We had the pleasure of checking out The Darkness VIP experience when the band came to Stoke on Trent last night! What does the experience entail and most importantly, is it worth the money? Let’s find out!
Priced at £75 on top of the standard ticket entry price The Darkness VIP experience is certainly one of the cheaper VIP packages we’ve come across.
With prices as high as £600 for some VIP experiences that don’t even allow you to meet the band/artist in question I thought £75 was a great price unless you’re taking a family, then things can get expensive very quickly!
So here’s what is included in the £75 package:
Soundcheck access
Q&A
Exclusive Laminate
Tour of the stage
Group photo with the band
Early access to merch
Early venue access for show
Plus one lucky winner gets to play a song of choice with the band at soundcheck – to be chosen at random on the day by the band.
As far as experiences go that’s pretty darn good on paper.
The second we saw what was included we instantly paid for two tickets and off to the concert we went!
The Darkness VIP Experience
The pandemic has played a big part in how these VIP experiences are run with no signing of personal items available along with no selfies with the band.
Instead, there are signed items available to purchase from the merchandise stall (which you get early access to) and the VIP rep takes photos with her phone to send to you via email after the show.
It would have been better if my phone was used (better quality) but I didn’t mind.
So the second you enter the venue you are given your VIP lanyards which felt like solid gold around my neck the entire experience, I’ll tell you why later.
Vip Pass…. Very Fancy!
After we checked in we realised there were only 11 people in the VIP experience and it was certainly going to be more intimate than usual VIP experiences which can include 30+ people.
Absolutely overjoyed that such a small group was going to have this experience we made our way into the stage area of the Victoria Hall to witness soundcheck.
No recording was allowed during soundcheck (just in case they butchered a song or something I guess?) and you weren’t allowed to record the Q&A or the stage tour that came later, but everything other than that was fair game.
The Q&A probably couldn’t be recorded just because it’s more personal and private in terms of the answers given but the stage tour was a head-scratcher. The second we were allowed into the venue we saw absolutely everything on stage anyways except the pedals.
Very unusual.
Anyways, back to soundcheck.
The Darkness Soundcheck
As we walked into the hall, there they were. Justin, Dan, Frankie and Rufus all fine-tuning their equipment to match the room acoustics.
The PA team were coordinating with the band to make sure everything sounded great. This little insight into the set-up process was nice.
Just 11 of us right at the front of the stage like eager groupies waiting for our boobies to be signed. Just hanging out, taking in the sights and interacting with the band.
Justin admitted to us he had a cold (and nothing else might I add) and it was just a chilled and friendly introduction to the experience.
With Permission to Land being one of the first albums I ever purchased and the fact I’ve grown up listening to these guys it was a surreal but laid back experience.
The atmosphere was friendly and each band member seemed very content with their surroundings. They all seemed happy to be there.
Once soundcheck was completed a winner was chosen to come up on stage to play with the band.
The Darkness VIP Song Experience
So one lucky member of our small group of 11 was chosen to play with the band.
Before the VIP experience, you have to submit your name into the ballot and on this occasion only one person did, so naturally, they were chosen.
I would have thrown my name into the hat but I didn’t fancy butchering a song. Especially whilst Jim would have been filming at me and laughing.
Granted it would have gotten more views but I just wanted to chill out without wobbly stage legs (I always get them).
Dan jumped on rhythm guitar as the band played I Believe in a Thing Called Love and he smashed it!
You’re meant to submit the song you want to play in advance of the concert. On this occasion, only one person was in the ballot. Dan was asked what song he would like and off they went.
A cool experience for us too as we got to see the band (plus Dan) play a song exclusively just for us.
The Darkness Q&A
Once Dan had come off stage with balls of steel confidence and excitement it was time for the Q&A.
The band all sat down in front of us and answered some of the pre-submitted questions they had been sent.
It wasn’t long before all the questions were asked and the floor was open to ask more questions.
Justin discussed I question I asked about the pressures of a new album and what the thought process behind making new music whilst keeping that authentic Darkness tone.
Dan Hawkins bored the entire room (other than the person who asked the question) talking about one of his pedals. I didn’t mind but the other bandmates pretended to sleep (see photo above).
Pedals… Zzzzzz
Getting started in the business and other topics were discussed but it was all a very private and intimate affair.
If social distancing was non-existent I could imagine that a Q&A around a table with a few drinks and snacks, it was very chill indeed.
Years ago I did a Fozzy VIP tour and went for a meal with the band, it was ever so intimate, eating food, talking shit. Loved it!
Sadly social distancing played a part in some restrictions of this experience. Thankfully, it didn’t dampen the time we had with the band nor the overall exclusive experience.
Filming of the Q&A was not allowed as mentioned previously but my small caveman brain forgot for all of 3 seconds before I quickly put my camera away so enjoy my blurry screenshot above!
Photos with the Band
With social distancing in full effect, the band stayed on the stage whilst we could take our masks off for the photo.
The photos were taken for us by our VIP rep.
The VIP rep took photos on her own phone. This always worries me especially when it comes to photo quality.
I feel much safer when it’s my own phone being used.
With my phone, I can edit dodgy photos and take numerous ones to avoid getting those awful blurry ones. In someone else’s hands, I was nervous.
I still haven’t seen our photos yet as they’re sent out via email days later after the show.
As well as our photos with the band I asked the guys if I could take a photo of just them. Thankfully, they obliged and at least I had one clear (ish) photo of the band for the video thumbnail.
The Darkness Stage Tour
Once the Q&A wrapped Dan went to grab ‘food’ for us all which turned out to be guitar plectrums that he had great pleasure in throwing at us.
Scampering along the ground like wild gorillas in the mist we scooped up as many picks as we could.
After this, our stage tour began.
I still for the life of me can’t understand why I couldn’t record this section.
When The Circus of Horrors came to town I was given another stage tour with absolutely no problem in regards to filming.
Having a guided tour of the equipment would have been great footage for you guys to see!
I’m sure there’s a reason behind it.
We were guided around guitars, drums, amps and pedals of each member of the band. Questions were taken about the equipment and that was that.
It was a nice experience to have, certainly nothing that I was overly interested in personally but it was a nice added bonus to this VIP experience.
Early Access / Perks
After the stage tour, our VIP experience had come to an end but the perks didn’t stop there.
After spending a solid 90 minutes with the band and the stage tour we were given free roam of the Victoria Hall.
Bear in mind the public weren’t allowed into the building for another 2 hours!
We could come and go as we please.
With early access to the stage, we could skip the queues into the building simply by showing our pass. Queues to enter the main hall could be skipped also.
I liked that A LOT!
We ran out into Hanley to get our last-minute tea, a Subway sandwich no less. On our return we bypassed the queue forming on the way back.
Once inside the building, we went into the hall before the general public and walked right to the front.
The perks didn’t stop there!
We could have merchandise set aside for us to collect after the show.
The merchandise however came at an added cost.
Another person in our group who had done a VIP experience previously said items could be signed when they last did one. This time around we had to pay for the signed items.
I personally didn’t mind but it would have been nice to have personal items signed by the band.
At the front of the stage, Justin saw us all and interacted with many of us VIPs during the show.
Winks, waves, getting up close to my camera recording and even pulling off a few kicks and tricks for the camera.
It was a nice touch and it felt like the intimate experience we had earlier all over again.
Interacting with the band whilst playing their gig was very cool indeed and more than justified the whole VIP package.
Overall
From 3:15 pm until 10:30 pm that same night the VIP experience oozed through my veins.
Hanging out with the band, watching them play a song for us, speaking to them in friendly chit chat rather than moderated Q&A rubbish it all came together for a memorable experience.
When collecting our signed merchandise at the end our VIP rep served us before the long perch queue. We got our signed goodies ever so quickly. Even after the show, the VIP badge was proving fruitful.
This was special treatment of the highest order and it was ever so nice that a VIP experience actually felt VIP and not just a quick money grab which some of these things are.
“An incredible experience that I’d do again in a heartbeat” – Sean Evans
The Darkness VIP genuinely gives you that tailored unique experience that any fan would absolutely adore.
I’d love to come back when restrictions are lifted one day and compare the two experiences. It would be interesting to see what additional things are added.
As far as value for money goes, it’s superb!
Book your very own The Darkness VIP experience here – https://the-darkness.tmstor.es you will absolutely not regret it!
Want to check out our VLOG of The Darkness VIP experience?
Hit the play button below to see what it’s all about! We’ve included some show highlights in there for you too!
