A pleasant night in the city as the fans gathered early to take up their spots at the front to catch the headlining bands. Tonight was a three band bill featuring Danko Jones, The Darkness and Black Stone Cherry. The fans wearing their favourites T Shirts and hoodies were well on display around the venue.
Opening the show was Canadian rock trio Danko Jones opening the set with the excellent Saturday night, really turned a few heads in the venue as the crowd took notice. The power driven rock band seemed like they were at home performing on the large stage of the OVO Hydro. They have a brilliant stage presence delighting the audience to songs including I Gotta Rock, I’m in a Band and the brilliant First Date. Danko Jones, John ‘JC’ Calabrese, and Rich Knox know how to entertain an audience with their energetic performance as the JC delivers the backbone and captures the Glasgow audience attention with his performance. This was a short set back would love to see their own headline set as this certainly warmed up the audience as the closed the set with Had Enough, Lovercall and finished with the beautiful My Little RnR. They received a great reaction from the Glasgow audience as they had taken the boy to their hearts. You could see on the faces of the band they certainly enjoy their experience performing in front of the Glasgow audience.
Next up was The Darkness, as the stage crew set everything up the could feel the excitement building within the venue. It was a beautiful feeling as this was fans uniting in the love of music. As the arena lights went down The Darkness logo was illuminated of the back drop as the intro music was playing the atmosphere was electrifying with the excitement as the band were due on stage. As the intro music was playing the first sight of the band member as Dan Hawkins, Frankie Poullain and Rufus Tiger Taylor took up their position before the arrival for Justin Hawkins as the noise level in the venue erupted. Justin took certain stage taking in the audience on all sides of the venue as the played Growing on Me as he delivered his trademark vocals that had the front of the Glasgow audience going wild. A powerful start to the set with Black Shuck, One Way Tickets complete with flames and pyro techniques that created an awesome stage show delighting the audience. Now topless Justin was on top of stand boxes at the front giving his all to the fans plenty to cheer about.
Frankie Poullain was there standing proud with his awesome stage presence in his blue suit that just standout on the stage. As the smoke from the pyros filled the venue you could smell it creating the smell you would find on November the 5th in the UK. As the band captured their audience winning over even more fans with the epic rock show they continued with Heart Explodes, Solid Gold and the excellent Love in Only a Feeling.
Tonight was special this was Rock n Roll at the highest level with everything you could imagine thrown in for good measure. The ultimate rock n’ roll experience delivered Darkness style. The fans going wild as frontman Justin Hawkins leads them on a journey as he continues with Japanese Prisoner of Love, Givin’ Up and Get you Hands off My Woman. For anyone that has never seen the band and though it was all about the one song tonight they realised there is a whole lot more to the Darkness than the next song I Believe in a Thing Call Love that has the venue dancing and singing along. This was entertainment at the highest level with Justin on top of securities shoulders walking around the front of the Glasgow audience to the delights of the audience members. The band closed their duel headlining set with the excellent Love on the Rocks with No Ice. This was a performance you had to be there to witness no words can describe apart from Extreme Rock n’ Roll. As the band left the stage the venue the noise level in the venue was immense with the overall performance.
The stage crew where right on top of things clearing the stage for the second headlining band Black Stone Cherry. As the crowd settled down after the performance from The Darkness it was time to get ready to rock again as the large curtain was at the front of the stage the lights in the rear light it up white as the into music played as the members of the band took their places on stage their silhouettes where showing on the huge curtain before the band kicked the show off with the excellent Me and Mary Jane as the curtain fell to let the fans see the band who are Chris Robertson, Ben Wells, Steve Jewell and John Fred Young on stage. The audience roared as this happened as the band rocked out on stage with Ben Wells taking in both sides of the stage greeting the fans.
Lead singer Chris Robertson vocals sound amazing as ever as the opening song had Glasgow rocking included. Burnin, Again, Soulcreek and the excellent Blind Man. The energy on stage and the dry ice blasts really set the stage alive. The band were on top form as they had Glasgow on top voice singing along and dancing to In My Blood and Out of Pocket as Chris said it is great to be back in Glasgow it is always a great night in the city.
The energy from Ben and Steve covering both sides of the stage and at great pace showing off their guitar poses delighting the fans. The Glasgow audience loving every second of the show as the worked their way though the crowd pleases like Cheaper To Drink Alone, Things My Father Said, White Trash Millionaire and Blame it on the Boom Boom that had the venue at full voice. As the band played their final song of the set Lonely Train, it felt like the night had gone by in a blink of an eye, but these fans were loving every second and for fans that missed out this was a great rock n roll experience they may never witness again As the band left the stage, the arena lights stayed down you knew they would be back, and before too long they were back as the crowd showed their delight the band play an ELO cover Don’t Bring Me Down that took the roof off the venue before it was time for the band to say their final goodbye for tonight to Glasgow.
For the fans that witnessed tonight it was the ultimate Rock n’ Roll experience under the one roof. This tour is not to be missed arrive early and take in Danko Jones.
Review and Photographs by James Edmond
