The Darkness, Rageflower @ Hindley Street Music Hall, Adelaide 28/3/2026
‘Last time we were here, I gave seventy five percent, eighty percent, and you supported me throughout that show. Tonight, I promise you are going to get one hundred percent of me!’ Justin Hawkins, one of rock n roll’s last great frontman recalls being here two years ago when under the weather, and makes a bold claim two songs in. However, he was right. A night of rock ‘n roll cabaret led by the ringmaster himself awaits us all.
The Darkness are a modern throwback to the golden time of when rock ruled the world with legends larger than life. Anthems, catchy chorus, filthy riffs and a frontman who understands that the crowd is just as important as the band. No backing tapes, just pure rock n roll.
Opening tonight are Rageflower, who are the clam before the storm. Cherry flavoured with a dash of 80’s pop melodies, the three piece appear in Adelaide for the first time. Judging by the numbers who bopped their heads along, Madeleine Powers’s passionate vocals are a hit here as the set builds and builds before the all-out rock crescendo at the end.
Opening with Rock And Roll Party Cowboy, The Darkness are a wall of guitars, drums, wails and anthems. Justin Hawkins solos are fire, the room to a person clapping along and the switch into Growing On Me gives everyone the opportunity to sing early.
Get Your Hands Off My Woman still sounds fresh and the trademark handstand dance from Justin gets a loud cheer. By the end of the song, a back and forth singing duel with the crowd has them eating out of the affable frontman’s hands.
Promoting new album, Dreams On Toast, six tracks drop including Mortal Dread and Walking On Fire, where somehow Justin has managed to get the whole crowd to fist pump the air and dance in unison like a rock n roll barn dance.
A Darkness show isn’t just Justin channelling his inner Freddie Mercury, bassist Frankie Poullain constantly gees the crowd up in Motorheart and even drummer Rufus Taylor gets up and sings later in the set.
Throw in some poetry, hand waving during Love Is Only A Feeling and having the room sing the chorus to Givin’ Up a capella and you have everything you could wish for.
Whether it’s bunny hopping across the stage while soloing, kick flipping guitar pics while soloing or breaking glass with a high pitch vocal while soloing, Justin Hawkins is a performer who transcends the music.
The Longest Kiss is another clapping anthem, Friday Night an old favourite however we all know what we are waiting for.
A quick snippet of Immigrant Song, a request to put your phone away and then bam! I Believe In A Thing Called Love with no phone in sight, just people getting entranced in the moment of that song, was magical to see, hear and feel.
Cheekily finishing with snippets of Heartbreaker and Black Shuck. The Darkness promised one hundred percent and we got it, and so much more. This was the place to be on a Saturday night.
Live Review By Iain McCallum