The Darkness have released a video for their current single, Heart Explodes. The footage was shot last month at Roundhay Park in Leeds and at Chantry Park in Ipswich, where the band supported pop star Ed Sheeran during the final shows of his Divide tour.
"Ed’s been a fan for years," guitarist Dan Hawkins tells Classic Rock. "What do you think was the first song he ever played on guitar? Get Your Hands Off My Woman."
Heart Explodes comes from upcoming album Easter Is Cancelled, which will be released on October 4 through Cooking Vinyl, and follows the release of Rock And Roll Deserves To Die in August. Bundle pre-orders are available now.
“It’s about the despair of change," says frontman Justin Hawkins. "Having to reappraise your life and what you're holding on to. It’s like that feeling when you just want to go for a swim and keep going. Wanting to be enveloped by something that will gradually pull you down.
"If you really, really want to survive that process, you can. We've all been there - people who say they haven't are lying.”
"The difference between the Darkness’ sadness and other bands’ sadness is that we don’t wallow in it," adds brother Dan. “Even when it’s sad, there’s a playfulness to it."
The Darkness will head out on the road across the UK and Ireland in support of Easter Is Cancelled from November, where they'll play the album in its entirety, and also have a run of European shows lined up for early next year.
"Uncertain times call for the grandest of gestures," exclaims Justin. "The Darkness are entirely pleased to announce that we will encircle the world with the wings of inclusivity, by performing our new magnum opus, Easter is Cancelled, in full, at ludicrous volume, for your ears and your minds! Come with us people - let’s fly to a future worth living in..."
The Darkness 2019 tour dates
Nov 26: Belfast Limelight, UK
Nov 27: Dublin Academy, Ireland
Nov 29: Nottingham Rock City, UK
Dec 01: Birmingham O2 Academy, UK
Dec 02: Leicester O2 Academy, UK
Dec 03: Southend Cliffs Pavilion, UK
Dec 05: Norwich UEA, UK
Dec 06: Cambridge Corn Exchange, UK
Dec 07: Bath Pavilions, UK
Dec 09: Portsmouth Pyramids, UK
Dec 10: Brighton Dome, UK
Dec 11: Watford Colosseum, UK
Dec 13: Manchester Academy, UK
Dec 14: Newcastle O2 Academy, UK
Dec 15: Glasgow O2 Academy, UK
Dec 17: York Barbican, UK
Dec 18: Liverpool O2 Academy, UK
Dec 20: London Roundhouse, UK
The Darkness 2020 tour dates
Jan 25: Strasbourg Laiterie, France
Jan 26: Paris La Cigale, France
Jan 27: Bordeaux Krakatoa, France
Feb 03: Lyon Ninkasi KAO, France
Feb 04: Zurich XTRA, Switzerland
Feb 08: Munich Technikum, Germany
Feb 10: Vienna Simm City, Austria
Feb 11: Nuremburg Hirsch, Germany
Feb 12: Berlin Kesselhaus, Germany
Feb 14: Copenhagen Amager Bio, Denmark
Feb 15: Stockholm Nalen, Sweden
Feb 17: Oslo Rockefeller, Norway
Feb 18: Gothenburg Pustervik, Sweden
Feb 20: Hamburg Markthalle, Germany
Feb 21: Cologne Essigfabrik, Germany
Feb 22: Sint Niklas De Casino, Belgium
Feb 24: Amsterdam Melkweg Max, Amsterdam
Feb 25: Frankfurt Batschkapp, Germany
