Sparks are the ideal refuge, a veritable bulwark against anything that might threaten joy and gentle madness. And it’s been that way since the early 1970s! Deeply attached to their city of Los Angeles, brothers Ron (keyboards) and Russell Mael (vocals) – whose age you’d never guess from the energy they display on stage – are the living legends of whimsical pop, with a thousand timeless hits to their name. It’s impossible to summarise such a zany career in just a few lines, punctuated by a flurry of collaborations (with Les Rita Mitsouko, Franz Ferdinand, as well as film work for Leos Carax and John Woo).

Seriousness and professionalism in their quest for the perfect melody, humour and profound kindness in all circumstances: absolute class.