BLACK STONE CHERRY + THE DARKNESS + DANKO JONES – WEMBLEY ARENA, LONDON 4.2.23
Black Stone Cherry
The headliners for tonight’s show at Wembley Arena are Black Stone Cherry, who let it be said are a very different style of band to The Darkness It is unfair to compare Black Stone Cherry’s hard driving blues rock with the showy pseudo-glam of The Darkness. These are two very different bands. But, that said, Black Stone Cherry are also a band of crowd pleasers who know what their audience want and are more than happy to deliver. They are a band who have found a place in many British rock fans’ hearts and are more popular over on our shores than in their home country of the USA.
These are a bunch of ‘good ole boys’ from Kentucky who, knowing how to have a good time, have taken the traditional Southern country rock style and instilled it with a serious dose of 21st century heavy rock. Take Blackfoot and crank it up a few more notches.
They have carved a niche in the UK rock scene and have probably some of the most devout fans on the planet who were there to hang on every note and every word that ushered from Chris Robinson. Unlike the bombastic show put on by The Darkness, Black Stone Cherry let their music do the talking. With a simple stage set and minimal use of smoke cannons they laid out a set of pure good time favourites.
Starting with crowd pleaser ‘Me And Mary Jane’ they set the tone for their set and from the first note the crowd were won over and the band could do no wrong. From there they dipped into the ‘Family Tree’ album with ‘Burnin’, before visiting their latest album for the first time this evening with ‘Again’ which produced the only drum solo of the night. It is clear that John Fred Young is more than an accomplished drummer and showman in his own right, but you have to question whether drum solo’s should now remain a thing of the past. That said many people took the opportunity for a quick trip to the bar and other facilities.
From that point the rest of the set was drawn mainly from the ‘Folklore And Superstition’ and ‘Between The Devil & The Deep Blue Sea’ albums. That though was what the audience were here to hear. ‘Soul Creek’, an ever-popular number started proceedings with the first of many audience participations, alarms aloft and voices bellowing out the chorus line. ‘Blind Man’ followed before the audience became ecstatic with ‘In My Blood’, an absolute belting crowd pleaser that had the entire arena singing along with its great hooks and catchy chorus.
The band themselves were clearly enjoying themselves. Ben Wells was a whirling dynamo, high-kicking, jumping, bouncing and running around the stage whilst Bassist Steve Jewell did his best to keep up.
It must be noted that Chris Robinson’s vocals never sounded stronger or better as he nailed tune after tune and this showed on the only new song of the evening, their latest single only released at the beginning of the tour ‘Out Of Pocket’, which though less well known was well received.
From then on it was a pure greatest hits set. ‘Like I Roll’, a song that sums up the bands early days and ‘Cheaper To Drink Alone’ both going down a storm with a surging rolling audience, before the tone was slowed for the band’s big ballad ‘Things My Father Said’ which saw the arena filled with thousands of swaying phone lights (no lighters allowed now), as Chris Robinson rung every drop of emotion out of this very personal tune. The audience themselves, sung along adding to the special feeling that this song brings, clearly something that touched many hearts tonight.
Then it was pure heads down rock and roll time as the band ripped up ‘White Trash Millionaire’, a two finger salute from the U.S. blue collar man to those who malign the less well off in society, before the ever popular ‘Blame It On The Boom Boom’, a sure fire heads down rock ‘n’ roll number to blow away any cobwebs and summing up those ‘mornings after the night before’. The set closed with ‘Lonely Train’, a tune bemoaning war and calling for tolerance and understanding through the love for brothers and one another.
There was only time for the one encore and this brought us back up to date by visiting the latest album, albeit with an old classic cover version of ELO’s ‘Don’t Bring Me Down’, a tune that brought back the party vibe and left the audience wanting more.
Black Stone Cherry:
Chris Robertson – lead vocals, lead guitar
Ben Wells – rhythm guitar
Steve Jewell – bass
John Fred Young – drums
Black Stone Cherry setlist:
‘Me And Mary Jane’ [Album: ‘Magic Mountain‘]
‘Burnin” [Album: ‘Family Tree‘]
‘Again’ [Album: ‘The Human Condition’]
‘Soul Creek’ [Album: ‘Folklore And Superstition’]
‘Blind Man’ [Album: ‘Folklore And Superstition’]
‘In My Blood’ [Album: ‘Between The Devil & The Deep Blue Sea’]
‘Out Of Pocket’ [New Single]
‘Like I Roll’ [Album: ‘Between The Devil & The Deep Blue Sea’]
‘Cheaper To Drink Alone’ [Album: ‘Kentucky’]
‘Things My Father Said’ [Album: ‘Folklore And Superstition‘]
‘White Trash Millionaire’ [Album: ‘Between The Devil & The Deep Blue Sea‘]
‘Blame It On The Boom Boom’ [Album: ‘Between The Devil & The Deep Blue Sea‘]
‘Lonely Train’ [Album: ‘Black Stone Cherry’]
(encore)
‘Don’t Bring Me Down’ (Electric Light Orchestra cover) [Album: ‘The Human Condition’]
The Darkness
So, to The Darkness. Arriving on stage with a cry of “good day to you one and all”, we knew what was coming. What hasn’t been said about Justin Hawkins and his merry band of Troubadours. They’ve been with us for over ten years now and still are an acquired taste, a ‘marmite’ band. You either love them or hate them. They are not a band for sitting quietly in the middle of the road. They have plenty to say and have no intention of being ignored by anyone. If you are a fan, and unsurprisingly many of those in the crowd tonight clearly were, then they could do no wrong and every song was greeted as if it was a new highlight or more likely an old friend.
There is nothing subtle about The Darkness. They know what the fans want and they are more than happy to oblige with their own variation of flamboyant glam rock. From the moment they hit the stage to a curtain of pyrotechnics’ to the last note accompanied by an even greater level of pyro there was no holding back and they ripped through a crowd pleasing education in how to provide good time rock ‘n’ roll with just a smidgen of tongue in cheek.
This is a band who have never taken themselves too seriously and why not? Let’s be honest, there’s far too much fun to be had on stage, and it was clear to all here tonight that was exactly what they wanted. From opener ‘Growing On Me’ which was the first song to treat us to Justin’s famous falsetto screams through to ‘Black Shuck’, a song based on a Norfolk folk tale of a Demon Dog, there was no holding back. Justin covered every inch of the stage and was a frenetic ball of energy driving both himself and the audience into greater raptures of excitement.
Tonight was a night for the hits and the favourites, although they broke stride for a few minutes to play the title track to their latest album ‘Motorheart’ which, though less well known, is also becoming a fan favourite. If the tempo and expectation was high now it was turned up to eleven with hit single ‘One Way Ticket’ featuring a typical banter and singalong with the crowd. If it needed more to fire the audience up then Justin Hawkins is the man. If the high volume good time party rock’n’roll isn’t sufficient then let’s just throw shoes and socks into the crowd, roll up the trouser legs and loon around the stage like an extra from ‘Pirates of The Caribbean’.
It could not go on continuously at this tempo and the band turned it down a notch for the more melodic ‘Heart Explodes’, a softer semi-ballad, although by the end of it the entire arena had their hands in the air clapping a la Queen’s ‘Radio Gaga’. Yet, once this gentle intermission was over, we were back into familiar Darkness territory with ‘Solid Gold’ seeing Hawkins strutting around the stage like a modern day Jagger.
Following this with ‘Love Is Only A Feeling’ the audience were again eating out of his hand. From this they played ‘Japanese Prisoner Of Love’ which personally I found to be a bit disjointed, with a number of drum and guitar breakdowns that seemed to impact on the flow of the song and broke the feeling of the set up. This also saw Justin put down his guitar for a keytar and improvise with a flourish of Van Halen’s ‘Jump’. Then with a final skirmish Justin was gone from the stage and the band were able to show what they could do with Dan Hawkins and Frankie Poullain playing off against each other.
Then we were back to old favourites with the final four numbers all coming from the bands seminal first album ‘Permission To Land’. With a flourish Justin was back in his famous red jumpsuit and the band ripped into ‘Givin’ Up’ to re-start proceedings with the audience trying to copy Justin’s high pitched vocals. From then it was pure anthemic flamboyant showmanship with Justin Hawkins as lead jester cum conductor leading the crowd.
As the excitement continued to grow they tore into their first single ‘Get Your Hands Off My Woman’ before Justin told the audience in no uncertain terms to put away their camera phones, that he didn’t want to see any phone lights filming because everyone was there to party, and there was quite simply only one number to follow with their greatest hit, ‘I Believe In A Thing Called Love’. At this point quite simply, the band could do no wrong. The arena was bouncing, everyone was up on their feet, hands in the air, singing their heads off.
And then we had reached the final number, with Justin admitting “this is our last song, but it does last 15 minutes” and they ripped into ‘Love On The Rocks With No Ice’. There is little more to say, what could you after this set, unless of course it seems the time to jump on a roadie’s shoulders and go for a walk through the audience, then with another bombast of pyro the show was over.
The crowd was buzzing and it was clear that The Darkness had seriously thrown down the gauntlet to Black Stone Cherry. So what can we add to that said about The Darkness. Well, Fun, definitely with a capital F, frivolity, showmanship, mayhem and madness and pure packed entertainment. Long may this band continue. It’s fair to say that in these dark days the World needs a little Darkness.
The Darkness:
Justin Hawkins – guitar, vocals
Dan Hawkins – guitar
Frankie Poullain – bass
Rufus Tiger Taylor – drums
The Darkness setlist:
‘Growing On Me‘ [Album: ‘Permission To Land’]
‘Black Shuck’ [Album: ‘Permission To Land’]
‘Motorheart’ [Album: ‘Motorheart’]
‘One Way Ticket’ [Album: ‘One Way Ticket….’ ]
‘Heart Explodes‘ [Album: ‘East Is Cancelled’]
‘Solid Gold’ [Album: ‘Pinewood Smile‘]
‘Love Is Only A Feeling’ [Album: ‘Permission To Land’]
‘Japanese Prisoner Of Love’ [Album: ‘Pinewood Smile’]
‘Givin’ Up’ [Album: ‘Permission To Land‘]
‘Get Your Hands Off My Woman’ [Album: ‘Permission To Land‘]
‘I Believe In A Thing Called Love‘ [Album: ‘Permission To Land’]
‘Love On The Rocks With No Ice’ [Album: ‘Permission To Land’]
Danko Jones
As the opening act for this double headlining show Danko Jones have their work cut out to win over fans of the two co-headliners. They only have 30 minutes in which to do so and this three piece from Toronto, Canada hit the stage fired up and ready to go. With such a short period of time in which to show what they can do they have to pull out all the stops, not only to warm up the crowd but to win over new fans.
Tough as it seems, they go a long way to doing so. The opening number ‘Saturday’ is an adrenaline fuelled rocker that is perfect to kick start the last night of the tour. With Danko Jones as the frontman playing guitar and providing lead vocals, not only does the band carry his name but he is responsible for carrying the show on his shoulders. From the first blast of rock and roll they continue their incendiary fired attack with ‘I Gotta Rock’ and then ‘I’m In A Band’ which both follow in a similar vein. ‘I Gotta Rock’ is an anthemic barnstormer straight out of the Twisted Sister School of songwriting and ‘I’m In A Band’ shows another side of the band with a more pop-punk approach.
Clearly their message is getting through as the arena is starting to fill rapidly and the audience are clearly enjoying what they are hearing; to the extent that a multitude of hands are raised for ‘First Date’, a song with fast guitars and a punchy singalong chorus line, which is very reminiscent of the Ramones. ‘Had Enough’ arrives as a riff laden nod to the NWOBHM which has a particular feel of early Saxon and provides another catchy chorus that keeps the audience on their feet and bouncing along with the band.
‘Lovercall’ starts with a deep rumbling bass courtesy of John ‘JC’ Calabrese, who it has to be noted hardly stops moving all night and is key in driving the audience reaction. With Rich Knox belting in with a full force drum tirade the sound fills the arena before the power chords from Danko’s guitars pull the song into line and start a further wave of jumping around at the front of the stage. From ‘Lovercall’ they roll into their final number of the night with ‘My Little R’n’R’. A tune that brings us full circle and back to the party feel of opener ‘Saturday’. Thirty minutes of non-stop driving rock and roll and the set is over, and the deserved reaction of the crowd is duly received.
So, what to make of it. Thirty minutes is a short time to play and driving through eight songs in that time meant there was no holding back. This was a band who clearly wore their love of rock and roll on their sleeves and they came out and delivered. Perhaps it would have been good to have a little more flexibility in the songs, but the band had a job to do and they clearly succeeded from the reaction received. A good opening slot well filled.
Danko Jones:
Danko Jones – guitar, vocals
John ‘JC’ Calabrese – bass
Rich Knox – drums
Danko Jones setlist:
‘Saturday’ [Album: ‘Power Trio’]
‘I Gotta Rock‘ [Album: ‘Wild Cat’]
‘I’m In A Band’ [Album: ‘A Rock Supreme’]
‘First Date‘ [Album: ‘Sleep Is The Enemy’]
‘Full Of Regret’ [Album: ‘Below The Belt’]
‘Had Enough’ [Album: ‘Below The Belt’]
‘Lovercall’ [Album: ‘Born A Lion‘]
‘My Little R‘n’R’ [Album: ‘Wild Cat‘]
So in summing up the night…..Black Stone Cherry were the business tonight. Yes, The Darkness threw down the gauntlet yet they rose to meet it. Was there a winner? Certainly, and that was those who were there to witness this last night of the tour show. I’m sure Sunday morning brought some bad heads and wondering looks from those who were there. If so, then just blame it on the boom boom.
