Photos and Review by Bethany Anna Packer
Galleries: The Darkness, Diarrhea Planet
It’s hard to believe that it’s been over a decade since British rock band, The Darkness exploded onto the American music scene with their monster single “I Believe in a Thing Called Love.” The group’s fresh new take on the best things that 70s rock had to offer, combined with their unique sound and killer stage presence has kept The Darkness touring the country. Their latest tour run, dubbed the Tour De Prance found itself in Boston last week at Royale and the venue quickly filled with an eager crowd the moment doors were opened.
One of my favorite things about going to shows is the rare occasion that an opening act (that you previously had never heard of) completely blows your mind. This is exactly what Diarrhea Planet did for me. Don’t let the name deceive you, I also found it hard to take a band seriously when it sounds like they got their name from a naughty 10 year old boy… but that quickly changed. The self-proclaimed “cheekily obscene band” from Nashville blew us all away with their infectious energy and stellar interaction between each other and the crowd. I can officially say I am now a Diarrhea Planet fan.
The audience was well primed by the time lead singer and huge personality Justin Hawkins and the rest of The Darkness took to the stage. Justin, known for his outrageous attire donned a leopard print jumpsuit complete with matching cape. After stopping for just a moment to enjoy the screams of joy from the crowd, the group dove head first into a set list that sampled tunes from the span of their career. Justin had the crowd in the palm of his hand from the beginning, even borrowing a yellow beret that matched his outfit perfectly from a front row fan. The energy stayed consistently through the roof from beginning to end. The one and only disappointment of the night being the absence of the insane balcony dive that Justin has performed at some of prior shows.
The Darkness puts on a live performance that should definitely not be missed, and with Diarrhea Planet on the bill this tour is double the fun.
The Darkness at the Royale – Boston, MA
