across the decades, Sparks have navigated an astonishing range of musical phases - from art rock and glam to big band swing, electro-disco, new wave and synthpop - while collaborating with an eclectic cast including Todd Rundgren, Les Rita Mitsouko, Tony Visconti, Franz Ferdinand and Giorgio Moroder.

Now deep into their sixth decade of making music, Sparks have never sounded more vital — or felt more relevant. Their return to the Bournemouth International Centre promises a night that celebrates both an extraordinary legacy and a band still operating at the height of their creative powers.

Tickets to see Sparks in Bournemouth go on sale via bic.co.uk from 10am on Friday 30 January, with a venue pre-sale taking place on Thursday 29 January at 10am.