The Darkness is causing music fans worldwide to say they believe in a thing called arena rock, thanks to the power of their single “I Believe in a Thing Called Love.”
The Darkness has come from Britian to usher in the return of glam rock, and so far America does not seem to object. With gigs on their U.S. tour selling out swiftly, The Darkness has found a cult following.
Propelled by the strength of their cheeky single “I Believe in a Thing Called Love,” The Darkness is “in the the midst of the fastest British Breakthrough Stateside since the Spice Girls,” according to their own Web site.
And The Darkness’s popularity has hit Baton Rouge, too.
“I really like them,” said Kackey Miltenberger, a mass communication senior. “I think it is funny that they are bringing back 80s metal.”
Miltenberger heard about the band early on from one of her friends, before they started getting played on the radio, and now is a big fan.
The band recalls the great hair bands of the past — imagine AC/DC with wittier lyrics and RuPaul dressing them.
The Spinal Tap-style songs run the gamut of topics. From heroin to badminton to love, lead singer Justin Hawkins covers it all in his Freddie Mercury-style falsetto voice.
The band is bringing their trademark arena rock style to the New Orleans House of Blues on April 9, but those looking for tickets are already too late.
The show sold in out in under a week, according to a House of Blues representative.
Taylor Eilers, an English junior, wanted to see The Darkness in New Orleans and, when it was sold out, planned to travel to Atlanta as part of her spring break. But that concert sold out before Eilers could get tickets also.
“The CD is great because it displays their musical versatility,” Eilers said. “There is a song to cater to every mood you could possibly be in.”
Eilers and Miltenberger are not the only ones who think The Darkness are bringing something new and interesting to the table.
Their album “Permission to Land” was released in the U.S. in September and has already reached gold status according to SoundScan sales. In the U.K., the album has sold over 1.2 million records since its release in July, and the band recently won three Brit Awards.
Even though the band is coming to fame swiftly, many have not joined into the musical revolution that is The Darkness.
Sascha Shah, a petroleum engineering junior, heard about the band’s sold out show in New Orleans, but has not heard the band himself.
“I have heard of them recently, but I have not heard the song,” Shah said.
But with the video for “I Believe in a Thing Called Love” in heavy rotation on MTV, MTV2, VH1 and Fuse, and the song climbing the radio charts, it might not be long before the band reaches the level of fame they have found in the U.K.
Lead singer Hawkins explains the level of The Darkness worship simply an in MTV.com interview.
“It’s like the three stages of rabies,” Hawkins said. “First people fear us, then they start foaming at the mouth because they want us. And then they start attacking other people.”