The Darkness Showbiz and Celebrity Breaking News

Latitude Festival has announced a swathe of new names for its 2024 line-up, including The Darkness, Future Islands, Lankum and The Vaccines.The festival will return on the weekend of July 25-28 in Henham Park, Suffolk, and last month revealed its 2024 headliners as Duran Duran, Kasabian, Keane and London Grammar.Also on today’s line-up announcement are Jockstrap, CMAT, Waxahatchee, Baby Queen and Marika Hackman.The festival’s comedy line-up for 2024 has also been revealed, with headliners Jo Brand, Judi Love and Joanne McNally joining the previously announced Sara Pascoe.See the full Latitude 2024 line-up so far.

The Darkness has performed their version of ‘Don’t Let The Bells End’ with a 12-piece choir – watch the footage below.‘Don’t Let The Bells End’ was The Darkness’ bid at the 2003 Christmas Number One (sadly Gary Jules beat them to the top spot with ‘Mad World’).Originally recorded at Abbey Road studios as an epic rock ballad complete with jingle bells and a children’s choir, The Darkness have honoured the track for its 20th birthday with a particularly festive performance.Playing the track on the Jo Whiley BBC Radio 2 show at BBC’s Maida Vale Studios, frontman Justin Hawkins appeared with an appropriately glittery red guitar and a 12-piece choir to perform the song.“Thank you so much to the wonderful Jo Whiley and her fantastic BBC Radio 2 team for having us and of course to Mark Delisser’s angelic sounding 12 piece choir,” wrote the band on social media. “Beautiful.” Take a look below:Recently, Justin Hawkins has opened up about his regret over The Darkness’ split.

Justin Hawkins has admitted that he still feels regret over the time The Darkness split up before reuniting again in 2021.Despite the huge success of their debut album in 2004, ‘Permission To Land’, the band split up after their 2005 release, ‘One Way Ticket To Hell…And Back’ while Hawkins, who is the lead singer, guitarist and frontman of the band, was battling addiction.During the group’s ongoing UK tour to celebrate two decades of their debut, Hawkins told fans at a concert in Manchester on Tuesday (December 12) that he “felt really bad” for his bother Dan in the band following the break up.He described his brother as the “brains” of the operation before adding: “Silly old Justin took all the drugs and [messed] it up” (via Music News).He said he “had to live with the consequences of that”, referring to the split.Hawkins recently said he thought he was “too old” to be a rock star at 18. The musician told Metro newspaper that he thought he wouldn’t make it as a musician once he reached 18 and started to study music and work behind the scenes instead.He said: “I remember when I got to about 18 and I saw bands like Ash coming up and thinking, ‘Well this is over, I’m already too old!’ But I still wanted to be in music, so I went and studied music technology and got a job in a recording studio,” (via Yahoo).He then went on to reflect on his journey and being signed by a label, aged 25.

Ed Sheeran has made a surprise appearance with The Darkness, playing a surprise opening set and later joining them to perform their song ‘Love Is Only A Feeling’ – watch the footage below.The global popstar has had a long relationship with The Darkness. Sheeran previously confessed his intentions to take Taylor Swift to the Suffolk band’s show: “I think she’d really dig The Darkness.” Meanwhile, the band opened for Sheeran on the UK leg of the 2019 ‘Divide Tour’ along with James Bay and Zara Larsson.Now, Sheeran has repaid the favour by performing a surprise opening set for the band’s show at London’s Roundhouse last night (December 9). According to website setlist.fm, Sheeran played six of his megahits, including his mashup of ‘Don’t’ (from 2014 album ‘x‘) and Blackstreet‘s ‘No Diggity’.

The Darkness have paid tribute to the late Shane MacGowan at a recent show in Dublin by leading the crowd through a sing-along of The Pogues’ signature song, ‘Fairytale of New York’. At the band’s show at Dublin’s 3Olympia Theatre on December 3, they performed the cover towards the end of the set, with frontman Justin Hawkins singing minimally, frequently pointing the microphone towards the crowd as an invitation to lead the sing-along, against sporadic guitar accompaniment.The band posted a clip of the performance on X yesterday (December 7), writing: “Thanks for the sing-a-long Dublin.

The Darkness have shared the trailer for their upcoming feature-length documentary, Welcome to the Darkness. Check it out below.Directed by Simon Emmett, the documentary will tell the story of the band’s formation in the early 2000s, their fast rise to fame as well as their crashing disbandment in 2006, finally covering their reunion in 2011.The film is set to be released in cinemas for one night only on November 9 and it will be available on digital download and Blu-ray from December 4. Visit here for tickets to the showing.As described in a press release, “20 years on from their platinum-selling debut, Justin Hawkins, his brother Dan Hawkins, bassist Frankie Poullain, and new drummer Rufus Taylor tell their story, in their own words of The Darkness’ comeback tale.”It continued :”With unprecedented access, unseen archive footage, and intimate interviews filmed over eight years, Welcome to The Darkness is a tongue-in-cheek reflection on fame, failure, friendship and forgiveness.

The Darkness are set to become the subject of a feature-length documentary, Welcome To the Darkness. The film will arrive in cinemas for one night only on November 9 and will then be available on Blu-Ray and digital download from December 4.Per a press release, the new documentary follows the band as they try to resurrect their career and get back to the fame they had attained in the early 2000s, having split up in 2006 and reformed in 2011.Directed by Simon Emmett, Welcome To The Darkness offers unprecedented access to the band’s lives at this period, as well as unseen archive footage, and intimate interviews filmed over six years,The press release describes the documentary as “a unique account of a band of brothers who are still haunted by the demons that ripped them apart.

The Darkness have announced a new UK and Ireland tour to celebrate the 20th anniversary of their debut album ‘Permission To Land’.The new string of tour dates come following the band’s support slot for Guns N’ Roses at London’s BST Hyde Park, and sees them schedule shows for Glasgow, Manchester, London, Dublin and more.Set to kick off with a show in Belfast on December 2, the tour will consist of nine shows and follows on from previously announced dates across Europe and North America. General on-sale for the newly-announced shows starts this Friday (July 7) at 9am BST — visit here to purchase tickets and find a full list of upcoming UK and Ireland tour dates below.The tour will mark 20 years since Justin Hawkins and co.

The Darkness‘ Justin Hawkins has shared that he “gets nothing” from Red Hot Chili Pepper‘s guitarist John Frusciante, on his podcast.The frontman’s comments came from a recent episode of “How NOT to Write a Song,” his podcast in which he and his guest Pat Finnerty (of the YouTube series What Makes This Song Stink) discussed Frusciante and his guitar playing.“My issue with Red Hot Chili Peppers is that I get nothing from John Frusciante’s guitar playing. I feel like if we can call [Dire Straits’] Mark Knopfler an underrated player, I would describe John Frusciante as an overrated player.

Queen‘s Roger Taylor has responded to rumours that his son Rufus is joining Foo Fighters as their new live drummer.Rufus Taylor – the Godson of the late Taylor Hawkins, and current member of The Darkness – performed on-stage with the Foos at last year’s huge Hawkins tribute concerts, which took place in London and Los Angeles.He was one of the numerous guest drummers to join Dave Grohl and co at the emotional shows, appearing alongside the likes of Travis Barker, Nandi Bushell and Hawkins’ teenage son Shane.Last week saw Foo Fighters return with ‘Rescued’, their first single since Hawkins’ death in March 2022. With it, the band shared details of their 11th studio album ‘But Here We Are’ (out June 2).Next month, the group will hit the road for a run of festival appearances and US headline shows.

Guns N’ Roses have announced the first wave of artists set to support them at their British Summer Time Festival (BST) headline show this year.The rock band comprising Axl Rose, Slash, Duff McKagan, Dizzy Reed, Richard Fortus, Frank Ferrer and Melissa Reese, will top the bill on June 30. It will be their first appearance at the festival.The first act joining Guns N’ Roses for the stint will be The Pretenders.

The Darkness have shared details of a European tour to celebrate the 20th anniversary of their debut album ‘Permission To Land’.Today (March 22) the rock band have announced 13 European shows ahead of a global tour that’s to be revealed in the coming months.Tickets for the European dates go on sale this Friday (March 24) here.Singer and guitarist Justin Hawkins said: “When ‘Permission To Land’ landed, twenty short years ago, we were bathed in shock and awe. As if by magic, Rock wasn’t dead! Fun wasn’t banned! And Spandex was almost acceptable again.“Well, guess what? Twenty years on, the same rules apply.

Disturbed frontman David Draiman has publicly apologised to The Darkness‘ Justin Hawkins, regarding an incident at the band’s show nearly 20 years prior.Hawkins discussed the incident on his YouTube channel Justin Hawkins Rides Again two weeks ago, in a video entitled ‘I Pissed Them Off Big Time’. In response to a fan asking about Hawkins’ “worst experience as a support act”, the singer recalled a 2002 show at London’s Brixton Academy where the band opened for Disturbed.Given the considerable difference in styles between the two bands, The Darkness were not treated well by Disturbed’s fans.

The Darkness opened for Disturbed in London, calling it his “worst experience as a support act”.The frontman told the story during a recent video on his official YouTube channel, Justin Hawkins Rides Again.In the episode, titled ‘I P*ssed Them Off Big Time’, Hawkins answered “some excellent queries” from his fans, beginning with a question from David Reed. He asked the singer to reveal his “worst experience as a support act. Be that treated [badly] by the main act or backstage.”Responding to the question, Hawkins explained: “The Darkness supported Disturbed at Brixton Academy [in 2002].

The Darkness and Black Stone Cherry have announced details of a 2023 co-headline tour of the UK.The two bands will head out on the road together early next year, with dates booked in Cardiff, Liverpool, Glasgow, Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds.The joint tour will wrap up on February 4, 2023 with a show at the OVO Arena Wembley in London.“Legend tells of a night, some 10 or more years ago, upon which The Darkness and Black Stone Cherry serenaded the nocturnal creatures of Thetford Forest, receiving generally favourable reviews in the woodland press,” The Darkness’ Justin Hawkins said in a statement about the tour.“Like the owls and squirrels of that fabled evening, we give to you an opportunity to stand beaks and mouths a-gape in awe and wonder at the awesome power of power chords played by the very same fingers, but within the convenient shelter of an arena instead of in a moon-dappled forest clearing. There may be some seating so you won’t have to sit on toadstools.

The Darkness’ Justin Hawkins has given his verdict on Jon Bon Jovi’s reported recent struggles with his vocals.The latter’s US tour with his band Bon Jovi last month received regular criticism for the standard of the singer’s vocals, with one reviewer describing his performance as “shockingly poor”.Jovi has yet to publicly acknowledge the negative reviews, while reps for the band declined to comment to the Asbury Park Press.Speaking on his YouTube series Justin Hawkins Rides Again last week, the Darkness musician expressed sympathy for the singer, and observed that Jovi’s vocals sounded “tired” rather than hindered by a vocal cord problem.“It sounds like he needs some kind of [vocal] therapy,” Hawkins said. “It doesn’t sound like it’s a polyp or some sort of lump on his vocal cords, because that would be more unpredictable — he would be hitting the notes, and then it would squeak off and it would do something unexpected.“But that’s not what’s happening here.

The Darkness have unveiled details of an extensive North American tour in 2022.The group will head out to the US next spring on a 34-date run which kicks off in San Diego in March and concludes in Boston in April.

The Darkness have launched a beer named after their festive single ‘Christmas Time (Don’t Let The Bells End)’.The band have teamed up with London’s Signature Brew for their own brand of bitter which comes in a limited box edition entitled ‘Pub in A Box, Bells End Edition’.It includes four cans of The Darkness’ ‘Bells End’ beer, limited-edition glassware, a beer mat and art print, plus snacks, a Spotify playlist and a pub quiz.It is priced at £30 and can be purchased here.

The Darkness have shared a brand new track called ‘Jussy’s Girl’ – you can listen to it below.It’s the third track to be previewed from the band’s upcoming new album, ‘Motorheart’, following the LP’s title track last month, and ‘Nobody Can See Me Cry’.Speaking about the ’80s rock-inspired number, frontman Justin Hawkins said: “‘Jussy’s Girl’ is a song about unrequited desires of both the flesh and the heart. Although one could argue that hearts are made out of the same stuff as flesh.

The Darkness have shared a new track called ‘Nobody Can See Me Cry’ – you can listen to it below.It’s the second track to be released from the band’s upcoming new album, ‘Motorheart’, following the LP’s title track, which arrived last month.Speaking about the riff-heavy single, frontman Justin Hawkins said: “‘Nobody Can See Me Cry’. It’s devastating.

The Darkness have returned with a rocky, ’80s inspired new song. You can listen to ‘Motorheart’ below.It’s the title track from their upcoming new album, which is released on November 19 via Cooking Vinyl.

The Darkness have shared details of their seventh album ‘Motorheart’ and announced a UK tour.The band’s seventh album is released on October 15 via Cooking Vinyl, preceding a 22-date tour this November and December.Fans who pre-order ‘Motorheart’ before next Thursday (June 10) will gain access to tour ticket pre-sales ahead of them going on general sale.