Live Review: The Darkness

Good god, they're BACK! East Anglia's finest exports The Darkness have returned to our shores once more - this time with new music in tow. Ever since their fantastically flamboyant debut here on the Big Day Out tour of 2004, they've maintained a loyal army of fans who would gladly welcome them a hundred times a year if they saw fit to tour that much. Although points were lost instantly for playing at the abandoned spaceship of Metro City, arguably the worst venue in Perth, The Darkness still managed to enthral the room with their furious — but absolutely charming — brand of rock.
 
When Metallica play live, they walk on stage to Ennio Morricone's The Ecstasy Of Gold. The Darkness opt, instead, for ABBA's Arrival, and The Darkness wins. Benny Andersson's triumphant fanfare instils giddy pride and excitement in their audiences, and, short of the band skydiving in through the roof, it's difficult to think of a more fabulous way to start.

The clock was wound straight back to 2003 with Black Shuck and Growing On Me kicking off proceedings. 14 years later and these songs, as well as every other on Permission To Land, show no signs of having aged poorly. The Darkness' undeniably catchy glam/smart rock has stayed relevant, engaging and fun, and that consistency was evident as they unfurled brand new song All The Pretty Girls, presumably slated for release on their upcoming album due in September.

Barbarian and the hilariously possessive Get Your Hands Off My Woman brought out the band's heavier edge, although as the set progressed, the crowd's enthusiasm began to wane, slightly. It's a subtle curse that's afflicted many bands that have played at this bugger house, from Karnivool to The Mars Volta, but Justin Hawkins' cheeky banter in between songs spiced things up again and snapped those who'd been ensnared by the doldrums out of their daze and back to the glorious mayhem being served up.

For a minute there, the encore seemed a bit tenuous as the band took a little while to reappear, but it was worth the wait. New song Japanese Prisoner Of Love was a fast, biting thrill that had Dan Hawkins glued to the frets of his guitar like the maniacal metal wizard that he is, but it was the eternally epic Love On The Rocks With No Ice as the closing number that really took the biscuit. Here's hoping the new album continues the trend of majesty that only this Lowestoft troupe can command.