Aaron Pompey
In 2003, British rockers The Darkness dropped Permission to Land, hitting quadruple platinum status and winning them multiple Brit Awards the following year. Twenty years on, the Lowestoft natives are wheels down with Permission to Land…Again and a 12-state U.S. cross-country tour that zips from The Masonic in SF to D.C’s. 9:30 Club, all within the month of October.
For over two decades, The Darkness has shored up its legacy and multiplied its fan base. The passage from its early days to its hard-fought, well-earned legacy status is legendary among those in the know. Weathering turbulence in the years immediately following its commercial success, its members splintered across The Stone Gods and Hot Legs, finally reuniting in 2011 and launching its next chapter with the release of Hotcakes a couple of years later.
Four albums since, the band is leaning into that legacy with a special 20th-anniversary collection due out October 6th on Warner Music. The associated tour kicks off in San Francisco, with tickets on sale on its website (https://www.thedarknesslive.com/tour-dates/).
The band is eager to hit the road, deliver its classic album in full, pop in a handful of classics from its catalog, and mingle with new and longtime fans alike. Frontman Justin Hawkins recalls that, “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. So please squeeze yourselves into those inappropriate leggings, back-comb your mullet, splash on a big handful of attitude, and come celebrate with us! We promise everything and we deliver, every time. Bring on the next twenty! The Darkness. The best. For you. Forever.”
But wait, there’s more. Permission to Land…Again will be available in all the usual vintage formats: 5 LPs, 4 CD/DVDs, 2 CDs, or as a digital download for local storage. Despite the adoption of new technologies for music consumption, it’s not uncommon in the post-streaming landscape to watch actual units fly off the shelves when an album drops. It doesn’t hurt that the new release on physical media includes rare bonus content like B-sides, unreleased demos, and live recordings. Order now, buy your tickets, pack yourself into your Spandex, and see you at the show.
PERMISSION TO LAND 20 U.S. TOUR DATES:
10/3 San Francisco, CA The Masonic
10/4 Sacramento, CA Ace of Spades
10/6 Los Angeles, CA The Wiltern
10/7 Tempe, AZ Marquee Theatre
10/8 Las Vegas, NV Brooklyn Bowl
10/10 Denver, CO Summit Music Hall
10/11 Kansas City, MO The Truman
10/13 Chicago, IL The Vic Theatre
10/14 Indianapolis, IN The Vogue
10/15 Detroit, MI Saint Andrew’s Hall
10/17 Boston, MA Big Night Live
10/18 New York, NY Terminal 5
10/19 Philadelphia, PA Franklin Music Hall
10/21 Sayreville, NJ Starland Ballroom
10/22 Washington, D.C. 9:30 Club
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