Sparks The Rescue is officially going on tour this May with help from Wheatus, Signal The Escape, and The Sophomore Beat on select dates.
The six-piece Portland, Maine, emo act may be most beloved for their tracks “Autumn” and “We Love Like Vampires” from Eyes To The Sun, as well as Worst Thing I’ve Been Cursed With, but they’re entering a new chapter with new tracks to pair. Fresh off the releases of 2025 singles “Chase The Dawn” and “Ice Storm of ‘98,” Sparks The Rescue is ready to add a refresh to your alternative playlist.
Ahead of their recently-revealed spring tour dates, idobi Radio had the chance to connect with the alternative veterans behind the band. Check out this exclusive chit-chat with guitarists Toby McAllister and Patrick O’Connell, as well as vocalist Marty McMorrow.
Of course, you just played a massive anniversary show in November at the State Theatre. Tell us about that experience getting back onstage to play over 20 songs in your hometown, where it all began.
Toby McAllister: We got to play the State Theatre in Portland, Maine, which is a venue that we’ve always wanted to headline. So, it was definitely like a bucket-list night. And the fact that everyone still cares enough to come out and see us really means a lot. And we’re also writing new music.
Marty McMorrow: So many people have been coming for 20 years, and that we’ve known for 20 years. But these people that we literally have known for so long, that we have all these memories with…it just was so amazing to be able to share that. We didn’t know what we were doing then and now we still don’t know what we’re doing, but it’s just old friends, and we’re sharing this thing where it feels like it was 20 years ago. But age and time doesn’t really matter because we’re just a bunch of ultimately sad kids that found community together, and we’re still doing it.
Patrick O’Connell: When the set is done, the age feels like it matters. Get off stage, pop a couple Ibuprofen. It brings you back, and for that hour and a half, you feel like a young 20-something again, and the energy’s the same, and everyone just looks a little different.
McMorrow: Actually, at one point towards the end of the set, security had brought in all the kids [at the show], and they were all sitting in front of the barrier. So there were like six kids all sitting there, just throwing up the horns and having the best time of their lives. And for me, I don’t know what we did right, but it’s so cool to be continuing to just share this amazing experience with the people we’ve been doing it for 20 years…and now the next generation.
You’ve had the luxury of growing up with your fans—literally—over the course of two decades. What lessons have you taken from being in the scene and being able to go from young musicians to full-fledged adults with your listeners in 20 years?
O’Connell: The fact that we’re doing it 20 years later now, and now that we’re back and active again, you run into people that are like…we played at their middle school. You know, we were 20-something-year-olds, and they were 12-13. And now we’re coworkers, they’re in their 30s, we’re starting to turn 40, and they’re still just as pumped as the day that they were watching us in their cafeteria. So, it’s been fun to reconnect with people that were there as kids and are now full-grown adults and, seeing the same excitement.
McMorrow: I said something on stage [recently] about us all being a bunch of like old dudes with back problems. But like, you know what? One thing is playing emotional music and hanging out with a bunch of people in a small crowded room that never gets old.
McAllister: I’m just so surprised that people still want to come see us play. It just means a lot. We hadn’t played a club show in a long time, and I was dusting off cobwebs, I was messing up guitar parts, and we got on stage, and there were at least five or six people came up and gave me a hug and were like, I haven’t had this much fun in so long. This has been so amazing. That’s what it’s all about. And I think I tend to forget that sometimes, but especially nowadays, while the world’s burning, it’s nice to have an outlet to get together and sing songs that we all love.
How has your writing process changed from the days of Eyes To The Sun & Worst Thing I’ve Been Cursed With to 2025’s singles “Chase The Dawn” and “Ice Storm of ‘98”?
O’Connell: Post-COVID, everything’s different and full-blown adult with family and day jobs-different. So, our songwriting process has changed a little bit. The nice thing is we all know each other. We know what everyone’s capable of. And when you do it for 20 years, you have a hunch on what the others might do. I write with intention of like, “What do I think Toby would play here? What do I think Ben would play here?” I leave room for vocals and then send it off. And if everyone’s on board, then that turns into the demo idea to move forward.
Modern times and technology have helped us keep writing in a new way. Lining up a schedule with six almost 40/40-year-olds. It’s hard. It’s hard to find multiple days to get together where, you know, everyone’s got coverage and our wives don’t want to leave us. We’ve learned that we can do things a different way and still sound like us and have fun.
McMorrow: The biggest thing is ultimately at the end of the day, we’re still just a bunch of silly boys hanging out in a basement together. We don’t get to hang out in that basement together as much because we have other things that we have to do now. But at the end of the day, we all know each other and love each other. And that’s what makes us Sparks the Rescue.
Can fans expect new music coming soon?
McAllister: Personally, I won’t speak for everybody, but I think I’d like to get back into the studio, you know, early this year and keep recording new songs. It’s not so much pressure to record a full-length album anymore, we’re in a singles world, so it’s kind of nice to go record two or three songs and roll them out. It’s not a big deal to not have 12 songs written all at the same time anymore.
How are you prepping physically and mentally for the new runs of shows?
O’Connell: I know for me, it’s stretching and water. They are my best friends now.
McAallister: And hotel rooms, which we could never afford back in the day, but we will be sleeping on beds this time! I used to just travel with my little L.L. Bean cot, and no matter where we were, I just popped up a little cot, and it actually wasn’t that bad. We’re just excited to play a bunch of cities we haven’t in a long time.
McMorrow: As far as prep, like stretching water, ibuprofen. And for me, I generally don’t talk to anyone but my partner for like a good month before we go out on any sort of stretch, because I do a lot of talking and screaming!
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
