Rock and roll national treasures The Darkness recently embarked on a 7 date UK tour, joint headlining with their rock contemporaries Black Stone Cherry who hail from Kentucky. Supported by the equally talented Canadian hard rock trio Danko Jones, The Darkness had a rather quiet and subdued crowd to contend with. They opened their set with ‘Growing on Me’ from their groundbreaking 2003 album Permission to Land, which exhibited the fiery energy that was to come. This was followed by the more animated ‘Black Shuck’, which allowed frontman Justin Hawkins to show that his falsetto tones can still be perfectly reached. They continued with ‘Motorheart’, before a more amusing rendition of their classic song ‘One Way Ticket’. Hawkins made a joke about their fondness for the cowbell, as bassist Frankie Poullain humorously put his bass down to play the iconic cowbell part on the song. The band then launched into their more recent catalogue with ‘Heart Explodes’ and ‘Solid Gold’, demonstrating their ability to keep a crowd engaged during their less dynamic songs. Their sheer talent was best exemplified in ‘Love is Only a Feeling’, characterised by soft, ethereal vocals, Hawkins’s ability to reach the high notes, and guitarist Dan Hawkins’s power to play a truly hair-raising guitar solo. Justin’s engagement with the crowd certainly added to the show, his calm yet encouraging demeanour felt like being in the room with a fun and engaging friend.

Justin’s younger brother Dan was a quiet presence, yet he personified confidence, flair and innate musical talent. He oozed coolness, sporting quintissential flares, a leather jacket and his famous long hair. Similarly, bassist Frankie Poullain ruled the stage in a bright blue sparkly suit, standing out for all the right reasons and showing off his aptitude for groovy basslines.

Particularly worthy of note was the highly exciting performances of classics like ‘Givin’ Up’ and ‘Get Your Hands Off My Woman’, two archetypal Darkness songs that got the crowd enthusiastically singing along, picking up the previously quiter ambiance from the audience. This was further improved when the band launched into their most well known song, ‘I Believe in a Thing Called Love’, which sent fans into a frenzy. Hawkins urged fans to put their phones away and collectively enjoy this song, rather than filming it for those friends who couldn’t attend the gig. Overall, Hawkins’s energy was astounding – his outfit change half way through into a signature catsuit was particularly amusing, as he joined drummer Rufus Taylor to do handstands in front of the drum kit. Hawkins also illustrated his talent as a guitar player, sporting his trademark Gibson to play some seriously Hendrix-esque riffs.

Rufus Taylor is hard to forget. It is easy to view him simply as the son of Queen drummer Roger, yet Rufus demonstrated a sheer confident and commanding presence on the drums, much to his own credit. He is undoubtedly an asset who adds greatly to the already highly talented members of the band.

The band ended the show with ‘Love on the Rocks with No Ice’, a longer track that allowed them to show off their true rock and roll nature and their skill for playing some truly face-melting solos and inventive improvisations. During this final song, Hawkins climbed on the shoulders of one of the security guards and paraded around the venue, as hands of adoring fans reached up to the rock and roll god. During this time, he continued to play guitar, which was truly a spectacle to behold. The show quite literally ended with a bang, as stage pyrotechnics were carefully employed throughout the show to add fire and heat to each song, adding to the already crazy and zealous atmosphere.

The show has certainly restored my faith in British rock and roll talent, as The Darkness personify the energy, skill and voice of the previous classic bands that came before them in the 70s and 80s. The Darkness are modern rock and roll saviours who will carry the torch for us. Having been in the music industry for 23 years, The Darkness are no strangers to popularity decline and personal struggles. Yet, their gig at Resorts World has shown that undoubtedly their career is going from strength to strength. More recently, Justin Hawkins performed with Queen at the Taylor Hawkins tribute concert, which perhaps suggests that The Darkness are just at the start of climbing higher and higher up the rock and roll ladder.

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