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ReviewsYou are in: Suffolk > Entertainment > Music > Reviews > The Darkness : Still Shining  Justin Hawkins The Darkness : Still ShiningBy Andrew Woodger & Graeme McLoughlin The Lowestoft rockers returned to the UEA for their warm-up show ahead of their arena tour. Justin Hawkins treated us to an Erection Section and a Beergut Of Fury.
Thursday 26th Jan 2006 was billed as a "homecoming" show, butÌý Norwich is, of course, even further away from Lowestoft than the last "homecoming" show in Great Yarmouth in 2003.ÌýÌý The 1500 tickets had sold-out within days and the venue's pit area was crammed from the word go. RoadstarThat gave up-and-coming rockers Roadstar a chance to shake their hair.Ìý They were formerly known as Hurricane Party, but changed their name after New Orleans for "sensitivity" reasons.Ìý As if that was the first ever devastating hurricane!ÌýÌý Led by Steve Tyler-esque singer Richie Hevanz, they boogied through a short set based around their Get This ep.Ìý Classic rock in a Guns 'n' Roses/Def Leppard/Aerosmith style - good fun but not really taking rock anywhere new.  Are You Ready?The same could of course be said for The Darkness - but that's missing the point.Ìý They are one of the few (certainly British) bands that provide the nation's need for trad rock. Never one's to take themselves too seriously, they took to the stage to the glorious sound of Abba's instrumental 'Arrival.'Ìý For those unfamiliar with that particular tune, imagine the bagpipes of 'Scotland The Brave' teamed with 'Here Comes the Bride' as if to say 'this is just the beginning .. you're in for a real show ...Ìý there are no boundaries ... we'll make it happen ... we will prevail.'Ìý All that was missing was the band taking to the stage on white ponies wearing kilts.Ìý Maybe they're saving that for the arena shows. BoobsOpening with 'Knockers' the rest of the set was a mixture of the two albums as they introduced new bassist Richie Edwards to East Anglia - with only a brief interlude as his axe conked out during the tribute to Cromer crabs Growing On Me.Ìý Justin now has a keyboard which seemed to form a wall between him and Richie at the front of the stage.Ìý This seemed to limit the rocktastic stage-runs which we know he's capable of - and when he sat down to play Friday Night brother Dan disappeared as if it was simply too un-rock for him. Erection SectionThey also introduced what Justin called the "erection section" - a Zep/Queen-style ballad section where the stools and acoustic guitars came out.  The Darkness More BoobsMan-boobs seem to be theme of the night.ÌýÌý One well-endowed lady threw her bra on stage which Justin then put on and christened it his "sympathy" bra.ÌýÌý He then threatened the crowd with exposing his own "Beergut Of Fury" - and a moment later he did indeed prove that he's lost his six-pack and won't be doing any Men's Health magazine covers in the near future.Ìý But as the man said it's two years of heavy drinking and all bought and paid for! Moments like this sum-up of the appeal of The Darkness.Ìý Despite their love of the classic pomp rock groups they have their tongues in their cheeks.Ìý Justin is the consummate entertainer - funny, self-deprecating, a great ringmaster with no sign of any of the band's egos going out of control...  Camera phone anybody! Not on stage anyway.Ìý The gig was billed as a warm-up with no press passes issued ( your reviewers bought their tickets) but security was very heavy-handed and tried to confiscate as many cameras as possible - barging through the audience to nick these master criminals who were flouting what were apparently management orders.Ìý And yes, we had ours confiscated.ÌýÌý All this when everyone else is holding up mobile phone to take pictures!Ìý Not that we're bitter.Ìý Presumably, Justin just didn't want any PICTURES of his new mid-riff? That said, once we got over the idea of living in a mini-fascist state for one night only, the gig did rock and The Darkness will clearly raise their profile again as they hit the world's arenas.Ìý Highlights from the new album were 'It Seemed Like A Good Idea At The Time' and 'One Way Ticket To Hell… And Back.'ÌýÌý But it was the old favourites fromÌý 'Permission to Land' that stood out as rock anthems - 'Black Shuck', 'Givin' Up' and 'Get Your Hands Off My Woman'.Ìý The latter caused Justin to ponder whether it was appropriate to use a word suggesting incest with one's maternal parent in front of one's own maternal parent (the bands' relatives were in the audience). These tracks show what good musicians the brothers Hawkins are. The audience stopped jumping and dancing at times to read the guitar chords, at times there was a struggle to work out who was playing which guitar solo.Ìý 'How do they do that?!' We watched in awe. Closers 'English Country Garden' and 'Bald' ensured the band left the stage to rapturous applause. This was some warm-up gig. If you did get any decent snaps then send them to us for our picture gallery ..
That said we did manage to sneak a couple of photos of the band, thus sticking it to The Corporate Rock Man.Ìý As ever, your obedient servants.
last updated: 26/11/2008 at 14:27 Have Your SayHave The Darkness still got it?
I thought the new album was o.k. But it was not as good as pemission to land. One way ticket to hell and back, a brilliant song if only all the other songs on that album where just as good. I think their was not much thought went into making that album and that is possibly why they are not together as a group today. A complete let down
yep. i saw them at the summer pops and they rocked and so did ROADSTAR!!!!
i saw u in belfast last year u rocked iwaved and u smiled back lol please please cum back!!! xxxxx
there ok lil chris is the best tho bt yh ...x
the darkness is the best band of the world!!!! yeah!!!!!! i love the darkness!!!! XD
of course they should keep on rockin' forever!!!
yeah but lil chriss well better and is well sexier
yeah totally awsome!!!!!!!!!
super dupper hell yeh they have got u it darkness lives on yeah !!!!!!!!!
no they are soooo dark ! tyhey left the music bizz and got rubbsih at everything they will ever do innnn there lifessssss wb soon
yeah there fab
no way...!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
darkness have still got
it they rock hard their
wicked
The Darkness rock! They r an awesome band who rely no how 2 get a crowd going. They put on a gr8 show & they r amazing live. Ive seen them 3 times & they r getting better & beter live. WOOO go darkness!
sorry to see justin leave the band in the way he did. he should go for councilling and then go back so they can rock on like they did before
yh they have but i think lil chris is fit as he is cute chris to meh !
Hell yeah !
the darkness is a very good band!that's what i think!
hi u r good n i just wanna say keep goin cuz your good n look like real super stars
no they are so last year but lil chris is totaly this year love ya u rock xxx!!!!xxxx
We agree with Grand Hotel
Roadstar are gonna be huge.
Hopefully they'll read this and give us a gig.
Seriously though, the best rock band to come out of this country for years.
Keep it up!
I THINK SO,I HAVE "I BELIEVE IN A THING CALLED LOVE" AS MY RINGTONE. HOW COOL IS THAT?
darkness never had it the are and always have been poo
THE DARKNESS ROCKS!they brought the 80s rock back, so they will always have it
Oh and The Darkness ARE taking rock somewhere new???
I don't think so!!
Roadstar are AWESOME and they are gonna be huge!
The Drakness Maybe. But the person who wrote the review of roadstar has no clue what rock is. Roadstar are the most awesome band on the planet are going to be huge and are going to take rock to a whole new level.
wooooooooooo rock on the darkness you are the sex !!!
Hell yeah ! WHOOOOOOOOO!
I saw them at Sheffied for the 1st and 2nd tour and i thought they were truly awesome and they are by far the best live act i have seen. Can't wait for the next tour. - They will be around for many years yet!!!!!!!
I saw them at Sheffield. They're the best live act I've ever seen. And I've seen alot of bands. Black Sabbath, Alice Cooper, Iron Maiden, Deep Purple, Twisted Sister, Motorhead, Velvet Revolver, System of a Down, Arctic Monkeys, Bon Jovi, David Bowie, Iggy and the Stooges. REM and The Fall To name but a few.
they still rock went to Newcastle gig fantastic show
hell yeh!! went to the sheffield arena gig and thought it was an awesome stage show!!
they still rock!!!! And i believe they always will! I think they get better and better every year
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