Wednesday 01/12/04 The Darkness, Ash, Do Me Bad Things @ MEN Arena, Manchester

The Darkness didn’t receive the best of press for their festival headlining slots in the summer, critics mauled them for poor performances and new songs which the band later admitted weren’t up to scratch.  However, their songs and performances were always meant for arena settings, so this is their chance to prove that the mini-backlash isn’t the beginning of their end.  But before we get to that, Do Me Bad Things invade the stage – all nine of them.  It’s hard to keep track as singers swap, come and go from the stage, and in one case change their clothes at every opportunity.  It’s a camp and energetic affair, metal riffs mixed with warbling vocals – but it works and entertains through a seven song set including ‘Stop Kissing Me’ and ‘Daily Grind’.

Ash are the special guests on this tour, and it’s a big step up from the last time they were in town at the Academy.  Tim Wheeler comes on with his flaming guitar aloft, and thus begins 11 tracks from their catalogue – 6 old and 5 from last album ‘Meltdown’.  If the point of their support slot is to open them up to new audiences, then it succeeds because much of the audience don’t seem to know the likes of ‘Girl From Mars’, ‘Kung Fu’, and ‘Shining Light’.  Even more recent singles like ‘Starcrossed’ seem to be met by polite applause rather than enthusiasm – and it’s a shame, because the band put in a tight and energetic performance.  They only struggle in that Wheeler isn’t the strongest vocal performer – and it tells on a stage of this size when it isn’t Ash’s crowd.  ‘Burn Baby Burn’ ends the set on a high though, with the crowd finally recognising – and enjoying – a band who have had hits for over a decade.

The stage is set ofThe Darkness to take Manchester by storm, and they begin in a blaze of pyrotechnics with new song ‘Grief Hammer’.  It features their trademark metal riffs, falsetto, and isn’t half bad.  Other new songs performed tonight include ‘Buffet’ and ‘English Country Garden’, which sees a brief interlude of ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’, but ‘Dinner Lady Arms’ is the most catchy despite the shit name.  Justin Hawkins is on top form as he runs, pouts, and poses around the stage as the band deliver blistering versions of ‘Growing On Me’, ‘Love Is Only A Feeling’, and ‘Black Shuck’ – which sees flames singe Gigwise’s eyebrows.  ‘I Believe In A Thing Called Love’ is accompanied by mass-hand clapping, while Hawkins takes to the sky on a Siberian tiger during ‘Love On The Rocks With No Ice’.  We are treated to Christmas song medley, prompted by the crowd, before the show is ended with the appropriate ‘Christmas Time (Don’t Let the Bells End)’ and a shower of confetti.  It’s a ridiculously extravagant show from an extravagant band – and they pull it off with style.

Photos by Alex Lai