Live review: The Darkness @ The Tivoli, Brisbane November 8, 2015
The first time The Darkness played in Australia it was the midday slot at the Gold Coast’s Big Day Out in 2004. It was overcast, humid and conditions were perfect for the most over-the-top rock show the much-storied festival had ever seen.
Clad in the tightest of leather pants Justin Hawkins strutted the stage like he owned every inch of it and clung to each dizzying high note as his younger brother Dan shredded his Gibson Les Paul maniacally and stylish bassist Frankie Poullain and drummer Ed Graham held down the rhythm section. The Darkness’ star was rising and they had lived up to their growing legend.
But within a couple of years the career The Darkness had built on the back of countless glam rock moves and a litany of bad wardrobe choices had taken a dive due to bad habits, extensive touring and other personal issues. It seemed the dream was over for the four-piece but now, after reuniting in 2011 and with the release of their fourth album, Last Of Our Kind, The Darkness are back from the dead and are six weeks into a world tour aiming to prove that they’re the sleazy rock band of old.
Deprived of their touring support band, APES, due to Sydney’s insane weather, The Darkness hit the stage early strutting onto the stage in colour coded space-age power suits as they unleash the pounding riffage of new album opener, ‘Barbarians’.
Hawkins has shed his blonde locks and now sports a dark brown mop as he swaggers around the stage occasionally being handed a guitar to trade effortlessly technical solos and burly riffs with Dan. The rest of the band are in fine form too, with Dan and Frankie all about rock-star poses and head-banging but from his first note Hawkins is every bit the star of the show. He owns this crowd and it’s at his volition that they go nuts for the next hour and a half
Frankie Poullain and his cowbell announce the arrival of the catchy punch of ‘One Way Ticket’ and it’s received euphorically by the now ravenous crowd before another stomping rhythm brings in the 2003 classic ‘Love Is Only A Feeling’. No momentum is lost as the keyboard is wheeled out for party anthem ‘Friday Night’ and remains for ‘English Country Garden’ and Hawkins even starts to resemble Freddie Mercury as runs up and down the keys (which is apt as new drummer, Rufus Taylor, is the son of Queen’s Roger Taylor and is as solid as his father on the skins).
The set proper finishes with the obligatory ‘I Believe In A Thing Called Love’ but the band return to perform a unexpected (and possibly unnecessary) rendition of Radiohead’s ‘Street Spirit (Fade Out)’ which sounds colossal with Dan hitting the distortion and Justin hitting all of Thom Yorke’s amazing notes with room to move.
The grand finale comes with Hawkins, now in his underwear, being carted through the venue on a willing punters shoulders, guitar in hand and soloing over the groove of the still pumping rhythm section. Hawkins then uses all his upper body strength in climbing up the balcony railings and making friends with the upstairs crowd before leaping into the adoring throng below and surfing the wave of hands back to the stage. Frontmen of the world, you have a new King.
Tonight several hundred fans saw the rarest of sights: an arena-sized rock band playing a smaller venue like it was Suncorp Stadium. You don’t need stadium lights and big screens to put on a rock show. All you need are collossal riffs, catchy choruses and a frontman who can stand and deliver. The Darkness are something truly special and we’re glad to have them back!
