Glam-rock royalty The Darkness rolled into Montreal Sunday night with swagger and a kick in their step. Frontman Justin Hawkins, guitarist (and brother) Dan Hawkins, bassist Frankie Poullain and drummer Rufus Tiger Taylor launched out from the shadows and into the bright spectacular light to a myriad of cheers and screams. It was evident from the start that the appreciation for the band has not wanned, even twenty-five years after their initial debut.
Hawkins’ attire embodied the opening track (‘Rock and Roll Party Cowboy‘) perfectly. Complete with cowboy hat, bolo tie and dazzling studded chaps, he danced, shredded and jumped across the stage in lively fashion. The crowd resonated with this and returned the energy in droves. During the song ’Walking Through Fire’ the audience danced in unison, mirroring the vibrant lead singers’ moves. On stage, there was no shortage of shredding power stances and virtuosic solos. The experienced stage presence of all The Darkness’ members was palpable as they ripped through song after song.
As the night went on, the energy only continued to build. The set list sprinkled in classics between hits from their latest album ‘Dreams On Toast’ which felt right at home in their live show catalogue. This fine-tuned set list didn’t stop the band from jamming impromptuly and at one point they even used the expected ‘ole ole ole’ chant as a building block for a jam that felt equal parts audience and band.
Hawkins’ persona, impressive falsetto and multi instrumental playing lead the way and as he bantered with the crowd over moustaches and French pronunciations it was clear that he, as well as the band behind him, was having as much fun as the audience. A surprise cover of Queen’s ‘Fat Bottomed Girls’ got everyone singing together right before hitting their penultimate song ‘I Believe In a Thing Called Love’ which rocked the venue with its undeniable hooks.
If there were ever any questions surrounding if The Darkness could still bring the fire, they were undoubtedly put to rest. After all, you don’t get 20+ years into the business of rock n’ roll without knowing how to throw a party.
