THE DARKNESS

May 4, 2016
Paradise Music Hall
Boston, Massachusetts

Back in 2003, I heard a song on the radio that really caught my ear and when I finally saw the video for “I Believe In A Thing Called Love”. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. A band that got it, really got it.

13 years later and I jet early from work to drive to Boston to a place called The Paradise Music Hall, to see the band that has brought me a smile listening to their music and watching their videos, over the last 13 years. The band consists of Justin Hawkins lead singer, his brother Dan Hawkins on guitar, Frankie Poullain on bass and Rufus Taylor banging away on the drums.

The night started with fellow English artists RavenEye, a hard rock band with a touch of blues and a very entertaining stage presence. Definitely another band I am keeping my eyes on, but to be honest I was there for one band and only one band.

The Darkness took to the stage to the strains of “Barbarian” and the growing crowd started roaring as Justin took to the stage. “Growing on Me” followed and the band took it all in, with Dan and Frankie planted firmly in front of the stacks of amps. Justin was a ball of energy picking up a guitar for this song and strutting across the stage.

The remainder of the night consisted of a great mix of their material, with the following songs being played:

“Black Shuck”
“Roaring Waters”
“Givin’ Up”
“One Way Ticket”
“Love Is Only a Feeling”
“Friday Night”
“English Country Garden”
“Every Inch of You”
“Get Your Hands Off My Woman”
“Stuck in a Rut”

Then came the song that everyone was there to hopefully sing along with and the end of their set, “I Believe in a Thing Called Love”. But that was not really it, as they came back out for an encore with “Concrete” and “Love on the Rocks With No Ice”.

This was the first time I have seen The Darkness live and I was impressed, in past reviews I have mentioned more than once how one of the things I look for in a live show, is that the band looks like they are having a good time and enjoying themselves as much as the people there to see them. With Justin’s stage antics and presence it was hard not to see it. From handing out picks to audience members to leaning out into the audience and laying down on their outstretched arms, yes he actually leaned out into the crowd so far he was on them, if this venue was bigger I am sure he would’ve gone crowd surfing, to the handshaking and high fiving during the set, these guys were here to entertain the audience.

And they did. This band gets it. It isn’t just about getting on the stage and playing your songs, its about having fun while doing it and making sure everyone is having a good time to. The only bad thing about the Paradise show, it was the last show on this leg of their U.S. tour. Hopefully they will be back soon.