Let There Be Darkness!

HOW DO YOU “DELIGHT, BEGUILE AND OFFEND” THOUSANDS OF ED SHEERAN FANS? JUST ASK JUSTIN AND DAN HAWKINS OF U.K. RIFF-MASTERS THE DARKNESS

- RICHARD BIENSTOCK

LAST SUMMER THE Darkness, Britain’s favorite riff-slinging, Seventies-rock-worshipping sons, found themselves onstage in some of the biggest venues in the U.K., opening a series of dates for, of all people, Ed Sheeran. As for how they felt they went over as the support act for the acoustic pop phenom?

“I enjoyed the opportunity to delight, beguile and offend,” says Darkness singer and guitarist Justin Hawkins. “Any sort of reaction was a bonus, because it was just apathy at the beginning of our sets.”

“The crowd started off with their fingers in their ears,” acknowledges guitarist and younger brother to Justin, Dan Hawkins. “But by the end they had their hands in the air. It was a massive success, actually.”