If ever there was a band that deserved a big fat live album it’s The Darkness, as anyone who’s seen them live will testify: and as a veteran of their shows on three continents I can attest that they put on a mighty fine night out. And while we’re at it, if ever there was a name to conjure up the glory days of live Rock to countless fans of a certain age it’s simply one word – the mighty Hammersmith. Of course these days heritage plays second fiddle to commercialism and the mighty Hammersmith Odeon like so many other venues is now rechristened with a nameless faceless brand – the Eventim Apollo… Oh well. What can you expect from Britain’s finest?
Expect excess… Let’s face it The Darkness know how to Rock and they also now that Rock is meant to be fun. I for one would love to see a stage set just like the one portrayed on the cover with a Tiger, a pair of Eagles and a… Llama… Sure logistically it might be hard to pull off but imagine how much fun those animals would have when they crank up the volume… OK, Maybe not then…
Musically ‘Live at Hammersmith’ gives you all the bells and more than your fair share of whistles, it bristles like an annoyed hedgehog and races like a over-wound clock, and every inch, sorry second, delivers instant gratification.
If you love the new stuff, you’ve got it, lathered on lovingly like a sonic shower gel, and if you cherish that seminal album – the majestic ‘Permission to Land’ it’s pretty much all present and correct. The only slight niggle for some fans might be the relegation of the ‘in-between albums’ – ‘One Way Ticket’ represented only by the OTT opener and title track; ‘Hot Cakes’ seeing only the opener ‘Every Inch of You’ getting a look in; and the rather wonderful ‘Last of Our Kind’ bucking the trend of opening tracks to land track 2 – ‘Open Fire’ which ironically opens proceedings here.
The album itself is a recording of the full set from the bands performance at the Eventim Apollo (nee Hammersmith Odeon) in December last year and it is majestically mastered by Dan Hawkins, who has done a nice job, if not quite managing to edge it into the rarefied airs of classics like ‘Live and Dangerous’ and ‘Live in the Heart of the City’ surely the two finest albums recorded in this venue. But it is damned good and as a representation of the band’s live show it does manage to capture the essence.
I could go on to point out the highlights but I wont – just take a look at the set-list – leading off with the glorious ‘Open Fire’ a real upbeat opener (that I see has recently been usurped by ‘Solid Gold’ in the bands latest shows), easing off for ‘Love is Only a Feeling’ which has seen time mid-set and right at the end over the years, and it goes on right till the inevitable closer and the wonder of ‘that riff’.
As live albums go this one really is indispensable.
