Concerts Reviews
The Darkness Light Up Montreal with Old-School Rock and Roll
On Sunday night, British glam rock veterans The Darkness rolled through Montreal as part of their “Dreams on Toast” North American Tour. They’re on the road promoting their eighth studio album, and fans packed the iconic Club Soda for a night of old-school rock and roll with their signature touch of glam.
First on the bill was Ireland’s very own Mark Daly, along with a full backing band. Mark Daly and his band played unapologetic garage rock and roll. His voice was reminiscent of Eddie Vedder from Pearl Jam or the late Chris Cornell, and their music gave off heavy Led Zeppelin vibes. It was clear what their influences were, and the Montreal crowd was absolutely vibing with them. It was their first time in the city, and they were visibly shocked by the great response from the Montreal crowd. In an act I rarely see for an opening band, about halfway through their set, the classic “Oee oee oee” chants blasted through the venue. Daly, a bit in disbelief, said, “This is the first time that’s ever happened to us. This is insane. Thank you,” before finishing their set. They all grabbed a shot of whiskey and toasted the Montreal crowd. “You know how we Irish people don’t like to drink at all,” he joked, “but this is a special occasion.” It was a truly great opening act that I hope to catch again soon.
At 9 p.m. sharp, the stage flooded with smoke and red light, and in came The Darkness. Dan Hawkins (guitar) and Rufus Taylor (drums) came out first, arms raised and clapping to the cheering crowd, followed by Frankie Poullain (bass). Seconds later, their iconic frontman Justin Hawkins rushed in, rocking a full-on cowboy outfit: a black embroidered button-up shirt, slim black pants with metal studs down the sides, and, of course, a cowboy hat. He strapped on a grunged-up orange neon Stratocaster, and the rock and roll party aptly started with “Rock and Roll Party Cowboy,” the first single from their new album.
The band sounded fantastic and well-rehearsed throughout the night. Specially obvious during the second song of the set, “Get Your Hands Off My Woman,” a track I know front to back from their first album, Permission to Land. Hawkins’ signature falsetto just makes you want to go, “Hell yeah!” with every note. It’s pure glam rock and roll, something we no longer get to see very often, especially in mid-size venues.
The set list felt very well-crafted by a band that seemed to know most of the audience grew up listening to Permission to Land and that’s what we wanted to hear. They would play a couple of new songs, then go back to a banger from their first album like “Givin’ Up” and their iconic power ballad “Love Is Only a Feeling.” The band would then move on to play newer stuff like “Motorheart” or “Mortal Dread.” It was an unspoken exchange between the band and the audience: “We’ll give you what you want, but we’ll also play what we want in return.”
Even on the lesser-known songs, Hawkins knows full well how to command an audience. During “Walking Through Fire” he ran the audience through a line dance, doing a two-step to one side of the venue, then the other. I have to admit, seeing a bunch of metalheads line dancing on a Sunday night at a rock show wasn’t on my bingo card, and it’s the kind of energy the frontman is able to transmit to a crowd with ease, even after all these years.
Throughout the night, The Darkness had some great surprises to hype us up. They played a cover of “The Power of Love” by our own local treasure, Celine Dion. That, of course, might have been the loudest the crowd was all night. If you want a Montreal crowd to go crazy, just play Celine Dion; it will never fail. They also played a cover of “Fat Bottomed Girls” by Queen, which also never fails to hit at a metal show, with Hawkins hitting every note originally sung by the legend Freddie Mercury with ease.
The highlight, of course, was closing their main set with “I Believe in a Thing Called Love.” The song that gave them international recognition back in the early 2000s is a must-have on every glam-metal playlist around the world. We all sang along with Hawkins, who could not stop smiling through the entire song.
It was a night of pure rock and roll bliss. The Darkness proved they can still command a crowd, bringing their timeless glam-rock sound to a city ready to embrace both the nostalgia and the new. The Montreal crowd was more than happy to be a part of it, leaving no doubt that the band still has a great following on the other side of the world.
Check our our favourite photos of the night below or head to our Facebook page for the full gallery!
THE DARKNESS
MARK DALY
All Photo Credit: Andres Amaya
Concerts Reviews
LIVE REVIEW: Goldfinger Keep the Pit Moving and the Shoes Flying in Vancouver
On April 17th, the Commodore Ballroom in Vancouver felt like a ska-punk time warp, with California punk legends Goldfinger supporting their new album, Nine Lives.
Sullvn got things rolling with a set that didn’t waste any time. Within minutes, hats were flying into the crowd like it was a merch-based game show, and the vibe quickly turned into organized chaos. They brought to the stage Dicky Barrett, former frontman of Mighty Mighty Bosstones for their hit “Raise a Glass”.
Next up was Broadway Calls, proving once again that a three-piece can absolutely shake a room. Their brand of fast, hooky punk tore through the crowd, with songs like “Call It Off” and “Back to Oregon” landing like instant jolts of energy. By the time they wrapped, the room was fully ready for Goldfinger.
Right away, frontman John Feldmann started doing crowd math. “How many of you are under 20?” A few scattered hands. “Over 40?” A lot more hands. He laughed and proudly stated that to still be doing this 32 years later as the best feeling in the world. This wasn’t a band clinging to nostalgia… but they also weren’t about to ignore it.
From there, it turned into the kind of chaos Goldfinger shows are known for, a non-stop blur of songs, crowd surfers, and, of course, the sacred tradition of shoes flying through the air. Somewhere along the way, footwear stopped being optional and started being part of the performance. Pairs were held up like trophies, launched across the room, or lost to the pit entirely. If you managed to leave with both shoes still accounted for, honestly, that’s a personal victory. The setlist leaned into exactly what people wanted. “Here in Your Bedroom,” “Chasing Amy” “Counting the Days”, all the hits, all loud, all sung back at the band like it was a group project. The floor barely stayed still for more than a few seconds, and the security team definitely got their steps in from the steady stream of crowd surfers.
During “Mable,” they pulled fans up on stage to dance, turning the whole thing into a slightly chaotic, very wholesome party. And then… “Superman.” The reaction was instant. Like, no hesitation, full-body nostalgia. The second it started, it felt like half the room got mentally transported back to playing Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2 in their living rooms. Suddenly, everyone knew every word (even the ones they probably didn’t know they knew), and the energy somehow went up another level. It wasn’t just a highlight, it was the moment.
When it wrapped at the Commodore Ballroom, the place was wrecked in the best way – sweaty, shoeless, and buzzing. Still, no one seemed in any hurry to leave.
Check out our favourite photos of the night below or head to our Facebook page for the full gallery!
GOLDFINGER
BROADWAY CALLS
SULLVN
All Photo Credit: Heather Horncastle
Concerts Reviews
LIVE REVIEW: Face to Face with Sevendust in Riverside, Iowa
For close to thirty years, Hard Rock’s Sevendust has graced hundreds of stages all over the world, playing sell-out shows to rabid fans. The band, fronted by LaJon Witherspoon, has been recognized for its soulful vocals, hard-hitting riffs from Clint Lowery and John Connolly, thumping bass from Vince Hornsby, and monstrous drum sounds and screams from Morgan Rose. Riverside, Iowa was treated to the full Sevendust experience on Friday night.
The Riverside Casino Event Center has played host to events ranging from poker tournaments to keynote speakers, but on Friday it served as the setting for an amazing night of rock. The show started off with Iowa City–local band NonGrata. NonGrata has become very well known in the Eastern Iowa music scene, having opened for bands like Alien Ant Farm, Norma Jean, Archers, and will be opening for DED this summer. Blending groovy guitars with crisp clean vocals and harsh screams, the band delivers a sound that makes you want to jump out of your seat and stage dive. Although Sevendust was the main attraction on Friday night, everyone enjoyed NonGrata. They were a great choice to open the show and get people excited before Sevendust took the stage. NonGrata will be playing shows in Eastern Iowa throughout the year, and Midwest locals should take the chance to see a new band.
After an hour pre-show delay due to the weather, fans were itching to get out of their seats as anticipation for Sevendust taking the stage rose. Riverside was the second show of the One Tour, but there was no sign of early tour woes as the band broke right into Home. The 1999 track off the album of the same name was a great opener, carrying a hint of nostalgia and a whole lot of feeling. Witherspoon made an early effort to cross from side to side, ensuring every fan had the opportunity to interact with him. Stage presence is always among the highlights of a Sevendust show. Fans know they are going to get two things when they go to a Sevendust show: amazing music and plenty of interaction. The great music kept rolling as the second track of the night was a crowd favorite, Denial. The band was joined by hundreds of backup singers who knew every word, creating an ambiance that added essential energy to the environment.
The band seemed emotional in response to how well they were received by the Riverside crowd. After spending significant time in Europe to start the year, Sevendust said it was good to be home. Because these were among the first U.S. shows of the year, American fans had not yet had the opportunity to hear songs from the band’s upcoming album, One, live. The first chance came with the third song of the night, Is This the Real You. Although the Riverside crowd had never heard the song live, that did not stop them from singing along. Sevendust also played two other new tracks from the forthcoming album, Unbreakable and Threshold. Both sounded great live, and anticipation for the new album is high. Based on the reactions to the new material, the album will likely be well received when it comes out in two weeks on May 1.
The focus on new music did not stop Sevendust from breaking into its classics. The setlist was full of songs a Sevendust show would be incomplete without; Praise, Enemy, Waffle, and Black all had their place in the night. It truly was the complete Sevendust experience. The night could not end, however, without an encore of Rumble Fish and Face to Face. Even though the crowd was treated to a 15-song main set and a two-song encore, they still yearned for more. Unfortunately, all good shows must come to an end, but with 25 dates left on the One Tour, there will be plenty of opportunities to see Sevendust again this year.
One comes out May 1.
Check out our favorite photos of the night below or head to our Facebook page for the full gallery!
Upcoming tour dates:
4/20 – Indianapolis, IN
4/21 – Lexington, KY
4/22 – Birmingham, AL
4/24 – Mobile, AL
4/25 – Destin, FL
4/26 – Atlanta, GA (supporting Alter Bridge)
4/28 – Dallas, TX
4/29 – Oklahoma City, OK
More information on the band’s website.
SEVENDUST
NONGRATA
All Photo Credit: Ryan Renger