Words and Pictures: Adrian Hextall / MindHex Media
March 29th, 2025, saw a vibrant collision of rock energy at London’s OVO Arena Wembley as The Darkness, supported by Ash, delivered a memorable night for a packed audience. The ‘Dreams on Toast’ tour finale in London was a celebration of both established hits and exciting new material, proving that both bands still possess an undeniable spark and connection with their fans.
Ash
Northern Irish rock heroes Ash took to the stage first, delivering a punchy and energetic set that served as the perfect warm-up for the headliners. Having previously supported The Darkness on their ‘Permission to Land’ tour over two decades ago, there was a palpable sense of camaraderie and shared history in the air.
Their setlist was a well-crafted mix of their beloved classics and a taste of something new. Tracks like ‘Goldfinger’, ‘Angel Interceptor’, and the ever-popular ‘Girl From Mars’ ignited the crowd early on, with singalongs echoing through the arena. The inclusion of ‘Shining Light’ and ‘Burn Baby Burn’ kept the energy levels soaring.
Adding a fresh element to their performance was their lively cover of Harry Belafonte’s ‘Jump in the Line’, which was met with enthusiastic applause and got many in the audience dancing. As Tim Wheeler pointed out, anyone of a certain age that had seen ‘Beetlejuice’ will not only have recognised this classic but also know the lyrics and dances off by heart. This unexpected but brilliantly executed cover showcased their playful side and ability to inject their own energy into a classic. Ash’s performance proved that after three decades, their love for their music and their audience remains strong, setting a high bar for the night ahead. Not bad for a band that, like The Darkness, has done the rounds countless times yet continues to deliver and inspire in equal measure.
SETLIST:
Flash (Queen song) – INTRO
Goldfinger
Angel Interceptor
Orpheus
Shining Light
Braindead
Kung Fu
Jump in the Line (Harry Belafonte cover)
Girl From Mars
Burn Baby Burn
Jump in the Line (Harry Belafonte song) (original version) – OUTRO
The Darkness – Give me a D…. Give me an ‘Arkness
As the anticipation reached its peak, The Darkness exploded onto the stage, kicking off their set with the high-octane ‘Rock and Roll Party Cowboy’, the opening track from their newly released album ‘Dreams on Toast’. Pure unadulterated The Darkness and from the first note, frontman Justin Hawkins was a force of nature, his charismatic stage presence and powerful vocals immediately captivating the 12,500-strong crowd.
The setlist masterfully balanced their new material with the iconic hits that catapulted them to fame. Fan favourites like ‘Growing on Me’ and ‘Get Your Hands Off My Woman’ had the audience singing and jumping along, the energy in the arena reaching fever pitch. Hawkins’ signature falsetto and guitar acrobatics were on full display, including a topless handstand and David Lee Roth patented scissor jump, showcasing both their musical prowess and their theatrical flair.
Now it’s clear that The Darkness were on a mission to land the Number 1 spot in the National Album Charts. However the plans were being thwarted by those pesky kids, Mumford & Sons. Justin, never one to let a controversial comment or two get in the way of a performance cheerfully pointed out why we should all dislike Mumford & Sons thanks to their former guitarist, Winston Marshall’s, right wing political views. A chant or two later that cannot be disclosed here as it’s a family magazine and we continued the show.
Amidst the rock anthems, there were moments of unexpected sincerity. Drummer Rufus Tiger Taylor stepped out from behind his kit to deliver a heartfelt rendition of ‘My Only’, accompanied by images of his late Boston Terrier, Don, on the big screens. This poignant tribute offered a touching contrast to their usual high-energy performance and highlighted the band’s ability to connect with their audience on a deeper emotional level.
The surprises continued with a playful tease of Queen’s ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ by Justin Hawkins, a nod to Freddie Mercury’s legendary performance at the same venue. They also incorporated a snippet of Led Zeppelin’s ‘Immigrant Song’ into their performance of ‘Christmas Time (Don’t Let the Bells End)’, showcasing their musical versatility and sense of humour.
Of course, no Darkness concert would be complete without their chart-topping hit, ‘I Believe in a Thing Called Love’, which ignited the loudest crowd reaction of the night. They even cleverly mixed in the synths from Van Halen’s ‘Jump’ into the song, adding an extra layer of rock nostalgia.
The encore featured tracks from their new album, ‘Weekend in Rome’ and ‘I Hate Myself’, with Hawkins even crowd-surfing during the latter, which closed the show, much to the delight of the audience. Bouquets of flowers were thrown onto the stage, a testament to the enduring love and appreciation for a band that continues to deliver electrifying live performances after over two decades in the industry.
The ‘Dreams on Toast’ tour finale in London was a fitting end to a successful run, leaving fans eagerly anticipating what both bands will do next..
SETLIST
Arrival (ABBA song) – INTRO
Rock and Roll Party Cowboy
Growing on Me
Get Your Hands Off My Woman (including “I Know It’s Over” and “Bohemian Rhapsody” tease)
Mortal Dread
Motorheart
Barbarian
Walking Through Fire
Love Is Only a Feeling
The Longest Kiss
Heart Explodes
My Only (Rufus on vocals)
Japanese Prisoner of Love
Friday Night
Christmas Time (Don’t Let the Bells End) (first verse & chorus, one line of second verse)
Immigrant Song (Led Zeppelin cover) (first verse and chorus)
I Believe in a Thing Called Love
Encore:
Weekend in Rome (preceded by band intros, with tease of “Crazy Little Thing Called Love”)
I Hate Myself (Justin crowdsurfing)
(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life (Bill Medley & Jennifer Warnes song) – OUTRO
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