A long reply to a post comparing The Darkness show to 1981 Van Halen

It was reminiscent of an early 80’s rock show, for sure. I find it somewhat remarkable that The Darkness, despite their goofier tendencies never give their fans that knowing wink to indicate that they’re “in on the joke.” I think that’s because they know, as do you and I, that their music and performance is no joke, even if its written and played with a fair dose of humor. They’re playing it completely straight and in the style of heroes from a less cynical time. How rare is that these days?

In 1981, though, that was the norm. Shows from “Back in Black” era AC/DC, “Moving Pictures” era Rush, and “Fair Warning” era Van Halen featured bands who were, even at the time, iconic. As a fan at their concerts, the electricity in the arena made you feel like you were witnessing and participating in something that approached apotheosis–the bands felt superhuman; rock gods, indeed. That’s pretty much gone, now, though. In an era of fragmentation, it might be impossible for a modern band to connect with enough people to create the critical mass required for them to ascend to that level.

But The Darkness come pretty danged close to getting me back to that place. 

I LOVE watching Dan Hawkins play guitar, for example. His School of Rock Power Stance only bolsters his already fantastic guitar work (he is, as far as I’m concerned, the heir to the rhythm guitar throne established by Chuck Berry and later occupied by Keith Richards and Angus Young). The fact that he does it in front of a Marshall Stack only adds to the imagery. Frankie Poullain looks absolutely ridiculous and, as far as I can tell, that’s the point. So did every other pre-1990 rock star. During the show, that ridiculousness sets him apart from and, maybe, above the rest of us.

Compare that to the 1981 Fair Warning tour I referred to in my prior post. Consider Van Halen’s wardrobe choices, primarily dicated by David Lee Roth who insisted that the music should “look like it sounds.” Edward and Alex Van Halen each wore knickers with striped socks and matching striped shirts (Eddie in red, Alex in black). Michael Anthony danced around the stage in a flight jumpsuit (and occasionally a matching helmet). David Lee Roth had a couple of different styles of low-rise spandex football pants. The band, especially in retrospect, looked downright silly. A few biographies later, we know they *knew* they looked silly. But being “over the top” was part of the rock god persona. It wasn’t just about wardrobe, though. How they played, how they interacted with the audience, and how their shows were staged all supported the persona. Van Halen and the bands of the time embraced the persona without cynicism.

U2’s the last band, that I can think of, from that mold. I think they went out of their way to elevate and then cynically bury that persona with their ZooTV tours. Those tours, combined with the rise of 90’s Alternative music, which was more about the anti-rock-star, effectively ended the era of BIG rock music. It’s no wonder that so many initially viewed The Darkness as a novelty, perhaps ignoring the remarkable quality of the music they were producing (just like the equally retro Jellyfish 15 years earlier, I might add).

The Darkness are a band of irreverant characters that writes and performs excellent music in an over-the-top fashion. Comparisons to the big bands of the 70’s and 80’s are inescapable as that’s the last time any of us have regularly witnessed that type of musical production. I, for one, couldn’t be happier about it and I’m glad you got a chance to experience it a little.