What’s occurring, butt!? Dust off the catsuits, tune up the high-pitched falsettos, and prepare your pelvis for involuntary shaking because THE DARKNESS have officially announced their 2026 UK TOUR — and it looks absolutely glorious.
We’re talking:
✨ Big riffs
✨ Glitter explosions
✨ Spandex tight enough to alter timelines
✨ Justin Hawkins screaming notes only dogs and angels can hear
Fans are already losing it, shouting things like:
“THE BOYS ARE BACK!”
“BRING ON THE CATSUITS!”
“I BELIEVE IN A THING CALLED TOUR!!!”
And honestly? Proper job.
🎸🔥 THE DARKNESS — UK TOUR 2026 (FULL DATES)
Serving riffs, glams, shrieks, and pure British rock chaos.
🇬🇧 UNITED KINGDOM
- Oct 2 — Glasgow — O2 Academy
- Oct 3 — Newcastle — O2 City Hall
- Oct 5 — Leeds — O2 Academy
- Oct 6 — Manchester — O2 Apollo
- Oct 8 — Nottingham — Rock City
- Oct 10 — Birmingham — O2 Academy
- Oct 12 — Cardiff — Tramshed (YES BUTT — CALLING ALL WELSH FALSETTOS!)
- Oct 14 — Bristol — O2 Academy
- Oct 16 — Southampton — O2 Guildhall
- Oct 18 — London — Eventim Apollo
This is a PERFECT venue selection:
✔ big enough to feel massive
✔ small enough to get sweaty
✔ VERY likely to contain men in leopard-print trousers
🎟️ TICKET PRICES + VIP UPGRADES (FULL BREAKDOWN)
Your wallet may cry… but your soul will ascend.
💷 UK TICKET PRICES
- Standard Standing/Seated: £32 – £45
- Front Pit / Early Entry: £55
- Balcony Premium: £65
⭐ VIP “Permission to Rock” Package — £110
Includes:
- Early entry
- Signed art print
- Exclusive VIP laminate
- “I Believe in a Thing Called Merch” bag
⭐ VIP Soundcheck Experience — £160
Includes:
- Access to watch 2–3 songs at soundcheck
- Q&A with the band
- Signed tour poster
- Early merch access
- VIP laminate + tote
⭐ ULTIMATE “I Believe in a Thing Called VIP” — £260
Includes:
🔥 Side-stage viewing for ONE SONG
🔥 Professional photo with the band
🔥 Signed setlist
🔥 Exclusive limited-run tour artwork print
🔥 Everything in previous tiers
Fans’ reactions so far:
“£32 for The Darkness? Absolute bargain.”
“Side-stage during ‘Love Is Only a Feeling’ — SIGN ME UP.”
“I want the VIP laminate framed above my bed.”
🤘✨ WHAT TO EXPECT FROM THE 2026 SHOWS
✔ Justin Hawkins hitting falsettos that could shatter glass in Newport
✔ Dan Hawkins delivering riffs so crunchy you could sprinkle them on lasagne
✔ The crowd going FULL GLAM
✔ Guitar solos performed while doing the splits (probably)
✔ Setlists stacked with:
- I Believe In A Thing Called Love
- Growing on Me
- Love Is Only a Feeling
- One Way Ticket (To Hell… and Back!!!)
✔ At least one outrageous speech about rock ’n’ roll saving the universe
Only in Wales, mun?
Nope — but Cardiff is absolutely getting the loudest crowd.
🕶️ THE DARKNESS 2026 — THE VIBE
Camp. Loud. Silly. Brilliant.
Exactly what British rock should be.
This tour is shaping up to be the most fun you can legally have in a building.
Michael is the founder, editor, and chief riff wrangler behind The Riff Report, an independent Welsh rock and metal publication built by fans, for fans. With a lifelong passion for loud guitars, unforgettable live shows, and the incredible community that surrounds rock and metal, he created The Riff Report to celebrate everything that makes the scene special—from legendary headline acts and grassroots venues to rising bands that deserve to be heard.
A familiar face at festivals across the UK, Michael spends much of the year covering events including Download Festival, Bloodstock Open Air, Steelhouse Festival, Firevolt, Plumpton Revival, and many more. Whether he’s battling the Welsh weather on a mountainside, surviving a weekend in a muddy campsite, or squeezed against the front barrier with thousands of fellow fans, he’s always searching for the next great story to share.
As editor of The Riff Report, Michael writes festival guides, breaking news, album reviews, gig reviews, interviews, opinion pieces, nostalgia features, and behind-the-scenes stories from across the rock and metal world. His writing combines honest opinions, humour, and a genuine love for live music, bringing readers closer to the bands, festivals, venues, and people that keep the scene alive.
Michael is particularly passionate about supporting independent artists, local venues, charities, and the wider UK rock and metal community. He believes every band deserves a chance to be discovered and every festival has a story worth telling. Through The Riff Report, he aims to shine a spotlight on both the biggest names in rock and the future stars waiting to break through.
When he’s not writing or interviewing artists, you’ll probably find him exploring festival campsites, photographing live shows, chatting with fellow fans over a pint, or planning the next road trip in search of more riffs, bigger crowds, and unforgettable moments.
Above all, Michael believes rock and metal are about more than music—they’re about community, friendship, and creating memories that last a lifetime. That’s exactly what The Riff Report exists to celebrate.
Proudly Welsh. Proudly Loud. Always chasing the next great riff. 🤘
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