The Darkness: The Astoria, London
Nick Hasted, The Independent, 13 November 2003
I HAD WATCHED THE DARKNESS phenomenon from a distance, in dismay. Despite the sheer unexpectedness of their vault from clubs to stadiums, every glance at their ridiculous, sub-Queen videos and apparently unexceptional songs made them seem like some kind of prank – a substanceless hype perpetrated by snottily amused music journalists, lowering themselves to like a ropy Metal band, in the spirit of Spinal Tap.
Total word count of piece: 451