The Darkness in Superbowl Commercial
THE DARKNESS
STORM NORTH AMERICA
GROUP’S HIT “I BELIEVE IN A THING CALLED LOVE” AND FRONTMAN
JUSTIN HAWKINS FEATURED IN FOURTH QUARTER SUPER BOWL XLVI
COMMERCIAL FOR SAMSUNG’s GALAXY NOTE SUPERPHONE
LIVE PERFORMANCE AND INTERVIEW
SET FOR MONDAY, FEBRUARY 6 ON
VH1’s TV’s “BIG MORNING BUZZ LIVE”
(LIVE 10:00AM ET/PT)
U.S. TOUR KICKS OFF TO SOLD-OUT CROWDS
THE DARKNESS took the world by storm during today’s Super Bowl XLVI, one of the biggest sporting events on the planet. The British group’s infectious classic hit “I Believe In A Thing Called Love” was featured in a fourth quarter commercial for Samsung’s Galaxy Note Superphone. Directed by filmmaker Bobby Farrelly (There’s Something About Mary, Dumb and Dumber, Kingpin, Shallow Hal), the clip features the group’s bombastic frontman JUSTIN HAWKINS as a pied-piper leading a colorful cast of characters in a massive street party (see the link below). Fans can log onto Facebook.com/samsungmobileusa to win JUSTIN’s guitar from the spot. Last year’s Super Bowl XLV was watched by more than 111 million people, becoming the most-watched program in U.S. television history (Nielsen Co.).
Tomorrow (Monday, February 6), tune in to watch the multi-platinum group’s acoustic performance and interview airing LIVE from the NYC studios of VH1 TV’s “Big Morning Buzz Live” (10:00AM ET/PT). Viewers can access extended interviews and behind-the-scenes photos online at Buzz.VH1.com andhttp://www.facebook.com/vh1buzz.
Recently reunited with all original members, THE DARKNESS—JUSTIN HAWKINS (vocals/guitars), DAN HAWKINS (guitars/backing vocals), FRANKIE POULLAIN (bass) and ED GRAHAM (drums)–are now on the road, having launched their month-long headlining North American tour last week (see press quotes below) in Toronto, following it up with a killer sold-out show last night at Irving Plaza in NYC (see set list below). The group’s live set encompasses classics from 2003’s multi-platinum album Permission To Land, including favorites “I Believe In A Thing Called Love” and “Get Your Hands Off My Woman”; 2005’s One-Way Ticket To Hell And Back with “One Way Ticket” and “Is It Just Me?”; as well as several new songs off their forthcoming yet-to-be-titled third album (release date TBA, mid 2012). The trek marks the band’s first return to the States since their 2004 tour supporting Permission To Land. The group will return to Irving Plaza tomorrow (Monday, February 6) for an encore performance.
Renowned worldwide for their electrifying rock n’ roll, the group debuted “Nothin’s Gonna Stop Us”–their first new song in six years–as a free download for all the loyal fans who’ve supported the band with sold-out tours on both sides of the Atlantic. The hilarious animated video for the song, created by popular visual rock artist Thom Lessner and directed by Ted Passon, premiered this week on www.RollingStone.com. Download the Mp3 on the band’s official site: www.TheActualDarkness.com.
Watch the Samsung commercial featuring “I Believe In A Thing Called Love” and JUSTIN here: Facebook.com/samsungmobileusa
Here’s the THE DARKNESS set list from the sold-out Irving Plaza show.
Saturday, February 4 New York NY–Irving Plaza
Black Shuck
Growing On Me
Best Of Me
One Way Ticket
Nothin’s Gonna Stop Us
Get Your Hands Off My Woman
Out Of This World
Holding My Own
Love Is Only A Feeling
Concrete
Friday Night
Everybody Have A Good Time
Physical Sex
Is It Just Me
Street Spirit
She’s Just a Girl Eddie
Givin Up
Stuck In A Rut
I Believe In A Thing Called Love
Bareback
Love On The Rocks With No Ice
Press Quotes From Toronto:
“… the Darkness has come back armed with a helluva lot of killer tunes you might have forgotten how much you liked at the time…It was a non-stop barrage of succinct, high-impact popsmithery that, almost without fail, boiled the best bits of AC/DC, Queen and Thin Lizzy down into three-and-a-half-minute nuggets of rousing, verse/chorus/verse/chorus/bridge/chorus perfection.”
–Ben Rayner, TORONTO STAR, February 2, 2012
“The Darkness delivered a generally solid set that could be aptly described by The Who album: Meaty Beaty Big And Bouncy.With Hawkins looking lean and delivering scissor kicks, the group hit the ground running with a foot-stomping Black Shuck as Hawkins easily hit those challenging high notes. And fans definitely showed their love early with hands swaying and singing. Others kept some old-school concert staples alive with cigarette lighters overhead….[new song]…”Concrete,” a jackhammer blast of guitar riffs that got a strong response despite being basically unknown.”
–Jason MacNeil, TORONTO SUN, February 2, 2012
“…incredible enthusiasm and stage presence. All members displayed genuine passion and enjoyment and were clearly glad to be back. Fear not: tired washed out has-beens, they are not. Highlights included Justin’s acrobatic behind-the-head guitar solo and a HEADSTAND against the drum kit.”
–Alex Last, MUSICVICE.COM, February 2, 2012 (Toronto)
“Throughout the show, the hard rockers brimmed with their trademark flailing guitar solos, thundering drums and Justin’s magnificent falsetto vocal..The showmanship, so synonymous with the Darkness over the years, was also out in force…Of the new tracks, the gutsy ‘Concrete’ was the best received while ‘Everybody Have A Good Time’ –a tune in the spirit of the band’s ‘Friday Night’ –allowed everybody to do just that.”
–Laurie Lionsdale, LITHIUM MAGAZINE, February 3, 2012 (Toronto)
For more on THE DARKNESS, check out the following sites:
www.theactualdarkness.com
www.facebook.com/thedarknessofficial
www.twitter.com/darknessactual
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