Passionate. Intense. Cathartic.
Sparta are back. The El Paso post-hardcore trailblazers hit Australia in April or four headline shows only, playing catalogue staples Cut Your Ribbon, Air, Breaking the Broken, While Oceana Sleeps plus new tracks Crater and Everything You Say.
Led by singer-guitarist Jim Ward, a founding member of At the Drive-In, Sparta have spent more than two decades writing some of post-hardcore’s most lasting songs.
After At the Drive-In split, Sparta wasted no time forging a powerful identity of their own with their landmark 2002 debut, Wiretap Scars. Acclaimed follow-ups Porcelain and Threes further cemented that reputation. While their latest album Cut A Silhouette is described as “reflective, raw and creatively reawakened” (Blunt Mag)
Onstage is where SPARTA truly erupt - quiet tension exploding into thunderous release as Jim Ward and the band deliver every song with urgency, precision and raw emotional force. These intimate four shows offer fans a rare chance to experience genuine post-hardcore pioneers at full power - up close, unfiltered and mere metres away.
“He plucks his monitors out, steps away from the microphone, and starts singing the last notes acapella, inviting us to join him. We do, and it’s glorious” (Sense Music Media)
“’Cut Your Ribbon’ explodes the crowd into a community-style sing-along” (Rockfreaks.net)
“The El Paso trio dialed up the passion and the crowd converted it into kinetic release. Jim Ward and company showed why Sparta has remained such a beloved act” (That’s Good Enough For Me)
“It grabs you by the chest and almost knocks the wind out of you” (The Live Wire)
“Seeing them live, the reason is clear - they’re effin’ great” (The Indy Review)
“The collective energy in the room was electric, with die-hard fans singing along to every word” (Third Coast Review)
“These guys always famously rip” (JankySmooth)
“intense but unpretentious - less about spectacle and more about connection” (7EIGHT5)
“Gloriously disorienting… this made for a perfect teleportation” (The Pitch)
- +61 3 9663 1500
- Direct venue contact line
- Located at main entrance box office
- Valid photo ID required for ticket pickup
- Arrive at least 30 minutes before event start time
- Electronic and print-at-home tickets also accepted
- Limited street parking available
- Nearby public parking garages within 2-3 blocks
- Recommended to use public transportation
- Rideshare drop-off/pickup zone directly in front of venue
- Wheelchair accessible ground floor area
- Designated spaces for mobility-impaired patrons
- Companion seats available
- Advance notice recommended for specific accommodations
* Over 18’s only unless advertised otherwise. * Photo ID is essential, acceptable ID is a current and valid Australian Photo Drivers Licence or Passport. Please check with the venue for any other acceptable forms of photo ID * Intoxicated persons will not be admitted * No thongs or steel cap boots * The venue reserves the right to refuse admission to any person * Dangerous behaviour including Crowd Surfing, Stage Diving, Moshing and Violent Dancing is not allowed and will result in your immediate removal from this venue.*Inappropriate behaviour at this venue will lead to your banning.*
* All children under 18 not permitted including small children and babies *
The Sparta frontman looks back on his 2016 ouster from At the Drive-In in a new interview.Jim Ward Still Doesn’t “Speak to Omar and Cedric” After At the Drive-In Firing, But Would Give Either of Them a Kidney Langdon Hickman
Jun 15, 2026