by John Kindred
– Publisher —
January 30, 2013, Uptown Theater, Kansas City, MO —
The Darkness “landed” in K.C. during a chilly, winter evening and melted the place down. Fronted by the charismatic Justin Hawkins in a band best described by the lyrics in their single “Every inch of You” … “I’m in a band with my brother (Dan), and my two best mates (Ed Graham and Frankie Poullain).”
Touring in support of their latest studio album, Hot Cakes, the show was held at the classy Uptown Theater in downtown Kansas City. Being an all-ages show allowed for a younger audience to see The Darkness in an environment that is typically closed to anyone under 21. Since a lot of the great hard rock and metal bands nowadays have returned to the club-bar scene, it’s difficult for younger fans to see the bands they love.
The Darkness lived up to the hype and put on a professional stage show, complete with their bombast music. The band was in fine form and rocked the Uptown Theater and the fans in attendance. In this smaller venue, the vibe was intimate, as you felt you could reach out and touch the band. Justin Hawkins “cheeky” British humor and sarcasm was on full display. Song after song the band brought passion and energy to their performance. Hawkins directed the crowd while Dan, Ed and Frankie kept the intensity at a maximum. They damned near performed every song from their debut album Permission to Land, a handful of songs from One Way Ticket to Hell… And Back and the rest of the set featured songs from Hot Cakes.
Set List:
1. Every Inch of You
2. Black Shuck
3. Growing on Me
4. She Just a Girl, Eddie
5. One Way Ticket
6. Nothin’s Gonna Stop Us
7. Get Your Hands Off My Woman
8. Love Is Only a Feeling
9. Friday Night
10. Concrete
11. Is It Just Me?
12. Givin’ Up
13. Stuck in a Rut
14. I Believe in a Thing Called Love
Encore:
15. The Best of Me
16. Street Spirit (Fade Out)
17. Love on the Rocks with No Ice
The Darkness Concert Photo Gallery
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[Photos by John Kindred]
