The Darkness turned up the heat at a heaving Odeon Theatre on the weekend, as the historic venue debuted its long-awaited air conditioning.
The British rock band was the guinea pig performance after the historic venue completed a $1 million upgrade to install air conditioning for the first time in its 110-year history.
The electrical system overhaul and climate control installation came after safety concerns forced an evacuation before a show last year.
Dave Rowell, a producer at The Odeon, said the high-energy performance provided the perfect test for the new system.
“The Darkness was the new system’s first proper trial: a completely sold-out, high-energy rock ‘n’ roll crowd,” he told Pulse.
“It’s the kind of night where you really find out what your HVAC is made of, and apart from a few minor tweaks, it passed with flying colours.”
Rowell praised frontman Justin Hawkins’ stage presence during what he called “an absolutely electric night”.
“Justin Hawkins – aside from being a full-blown rock star – is a total natural on the mic,” he said.
“The man’s got timing, crowd control, punchlines… honestly, if the rock ‘n’ roll thing ever falls through, he’s got a solid future in comedy.”
The show sold out within days of tickets going on sale, highlighting strong demand for live music at the restored venue.
“Blink and you missed it,” Rowell said. “It was one of those moments where you refresh the ticketing page and suddenly it’s just gone.”
“Hobart clearly loves a bit of high-octane glam rock.”
The successful debut of the upgraded venue marks a significant milestone for the Odeon.
The venue has hosted audiences since 1913 and is the centrepiece in a proposed $300 million overhaul of The Hanging Garden precinct, led by DarkLab, a creative subsidiary of Mona, and Melbourne development firm Riverlee.
Upcoming events at the Odeon include the Hobart Festival of Comedy, Ben Folds and pop punk pioneers Descendents.
