The Darkness // Ash // Bad Nerves // Live Review // CHSQ // Belfast
Tonight we have one of the few rock nights to take over CHSQ in Belfast this year, we have around 15 or so shows dappled with an array of artists across multiple genres, and tonight we have The “fantabulous” Darkness lighting up the Belfast city centre skyline for us. In tow, Northern Ireland’s darlings Ash and UK band Bad Nerves, who we caught a while back at The Tele supporting The Darkness a while back on their ‘Permission To Land 20th Anniversary 20th Anniversary Tour’.
Bad Nerves kick off tonight’s proceedings early around 7 pm – so early that I couldn’t get my sweet ass parked I time to get into the pit for the band kicking off, but i did catch their high energy, frantic set! These guys are just a ball of energy ready to explode and when they hit the stage, they have a charm all their own that comes with the UK side of their rock n roll lifestyle, we European rockers do have a vibe quite different to the US lads, and as one person points out frontman xxxx almost has a similar personality to Justin from The Darkness when on stage, but I think it’s a UK thing, a chilled ive came here to rock kind of nonchalant charisma that you have to admire. The band are on fire, laying down riffs like ballistic missiles, and the crowd are lapping it up. As one part of a three-band lineup, it means we only have these guys for a short, succinct set, and before you know it, it is time to say goodbye. Belfast gave them their all for 45 mins or so, and fun was had, but now it’s time for some of Northern Ireland’s favourite sons to take to the stage.
The guys have just announced an upcoming UK Tour so check out the details below:
Tickets available here.
For more information:
Website | Instagram | X | Facebook | SoundCloud | Spotify | YouTube
Ash have a new album Ad Astra, coming out on October 3rd 2025, and tonight’s live show in Belfast city centre will indeed whet the appetite of all the local fans who are ready to welcome them back into their hearts once again. These guys look as youthful as they did when they hit the scene all those years ago; they lash through a barrage of songs that cover the years and miles on the road that helped shape their iconic sound. Tossing in classic fan faves as they do with the Belfast crowd exploding with approval every time they hear one of their epic hits. The crowd are bouncing around like their lives depend on it, waves of approval greet the end of every song. The trio joke about their age and the fact that they have a 50-year-old in the band, which kinda makes me think “sweet baby Jesus, that makes ME feel old” as they play “The Girl From Mars”, which, as Tim says, is 30 years old itself. I think I may need a dark room to lie down in. No sooner have I thought that this was the highlight of Their set when I spot on Eric Bell (Thin Lizzy) and Dan Hawkins of The Darkness take to the stage for a version of ‘Whiskey In The Jar’ now that was something special, you can tell by the phones in the air how much it means to an Irish crowd North or south of the border when a former Lizzy member takes to the stage to play one of their tunes. Captivating! And with that, they all come out to the front of the stage to take a bow and say goodnight – Belfast erupts like we haven’t seen this evening – Glorious!
Pre-order new album Ad Astra HERE.
The guys have a tour in full flight also right now – Tickets are available here
Ash: Website | Facebook | Instagram | TikTok | X | YouTube
Photos By Mark McGrogan
@flashartmark #flashartmark
9 pm and the lights drop and CHSQ goes wild as The Darkness take to the stage, Justin in a gold coloured silky shirt and jeans looking a million dollars as always, sporting his new relic’s super Strat, he’s making that bad boy wail with feedback! Seeking approval from the Belfast crowd, teasing us all as he does, you just beat a bit of Justin Hawkins! There aren’t too many showmen like home in rock these days, great frontmen, but showmen, they’re a dying breed!
This is why so many love The Darkness, it takes us back to the days of Freddie Mercury and Queen, Marc Bolan and T-Rex and the likes and rock and metal can take itself a little too seriously these days, but not The Darkness. They brought us Permission To Land with a plethora of manic videos that announced these guys were. Something pretty special, and now two decades later, what can you say, they’re still pretty fucking special!
Their sound may have evolved, but their enigmatic presence cannot be argued. All glitz, all glam, but pure rock n’ roll. Unadulterated. Unapologetic class! These guys have done it all, seen it all and bought the t-shirt, and it shows, they’re still rocking the fuck out look effortlessly. Participation rock n roll too, as Justin orchestrates the crowd to follow his every whim, walking through the fire, having everyone march to his tune – where else would you get it? As one guy said, they’re having a lot of in up there, which is great to see for a band who have been together quite a while now, nights like this feel pretty special for the audience and you can only hope the band love it as much too, the smiles on their faces tell me they’ll remember this night in Belfast for sure. The band has no shortage of material to entertain the crowd, but it’s always the big fan faves that get the loudest cheers, and of course, one such fave was their debut single ‘I Believe In A Thing Called Love’ which brought back guitar solos to the fore once again, praise baby Jesus! Praise Justin Hawkins! And life just hasn’t quite been the same ever since. Justin, of course, has had his ups and downs and bounced right back, bringing the band back to their rocking place as Brit rock royalty, and these days he is as busy as a YouTube creator on ‘Justin Hawkins Rides Again’ where he talks all things modern music and beyond. But tonight Matthew, he is 100% rock ’n’ roll and living his best life doing what he was born to do; they all are, as tight a band as you’ll see and worth every penny of your hard-earned money for a quality night out.
As the set wraps up, you can’t help but look back at what was a glorious return to Belfast for the lads. I’ve seen them the last few times they have been here, from the Limelight to the Telegraph Building, and now CHSQ, The Darkness are back, baby! And so is their army of dedicated fans who have ridden that rollercoaster with them over 25 glorious years. Long may it continue!
http://www.thedarknesslive.
Photos By Mark McGrogan
@flashartmark #flashartmark
