REVIEW
✭✭✭✭☆ 4/5
UK & IRELAND HEADLINE TOUR
STARTS NOVEMBER 2019
Cliffs Pavilion, Southend
3rd December 2019
✭✭✭✭☆ 4/5
UK & IRELAND HEADLINE TOUR
STARTS NOVEMBER 2019
Cliffs Pavilion, Southend
3rd December 2019
Iconic glam-rock band The Darkness thrilled a Southend audience last night with their show at the Cliffs Pavilion. Since their formation in 2000, The Darkness have been a bit like Marmite - you either love them or hate them. A band with a somewhat troubled history - front man Justin Hawkins left the band in 2006, along with other members over the years - it is highly gratifying to see them reunited at last. They are currently touring to promote their sensational new album, Easter Is Cancelled.
Last night's performance was an epic one. It contained everything you would expect to see and hear in a show by The Darkness: outrageous lycra costumes; fabulous lighting; impossibly high vocals from the returned Justin Hawkins. The lead singer was on form, with an unbelievable vocal range, and a highly charismatic performance.
The staging was elaborate, and featured illuminated church windows and images of the various band members as children. I left the Cliffs fully ready to be inducted into the church of The Darkness.
While a lot of the songs played were from their new album, there was a lot for the more long-lived fans as well. Most notable were the aptly timed performance of Christmas Time: Don't Let the Bells End (complete with a sparkly red Santa-esque suit) and the always anticipated and iconic I Believe in a Thing Called Love. Notably, Justin Hawkins halted the performance of this song after the first verse in order to ask people to put their phones away, and to just enjoy the music. An admirable sentiment in today's tech-dependent society. Sometimes well-loved songs from a band's previous repertoire can disappoint, but not this time. The energy levels were high, and the performances were just as strong as their newest offerings.
My opinion? Hate Marmite; love The Darkness.
Review: Cathy Memery
Last night's performance was an epic one. It contained everything you would expect to see and hear in a show by The Darkness: outrageous lycra costumes; fabulous lighting; impossibly high vocals from the returned Justin Hawkins. The lead singer was on form, with an unbelievable vocal range, and a highly charismatic performance.
The staging was elaborate, and featured illuminated church windows and images of the various band members as children. I left the Cliffs fully ready to be inducted into the church of The Darkness.
While a lot of the songs played were from their new album, there was a lot for the more long-lived fans as well. Most notable were the aptly timed performance of Christmas Time: Don't Let the Bells End (complete with a sparkly red Santa-esque suit) and the always anticipated and iconic I Believe in a Thing Called Love. Notably, Justin Hawkins halted the performance of this song after the first verse in order to ask people to put their phones away, and to just enjoy the music. An admirable sentiment in today's tech-dependent society. Sometimes well-loved songs from a band's previous repertoire can disappoint, but not this time. The energy levels were high, and the performances were just as strong as their newest offerings.
My opinion? Hate Marmite; love The Darkness.
Review: Cathy Memery
Check out our photos of the Cliffs Pavilion, Southend gig from our fab photographer, Clarissa Debenham/Film Free Photography
All images below are the exclusive property of Southend Theatre Scene and Film Free Photography by Clarissa Debenham and may not be reproduced, copied, stored, downloaded or altered in any way without permission. If you are interested in Clarissa's photography please get in touch by clicking the above link.
All images below are the exclusive property of Southend Theatre Scene and Film Free Photography by Clarissa Debenham and may not be reproduced, copied, stored, downloaded or altered in any way without permission. If you are interested in Clarissa's photography please get in touch by clicking the above link.
‘ROCK AND ROLL DESERVES TO DIE’
BRAND NEW SINGLE RELEASED
WATCH THE FABULOUS VIDEO HERE
EASTER IS CANCELLED
NEW ALBUM OUT OCTOBER 4th
VIA COOKING VINYL – ORDER HERE
BRAND NEW SINGLE RELEASED
WATCH THE FABULOUS VIDEO HERE
EASTER IS CANCELLED
NEW ALBUM OUT OCTOBER 4th
VIA COOKING VINYL – ORDER HERE
The Darkness have released their brand new single ‘Rock And Roll Deserves To Die’, accompanied by a brilliantly entertaining video. It’s the first taste of their jaw-droppingly ambitious new album Easter Is Cancelled, out now through Cooking Vinyl.
From chiming, acoustic beginnings, ‘Rock And Roll Deserves To Die’ explodes into an epic five-minute masterpiece. It features some of Justin Hawkins’ finest lyrics to date alongside monumental riffs, thunderous bass and almighty drums, while also featuring some beautifully delicate touches from the band.
It is quite simply the band’s most exciting and diverse song to date and finds The Darkness hailing the death of the old and opening a door into a brave new world never seen from the band before. As bass player Frankie Poullain comments, “A lot of bands have relinquished their duty. Rock and roll is so uniform now. Everybody dresses the same, looks the same, sounds the same. It’s pathetic. It deserves to die. Let’s kill the cliché. Let’s break the crucifix. That’s partly what the album is about.”
In fact, ‘Rock And Roll Deserves To Die’ marks a sensational new era, opening Easter Is Cancelled, the first ever concept album from The Darkness.
Justin explains, “At the end of days, humankind must consider the essential truths of existence. The Darkness, your vanguard in life’s journey, have stared into the abyss. The observations we bring from the edge are set out in a new record album, titled ‘Easter is Cancelled’.
“This far-reaching communiqué examines man’s brutality to man, the dichotomies that we live within and the alternate realities that exist alongside our blinkered comprehension of the Universe. The song cycle defines human existence through a parable – the slow lingering death and eventual glorious re-birth of rock and roll.
In the search for perfect sonic equivalents of core truths, every musical instrument of the world has been explored and exploited to its fullest extent. Endless days in studios, museums, spiritual retreats and places of learning turned into endless months, as deeper and deeper layers of truth were uncovered, translated and set for eternity in sound.
“The result is a literally Biblical record, and those who have said that rock and roll is the Devil’s music should listen and understand that it is, in truth, the voice of God.
“This is the grandest statement any band has ever made, and the endeavour has taken its toll. In achieving such a mighty goal, a line is drawn and this will be the last traditional music album from The Darkness – having confronted the eternal and ultimate, we must now move on to higher art forms. The future is an open door. Who’s in here?”
The ten-track album examines the role of the musician in the barbarous culture of the world today, and their almost divine responsibility to challenge the establishment – something that most rock’n’roll artists seem to have given up on in favour of easy celebrity. And yet at the heart of this tale is love, loss and heartbreak, where redemption is ultimately found in the brotherhood of band friendship and the power of the guitar, as brought full circle in the glorious album closer ‘We Are The Guitar Men’.
From chiming, acoustic beginnings, ‘Rock And Roll Deserves To Die’ explodes into an epic five-minute masterpiece. It features some of Justin Hawkins’ finest lyrics to date alongside monumental riffs, thunderous bass and almighty drums, while also featuring some beautifully delicate touches from the band.
It is quite simply the band’s most exciting and diverse song to date and finds The Darkness hailing the death of the old and opening a door into a brave new world never seen from the band before. As bass player Frankie Poullain comments, “A lot of bands have relinquished their duty. Rock and roll is so uniform now. Everybody dresses the same, looks the same, sounds the same. It’s pathetic. It deserves to die. Let’s kill the cliché. Let’s break the crucifix. That’s partly what the album is about.”
In fact, ‘Rock And Roll Deserves To Die’ marks a sensational new era, opening Easter Is Cancelled, the first ever concept album from The Darkness.
Justin explains, “At the end of days, humankind must consider the essential truths of existence. The Darkness, your vanguard in life’s journey, have stared into the abyss. The observations we bring from the edge are set out in a new record album, titled ‘Easter is Cancelled’.
“This far-reaching communiqué examines man’s brutality to man, the dichotomies that we live within and the alternate realities that exist alongside our blinkered comprehension of the Universe. The song cycle defines human existence through a parable – the slow lingering death and eventual glorious re-birth of rock and roll.
In the search for perfect sonic equivalents of core truths, every musical instrument of the world has been explored and exploited to its fullest extent. Endless days in studios, museums, spiritual retreats and places of learning turned into endless months, as deeper and deeper layers of truth were uncovered, translated and set for eternity in sound.
“The result is a literally Biblical record, and those who have said that rock and roll is the Devil’s music should listen and understand that it is, in truth, the voice of God.
“This is the grandest statement any band has ever made, and the endeavour has taken its toll. In achieving such a mighty goal, a line is drawn and this will be the last traditional music album from The Darkness – having confronted the eternal and ultimate, we must now move on to higher art forms. The future is an open door. Who’s in here?”
The ten-track album examines the role of the musician in the barbarous culture of the world today, and their almost divine responsibility to challenge the establishment – something that most rock’n’roll artists seem to have given up on in favour of easy celebrity. And yet at the heart of this tale is love, loss and heartbreak, where redemption is ultimately found in the brotherhood of band friendship and the power of the guitar, as brought full circle in the glorious album closer ‘We Are The Guitar Men’.
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EASTER IS CANCELLED TRACK LISTING
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Easter Is Cancelled will be released digitally and in full technicolour physical glory as a standard CD, digipak CD with bonus tracks, gatefold LP, limited edition colour vinyl gatefold LP and Cassette. The album is available to pre-order now from the band’s Official Store with special signed copies and exclusive album bundle offers. The preorder link is: https://thedarkness.lnk.to/EICPR
The Darkness will be spreading their Easter Is Cancelled message across the land with a full UK and Ireland headline tour this winter and will play 18 dates starting in November 2019. These shows promise to be incredibly special, reflecting the grand scope and vision of the album, alongside the finest hits from the band’s spectacular canon. Tickets are available here.
The Darkness will be spreading their Easter Is Cancelled message across the land with a full UK and Ireland headline tour this winter and will play 18 dates starting in November 2019. These shows promise to be incredibly special, reflecting the grand scope and vision of the album, alongside the finest hits from the band’s spectacular canon. Tickets are available here.
THE DARKNESS ‘EASTER IS CANCELLED’ 2019 TOUR
NOVEMBER
26th – Belfast, Limelight
27th – Dublin, Academy
29th – Nottingham, Rock City
NOVEMBER
26th – Belfast, Limelight
27th – Dublin, Academy
29th – Nottingham, Rock City
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DECEMBER
1st – Birmingham, O2 Academy 2nd – Leicester, O2 Academy 3rd – Southend, Cliffs Pavilion 5th – Norwich, UEA 6th – Cambridge, Corn Exchange 7th – Bath, Pavilions 9th – Portsmouth, Pyramids 10th – Brighton, Dome 11th – Watford, Colosseum 13th – Manchester Academy 14th – Newcastle, O2 Academy 15th – Glasgow, O2 Academy 17th – York, Barbican 18th – Liverpool, O2 Academy 20th – London, Roundhouse |
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