A rock band has announced its biggest headlining tour in 20 years.
The Darkness will play seven arena concerts across the UK in December 2026, including its first-ever performance at The O2 in London. Grammy-winning Americana/country-rock band Brothers Osborne and UK rock band A will also perform.
No U.S. concerts are currently scheduled, but fans willing to make a trek to see the British rock band can get tickets starting Friday, Nov. 28 at 10 a.m. via Vivid Seats, StubHub and Seat Geek. A fan presale will begin Wednesday, Nov. 26, at 10 a.m.
“Powerful rock was designed to be played in huge rectangular buildings. Huge rectangular buildings were designed to house powerful rock bands. The Darkness are a powerful rock band and the arenas listed below are huge rectangular buildings. Except for the exception which proves the rule. Thank you, O2 Arena,” The Darkness frontman Justin Hawkins said in a statement. “In December 2026 this elegantly logical proposition will become a reality, driven by three bands consisting of seven brothers. Three of them are Perrys, from Lowestoft’s A. Two of them are Osbornes, from the Brothers Osborne. And two of them are my brother Dan and I. The Darkness, Brothers Osborne and A, veritable Bands of Brothers, rocking in a huge rectangular (or domed) building — what could be more powerful than that?”
“There was cosmic ripple in the space time continuum that led to our paths crossing. Can’t wait to prove, once again, that brothers do it best and guitar solos are alive and well,” Brothers Osbourne singer-guitarist TJ Osbourne said.
According to NME, The Darkness’ tour will feature their biggest headlining shows since they released their 2005 followup to the mega-selling debut album, “Permission to Land,” featuring the smash hit “I Believe in a Thing Called Love.” The song was named one of the greatest songs of the 2000s by VH1 and the No. 1 “greatest song of the century (so far)“ by Classic Rock magazine, while the 2003 album was named the most successful British rock record of the 21st century.
The Darkness released its eighth album this year to much acclaim with sold-out concerts across England along with shows in smaller venues in Europe, Australia and the United States. They’ll wrap up the U.S. tour with concerts in Salt Lake City, Utah, on Friday, and Denver, Colorado on Saturday,
Rock music has seen a resurgence this past year. Oasis and Radiohead reunited for new tours, Ozzy Osbourne’s “Crazy Train” hit the Billboard Hot 100 for the first time, Turnstile was nominated for five Grammy Awards, Limp Bizkit returned to the charts with “Making Love to Morgan Wallen,” Aerosmith released new music with Yungblud, and Ghost became the first hard rock band to top the Billboard 200 albums chart in more than four years.
The Darkness 2026 tour dates
July 11 – Knebworth Park (with Iron Maiden)
Dec. 8 – Glasgow, OVO Hydro
Dec. 9 – Leeds, FD Arena
Dec. 11 – Manchester, AO Arena
Dec. 12 – Birmingham, Utilita Arena
Dec. 13 – Cardiff, Utilita Arena
Dec. 15 – Brighton, Brighton Centre
Dec. 16 – London, The O2
