Liverpool University Academy. 11 December 2003

It wasn’t meant to be like this. Thirteen shopping days to Christmas and this reviewer should be doing maintenance work, i.e. resting limbs and ears, slouched in a reclining chair watching Friends watching shapely female USA lifeguards. Perhaps, just occasionally, scanning some of the hundreds of photos taken during a busy and fantastic year of live performance. Perhaps giving a ton of photographic equipment the once-over. But no…

I received the Darkness Christmas single to review from promotional company Hyperlaunch, who are so bloody efficient it hurts. Included was an info sheet giving details of the closing Darkness live performance of the year at Liverpool University’s Academy (part of their brief national Elf Hazard tour). Oh sh*t! I then discovered that this late show was to compensate for the last time the band was supposed to appear a few months back, but had to withdraw at the last minute (i.e. just moments before they were due on stage) due to a Justin Hawkins’ throat problem. As I approached Liverpool city centre through the endless Mersey Tunnel, I pondered on why The Darkness had become so popular and sold more than one million copies of their debut album around the world. And why the band was selling out large venues before they were signed to a record label. PERMISSION TO LAND is a good but not classic album, and smash hit I Believe In A Thing Called Love is a good but not great song. And my confusion is the reason why this performance is one that I couldn’t miss.

On entering the venue I was greeted by numerous SOLD OUT signs, and an almost unparalleled atmosphere of excited anticipation. Within minutes, I’m settled in the fenced-off pit/barrier waiting for the first act to appear accompanied only by a sole, young and nervous security body.

American support band Young Heart Attack hit the stage running, and just above me was beautiful, blonde vocalist Jennifer Stevens (who looks like a taller, slimmer version of film actress Patricia Arquette). With lead vocalist and guitarist Chris Hodge and wild riffist Frenchie in tow, the band gave a superb rock performance. I know nothing about this band but later found out that they have made quick forays to London to very positive reviews.

The band’s support slots with Motorhead and the Darkness provide a clue to their particular brand of rock, while the call and response vocals of Stevens and Hodge provided an element of distinction. Stevens in particular grabbed my attention as she seductively and calculatingly snaked her way through the set, at one point bending back so far I thought she would break in two…

Another focus of my attention was guitarist Frenchie whose riffs and animated performance style were a show highlight. At one point he signalled to me to move aside and then promptly jumped down to the pit next to me to ’serenade’ his audience. With strong rocky tunes, of which Mouthful Of Love and Over And Over are a bit special, I think this band is going places, and they provided a wonderful start to the show. The band’s website is www.youngheartattack.net if you’d like to find out more about them.

I last saw Welsh band Ten Benson a few weeks back in Wrexham where they played to about fifty, sober punters. As you can imagine, it was a pretty dull heavy rock event despite the fact that the band played a great set. Last night’s performance blew me away, and had me wondering why this band remains relatively unknown while another Welsh heavy rock band, Funeral For A Friend, has grabbed the headlines. As they meander threateningly onto the stage, one is left in no doubt that they are serious and demonic rockers.

Thin as a rake but muscular with it, dirty string vest and regulation tattoos, leadman and guitarist Chris Teckham looks the part. From under his peaked cap, his untidy and greasy long locks, un-mowed facial hair and staring eyes make one want to duck for cover, avoid the gaze and grab a handful of crucifixion metal. In truth, he is a good-natured and razor-sharp leadman with a growling voice that lights the fiercest of fires. The band opens with Forces and I noticed an unwary crowd rooted to their spot… is it a bird? Is it a plane? No it’s just a great heavy rock band called Ten Benson! And that’s the immediate impact the band made. And it just got better and better… Ticket, Regular Joe, and Wife crunched from the stage until suddenly two young dancing girls appeared swirling pop-poms.

By this point the crowd had realised just how good the band was and the feeding frenzy had commenced in earnest. The immaculate Cottage rang out before the highlight of the short set, 3rd Eye & Bone floored us all. The song lasted forever with an extended, tight and doom-laden bass rhythm. Those buxom girls then re-appeared wearing next-to-nothing to celebrate and add ‘depth’ to the final song, Tits. As one of the girls was carried off by a band member, the crowd roared their approval at an amazing set that threatened to steal the show from under the noses of The Darkness. Just how long this band remains ‘underground’ is a matter of conjecture, however, in this humble reviewer’s opinion, Ten Benson is up there with the very best heavy rock bands. Time will tell…

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So what is it about The Darkness that makes them so popular? Justin Hawkins, his brother Dan (guitar), Frankie Poullain (bass) and Ed Graham (drums) have been filling concert halls prior to being signed and receiving an unprecedented level of media coverage. This performance revealed at least part of the answer. The band is almost like a honed, precision brand, and the stage set spoke volumes with its extra bright lighting, and the large central floor area devoted to frontman Justin. As I waited for the band to strike up, the pit security presence was cranked up substantially, and I was suddenly moved back as a huge white curtain dropped to hide onstage activities and décor.

As time ticked by there were the occasional screams from the audience mistakenly thinking that the time had finally arrived. When it eventually did, the roar was deafening as the brightly lit stage (the brightest I have ever seen) revealed the band members in all their glory. Drummer Ed Graham was elevated stage-centre while on the far flanks were Dan Hawkins (with Thin Lizzy t-shirt) and Frankie Poullain in familiar head bandana guise. Frontman Justin took centre stage wearing a pristine Young Heart Attack - a nice gesture to his support band - and regulation skin-tight and brightly coloured pants. They all looked immaculate. Opening song Bareback was unknown to me but drew some excellent guitar riffs from an intense Dan.

The classic rock of Black Shuck followed and with it the inevitable vocal support from the fans. It was time for Justin to remove his t-shirt and really get the party started. Growing On Me had the fans jumping and pointing, and signalled the start to endless crowd surfing. There was an extraordinary site behind me with the balconies that surround the venue crammed with bodies, and over 2,000 fans in full voice.

More unfamiliar songs in Best Of Me and Makin’ Out, rang out before another album track in the devastatingly good pop/rock ballad Love Is Only A Feeling. Another unknown but great song followed in Fizzy Sex before the familiar and very average album tracks, Get Your Hands Off My Woman and Stuck In a Rut. A slightly mellower Friday Night with it’s classic guitar riffs opened the way for ‘that song’, I Believe In A Thing Called Love, and the inevitable first of the night’s two encores.

Justin proved to a great frontman as he told stories and generally connected supremely well with his audience in just about every way. In minutes the band were back to perform three more songs including a scalding take on Givin’ Up and a soaring rendition of Love On The Rocks. It was during this short session that Justin was carried through the audience on the shoulders of a big fella before being deposited back to the stage. Then it was off again while the final treat was being prepared for the fans. Out came a pastiche of Father Christmas and various seasonal decorations, and in came Justin draped with a pure white fur wrap draped over his shoulders to perform the night’s closer, Christmas Time (Don’t Let The Bells End). It was extraordinary, and the song’s completion signalled the heavens to open up and fake snow and slivers of silver paper to shower down on the unsuspecting but delighted fans.

So was I any the wiser? Of course I was. The Darkness combines a good standard of musicianship with some catchy rock songs, employ classic style guitar riffs and have a frontman who connects like superglue with his audience. The guys also look great and no doubt attract a huge female following. Musically, I’ve seen and heard more meaningful and better music, but in terms of pure showmanship and fun, right now The Darkness is hard to beat, and proved it on the night.