Opening up the show tonight are Swedish rockers The Ark, who were on stage as we entered the arena, but from what I saw of them I was well impressed with the usual Swedish swagger. With the lead singer at one point parading around the stage wearing a pair of black wings and ruling the roost, a band that if they toured again I would recommend you check them out.

Next up were Juliette Lewis’s band Juliette and the Licks.  To be honest when I got a promo copy of their album last year I was far from impressed.  The songs lacked originality and all seemed a little too samey.  So tonight they really had to impress me and I’m afraid the jury is still out on this band.

Juliette Lewis has the rock chick bravado as she strutted around the stage on her white stilletto heels, but the quality of songs let the band down.  The set consisted of tracks from the current release ‘You're Speaking My Language’ and a couple of new songs of the forthcoming release, plus a cover.

Starting off with the title track off the latest album, a song that I must admit sounds better live, as did some of the other songs off the album.  It's not that the band are bad, it's just that they aren’t the sort of band that I think should be the support slot for a band like The Darkness.  They lacked a certain spark and failed to ignite the majority of the crowd and that’s the vibe I got when I went to the bar after their set. 

I only wish perhaps this had been the opening band and we'd had a longer set from The Ark who were in comparison the complete opposite and really got the crowd pumping during their set. 

Now after I saw The Darkness last time they came to Newcastle I was really impressed with them and I was now wondering if they could not only match that show but also beat it. Well all my doubts were thrown aside as the house lights went out and the band started the first few chords of ‘Knockers’ and Justin arrived not on stage but aloft riding a huge pair of boobs, complete with flashing nipples!  It was plain to see this was going to be another magical Darkness show.

With the pyrotechnics in abundance you just knew this was going to be another old school rock n roll Darkness style show.

The set continues with ‘One Way Ticket’ and the new single ‘Is It Just Me’ from the new album before it was time for some songs from their debut album Permission To Land.

Starting off with ‘Growing on Me’ which sent the crowd into an uproar as the cascade of fireworks rained down on the stage, the crowd and Justin sang along as one voice on the chorus.  The band were definitely firing on all cylinders as they went into ‘Dinner Lady Arms’ and ‘Given Up’.

The Darkness shows must be a pyrotechnic nightmare to set up as the band strived to outdo their last tours effects. This time the effects were there to enhance the show as the stage craft of Justin and the rest of the band had improved a great deal from last time, and new boy bassist Ritchie was a lot more animated than his predecessor Frankie.

With crowd favorites ‘Black Shuck’ and ‘Love On The Rocks’ rocking the rafters it was time to slow things down a little with ‘Love Is The Only Feeling’ and ‘Seemed Like A Good Idea’ both giving the crowd and the band time to get their breathes back before the rocking continued with ‘Hazel Eyes’ and as ‘Get Your Hands Off My Woman’ was announced the pyro show came to a head as the flames spewed out of the horns surrounding the drum kit and the gas bombs behind the kit sped flames over 15 feet high.

The set was concluded with ‘Friday Night’ ‘Girlfriend’ and the show stopper ‘I Believe In A Thing Called Love’ before the band left the stage for the first time.

Once again The Darkness put their two fingers up at their critics and show the rest of the world how to rock.

All content and images are copyright of

unless otherwise stated.