Project Description
THE DARKNESS
@ Metropolis Fremantle, WA
11/03/20
(Live Review)
Reviewer: Melanie Griffiths
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The Darkness returned to Australian shores with their Easter Is Cancelled tour amid very strange times for live music. As singer Justin Hawkins wiped his nose with a tissue he politely said, “I suppose we should address the elephant in the room… are you worried?”. The responding calls of “No” and prior to that, the huge snaking line outside of Freo Metros to get in suggested otherwise or at the very least were not willing miss out on one of the most prominent glam metal bands.
Workhorse group and support The Southern River Band, always give 110% in their shows and tonight was no different. Led by the hyperactive frontman Callum Kramer, who is a self-admitted fan of the British rockers, led the first charge with a powerful set. With the band playing like they were shaking off any bad juju they set a solid foundation and by the end of their set, all the vantage points had been taken in the venue.
The Darkness have been around for 20 years, having released their debut, the ode to rock, Permission To Land in 2003. In a time when pop-engineered hits were the emerging name in the game, The Darkness provided the light for those who still wanted killer metal guitar riffs and rough edges. Since then they’ve toured Australia several times and the love fans have doesn’t seem to be abating given by the wide range of ages and people crammed together.
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Tonight’s set was to be played in two acts, the first with the complete rollout of their newest work, 2019’s “Easter Is Cancelled”, followed by “all the old hits”. Playing new material let alone albums in their entirety can be tricky and the group made a good outing for it, despite the stoney faces coming back at them in the peanut gallery. Beginning with the sardonic “Rock and Roll Deserves to Die” an asseveration on the state of the rock, they then dived off the cliff with “How Can I Lose Your Love”, a rock-pop driven melodic song with a sing-along chorus.
Dressed like angels that had descended from glam heaven, with glorious hair and white satin outfits they were a gang of characters with irresistible appeal. Coupled with ear-friendly tunes including “Heavy Metal Lover” and ballad “In Another Life” it’s hard not to be totally charmed by the group. Admittedly these songs strayed to the middle lane of pop-rock and seemed engineered to get a crowd predictably swaying their hands in the air, which they did, or bouncing on their toes, which they also did after some encouragement by Justin, “I’d like to see everybody dance around. Like that guy, just in time”.
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Aside from Justin, his brother and guitarist Dan, bassist Frankie Poullain and drummer Rufus “Tiger” Taylor know how to exude masses of glam metal cool as they interacted on stage and threw out a plethora of picks. When the show entered the second half with the band reemerging from a short break clad in black leather, and lace jumpsuits the energy was kicked up tenfold as Poullain teased the audience with the cowbell intro to One Way Ticket. Taking their cues from classic metal bands like AC/DC, Thin Lizzy and Queen, The Darkness’ material can verge less into homage and more into mimicry but with a distinct mix of personality and impassioned playing they were able to define and own their sound. Thumping drums, hooky driving guitar riffs and Justin’s nimble and glass shattering vocal range in songs from “Growing on Me”, “Barbarian” and “Love Is Only A Feeling” delivered what this crowd wanted and they bellowed for more. Justin engaged the audience in his own Freddie Mercury style vocal call and response just before a wild performance of “Get Your Hands Off My Woman”.
For such an almost unbearably hot and steamy gig, The Darkness proved to be incredibly refreshing, serving up metal unashamedly and unabashedly. Arriving at an apex with the joyous love song “I Believe In A Thing Called Love”, coronavirus fears were left on the floor as the crowd bounced and sang like they were the ones on stage. In anxious times like this escaping with The Darkness is exactly what the doctor ordered.
4/5 Stars
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Check out ADRIAN THOMSON’s gallery of this event HERE
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THE DARKNESS
‘EASTER IS CANCELLED’
AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALAND TOUR 2020
Remaining dates
FRI 13 MARCH – ENMORE THEATRE, SYDNEY
SAT 14 MARCH – FORUM, MELBOURNE
SUN 15 MARCH – THE GOV, ADELAIDE
WED 18 MARCH – THE TIVOLI, BRISBANE
FRI 20 MARCH – POWERSTATION, AUCKLAND
TICKETS AND INFO HERE
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EASTER IS CANCELLED
TRACK LISTING
1. Rock And Roll Deserves To Die
2. How Can I Lose Your Love
3. Live ‘til I Die
4. Heart Explodes
5. Deck Chair
6. Easter Is Cancelled
7. Heavy Metal Lover
8. In Another Life
9. Choke On It
10. We Are The Guitar Men
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