The Darkness at The Halls, Wolverhampton,15th March 2025
Formed in Northern Ireland in 1992 tonight’s support for The Darkness, Ash have enjoyed a formidable career since the release of their debut album 1977. On Friday evening, they found themselves on stage in Wolverhampton, setting the tone for The Darkness with an electrifying opening set. Kicking off with Goldfinger, the band powered through a hit-packed, high-energy 40-minute set, keeping the crowd engaged from start to finish.
As a special treat, they threw in a surprise cover of Harry Belafonte’s Jump In The Line, adding an unexpected twist to the night. While Ash’s sound leans more toward the radio rock side of the spectrum compared to The Darkness’s flamboyant theatrics, once the headliners hit the stage, it becomes clear why the pairing works.
With The Darkness’s popularity soaring in recent years—thanks to TV appearances, a hit podcast, and relentless touring—there was little surprise that The Halls was packed on Saturday night as the four-piece took to the stage. With this tour culminating at Wembley Arena, the production value was far beyond what one might expect for a venue of this size.
A dynamic mix of video screens and towering lighting trusses transformed the stage into a spectacle fit for rock royalty. Opening with their new track Rock N Roll Party Cowboy, frontman Justin Hawkins led the band and audience through a 90-minute masterclass in showmanship, humour, and straight-up rock anthems.
Classics like Growing On Me and Get Your Hands Off My Woman ensured the crowd was fully on board, while newer, more radio rock leaning tracks were woven into the set. Even drummer Rufus Taylor got his moment in the spotlight, taking over vocals for a couple of the fresh additions. A standout moment came during Walking Through Fire, as Hawkins comically commanded the audience to march straight to the merch stand to buy the band’s new album.
Later, during I Believe In A Thing Called Love, he urged fans to ditch their phones and soak up the moment—a rare and welcome sentiment in today’s gig culture. While the omission of fan-favourites like Givin’ Up and One Way Ticket was a surprise, The Darkness tour so frequently that mixing up the setlist feels like a smart move to keep things fresh for returning fans. Whether or not their next album hits number one, one thing is clear—The Darkness are back on top where they belong.
Review- Dan Earl
Feature image courtesy of Chuff Media credit Simon Emmett
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