Cate Blanchett Gives Sparks Advice Ahead of Australian Tour – “I’d Wear a Bicycle Helmet”

October 24, 2023

By W. Mackellar

Ahead of their national tour later this month, Los Angeles alt-pop duo Sparks sat down with good friend Cate Blanchett to get a read of what touring in Australia would be like. Blanchett – a super fan of the band who appeared in their recent video for ‘The Girl Is Crying In Her Latte’ and jumped onstage with them at Glastonbury – was stereotypically alarmist when discussing the dangers of her homeland.

Early on in the chat, Sparks – Ron and Russell Mael – ask whether magpies are genuinely something to be concerned about, to which Blanchett answers yes, absolutely. “During mating season you do get dive-bombed,” Blanchett warned. “A lot of children, when they’re going to school, wear bicycle helmets. For road safety yes, but in Australia you wear them so you don’t get attacked by magpies.”

Sparks & Cate Blanchett

“Now I’m sure inside the Opera House or the Palais they would have made sure there are no entry points for the magpies, but I’d wear a bicycle helmet,” Blanchett added.

The duo will begin their Australian tour later this week on Thursday, 26th October with a show at Melbourne’s Palais Theatre. The band will then head over to Harvest Rock Festival in Adelaide, followed by headline shows at the Sydney Opera House and Fortitude Music Hall in Brisbane.

Aside from magpie mitigation techniques, Blanchett and Sparks also discussed the need to wear shorts (“Shorts is a state of mind,” urged the actor), lamingtons, whether Australians know what Halloween is, and poet Les Murray.

You can watch the full chat above.

Sparks 2023 Australian Tour Dates

Thursday, 26th October 2023 – Palais Theatre, Melbourne
Saturday, 28th & Sunday, 29th October – Harvest Rock Festival, Murlawirrapurka and Ityamai-Itpina/Rymill and King Rodney Parks, Adelaide SA
Tuesday, 31st October 2023 – Sydney Opera House, Sydney
Thursday, 2nd November – Fortitude Music Hall, Brisbane

Tickets are on sale now.