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The Darkness, Enmore Theatre, Sydney // Photo – Glen Morgan

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THE DARKNESS
+ The Southern River Band,
Thebarton Theatre, Adelaide
15th October 2022
(Live Review)

Interview by Kayla Hamilton

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The Darkness, The Enmore Sydney // Photo – Glen Morgan

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A tour many years in the making and a band that a very passionate South Australian crowd had been looking forward to seeing, The Darkness’s show at Adelaide’s beloved Thebarton Theatre was one for the books. A glam, fun and rocking affair- if you have borne witness to any of The Darkness’s performances or music videos before, then you will know what was in store. Before the British, self-proclaimed ‘camp’, rock band wowed the audience though, the crowd was treated to the chaotic antics of Perth’s own The Southern River Band.

As the band took to the stage it did not take long for the crowd to welcome them with open arms. The combination of a heavy, clean, stadium rock sound, rockstaresque performance and attire and the down-to-earth attitude of the band was the perfect way to start the night. Honestly, you could scour the entire country and there would not be a more ideal band to open for The Darkness than The Southern River Band. Not only did their catalogue of spectacular rock tracks allow the audience to get straight into the mood to rock but the banter between the songs from frontman Cal Kramer had the punters in stitches. Relatable, danceable and just a whole lot of fun- The Southern River Band are on track to become a huge name in the Australian rock industry, so if you have not had the privilege of seeing them then find a way to as soon as possible!

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The Southern River Band, Thebarton Theatre, Adelaide // Photo – Deb Kloeden

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The Southern River Band, Thebarton Theatre, Adelaide // Photo – Deb Kloeden

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Once the crowd had been warmed up by The Southern River Band and in some cases, a few beverages of the alcoholic variety, The Darkness were welcomed to the stage by a receptive, rowdy and excited almost to-capacity crowd. Without giving too much away for those who are yet to see this show in all its glory, it is pretty much everything you want and a whole lot more. For those only familiar with their more popular songs, you may be surprised by just how heavy the band can be. Starting with a speed metal intro, the band quickly jumped into the theatrics. Never one for shying away from loud costumes, frontman Justin Hawkins in all his jump-suited glory quickly had the audience under his thumb. The only person who could possibly upstage this man was the dead-set legend of a cowbell player who appeared for one song only. With the show starting this strong, it only got better over the next hour and forty minutes.

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The Darkness, Thebarton Theatre, Adelaide // Photo – Deb Kloeden

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The Darkness, Thebarton Theatre, Adelaide // Photo – Deb Kloeden

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The band balanced their discography well, placing their most popular singles with other crowd favourites. The energy in the theatre was unmatched. Everybody brought their ‘A’ game. When a band has a frontman like Justin Hawkins, it can easily become a one-man show, but that was not the case. Guitarist Dan Hawkins kept the show together with his playing, Frankie Poullain serving both bass lines and absolute style in his blue sequin jacket and the icing cake is having an absolute monster drummer like Rufus Taylor behind the kit. With a lot of love being given back and forth from the stage to the pit, it really felt like it was a party, and the set flew by. One of the highlights being when the band played the beloved ‘I Believe in a Thing Called Love’ and upon request from Hawkins, most of the crowd put their phones away and soaked in every note in a rare sight. After a hotly requested encore, the band came out with a bang, including a Christmas tune. After a lucky patron was tasked with the job of carrying Justin Hawkins around on his shoulders threw the almost 2,000-strong crowd, the band sent a satisfied audience off into the night.

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The Darkness, Thebarton Theatre, Adelaide // Photo – Deb Kloeden

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Ultimately, it is one of the shows that you really must see for yourself. If you have ever contemplated seeing The Darkness, then bite the bullet because even if you only know one or two of their songs, you are guaranteed an amazing time. In the words of a singer from a local band from The Darkness’s hometown Lowestoft, the show was “f***ing ace!” (If you want to understand that reference, don’t miss this tour!)

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The Darkness, The Forum Melbourne // Photo – Lucas Packett

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Check out Lucas Packett’s gallery of the Forum Melbourne show – 12th October 2022 – HERE

Check out Deb Kloeden’s gallery of the Thebarton Adelaide show – 15th October 2022 – HERE

Check out Glen Morgan’s gallery of the Enmore Sydney show – 16th October 2022 – HERE

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The Darkness, The Forum Melbourne // Photo – Lucas Packett

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Follow THE DARKNESS
Website – Facebook – Twitter – Instagram

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The Darkness, The Forum Melbourne // Photo – Lucas Packett

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AMNPLIFY – DB