To paraphrase the wise and powerful Elton John, a fella who’d sell his big toe to put on a great show, I remember when rock was fun, so I don’t have to think too long and hard about driving the 200km from Dublin to Limerick to see The Darkness, a band dear to the hearts of anyone who likes their music to sport a permanent grin/leer.
King John’s Castle has been standing by the River Shannon since the 13th century and has doubled as an outdoor music venue for many Live At The Castle gigs over the last several years. Its central location means there’s a very salubrious pub called Katie Dalys across the street with a large forecourt of its own, and Limerick’s rock fans aren’t going to miss out on the chance of a pint in the sun, so things are in full swing long before The Darkness leave their dressing room. Disaster temporarily strikes when there's a block-wide power cut, leaving at least one young barman having to calculate prices in his head, but the lights come back on in plenty of time.
