Alcatraz Line up: 2022

Founded in 2000 by brothers Justin and Dan Hawkins, ‘The Darkness’ garnered excellent reviews in the UK with singer Justin’s versatile performance as the standout feature. Three years later their debut album ‘Permission to Land’ won a truckload of awards. They were off to the perfect start but the box office success of follow-up ‘One Way Ticket to Hell... and Back’ (2005) fell short of expectations and things went downhill from there, culminating in the departure of singer Justin Hawkins and ultimately the band’s demise. In 2011 the original line-up reformed and the following year their third album ‘Hot Cakes’ rekindled the fans’ interest. It turned out to be the right move for the quartet who have made glam rock-inspired hard rock their trademark. In 2015, Rufus Tiger Taylor – son of Queen skinsman Roger – joined the band. The Darkness found their second wind and starting from ‘Pinewood Smile’ (2017) they’ve gone from strength to strength. On ‘Easter Is Cancelled’ (2019), The Darkness resurrect rock ‘n’ roll and their new single and title track of the new album ‘Motorheart’ pays tribute to a devoted sex robot.