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REVIEW: THE DARKNESS & HELL OR HIGHWATER 2/1/2013
Gweedo
Summit Music Hall hosted an awesome show – The Darkness and Hell Or Highwater. This got a lot of people to show up only for two bands. Last time The Darkness came through, the place sold out. I don’t believe it happened again, but I feel like it got close. The two bands were a little odd together because Hell Or Highwater is a heavier while The Darkness is very eccentric, but they were both fun. There seemed to be a good mix of age groups in the crowd from teen to 50’s. It would have been cool to have a little band playing on the stage in the new Moon Room while people were coming in.
Gweedo
Summit Music Hall hosted an awesome show – The Darkness and Hell Or Highwater. This got a lot of people to show up only for two bands. Last time The Darkness came through, the place sold out. I don’t believe it happened again, but I feel like it got close. The two bands were a little odd together because Hell Or Highwater is a heavier while The Darkness is very eccentric, but they were both fun. There seemed to be a good mix of age groups in the crowd from teen to 50’s. It would have been cool to have a little band playing on the stage in the new Moon Room while people were coming in.
Brandon Saller
You want an amazing new band? Well, go see Hell Or Highwater. In my opinion, they sound like a lyrically softer and more melodic Atreyu. This is probably because the band is fronted by Atreyu’s drummer and singer, Brandon Saller. I think this project is a great opportunity for Saller, and it seems like he’s able to really stretch his musical talent. The project’s success is also backed by a very talented band. Their performance was very energetic and a lot of fun. Despite being pinned to the edge of the stage with all the equipment up there, they were jumping around and moving about. They had a pretty full crowd to play to. It appeared that most were not there to see them as they did the awkward standing around, not singing along moment while the band played. This was quickly remedied by the band’s energy, songs, and charisma. The more the band played, the more people got into it, and I’m sure they left with a few more fans. Bribing the audience by giving away a new Sony camcorder helped too. Saller took his own camcorder and roamed around the entire floor and up in the balcony while singing. At another point in the show, guitarist Neal Tiemann and Saller hopped down on the railing to get the crowd singing along. Overall, Hell Or Highwater did excellent as an opening band by getting everyone energized. Saller had a very strong voice and the instruments were tight. After their set, they hung out to meet everyone and sell t-shirts that came with a signed poster. They were very humble. My only complaint is that they had a CD coming out in a few days, and they didn’t have any to sell at the show. That was the one thing I was looking forward to getting from them.
Justin Hawkins
The Darkness had a fantastic performance. The production was less than last time, which had a big back drop and wardrobe changes, but that didn’t change their playing. Coming out, they had tons of energy from start to finish. Eccentric lead singer and guitarist Justin Hawkins must have felt that delivering a spot on musical performance was simply not enough. He livened up the show with jumps, kicks, hand stands, and dancing. The whole band looked like they were having a great time. This was also reflected by the crowd, who was going crazy for the band. People were dancing and singing along to the music, and there were a lot of crowd surfers throughout the show. Women were repeatedly throwing up their various undergarments. This just added to the sexuality of the performance. Justin has a superb vocal range that he showcased and, impressively, didn’t falter as the show went on. He interacted with the crowd by doing “do as I do” vocal medleys to demonstrate this further. His brother, guitarist Dan Hawkins, had a great show. Towards the end, Dan hoisted a guitar yielding Justin onto his shoulders and traversed the sea of people while Justin played. A roadie manned Dan’s rhythm part for him. It was pretty awesome and something seldom seen from bands these days. The Darkness often broke the stage barrier in similar ways, pretty much bringing the show to your lap. At another point, Justin came to the edge of the crowd to allow fans to sing with him. As if all that I have mentioned wasn’t enough, they came out for an encore. The night’s performance featured some songs from their newly released 3rd album, Hot Cakes, which was being sold at the merchandise booth. Besides the album, they only had a few shirts and did not come out to meet the fans after the show.
Hell Or Highwater
When the dust settled and all that was left were ringing ears, it turned out to be an awesome show. I’m glad I didn’t miss it. I highly recommend you try to catch Hell Or Highwater when they come back. The same goes for The Darkness, who will grab you by the knickers. Neither of these bands will disappoint.
The Darkness
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