15th March 2017
It’s clear after many years of being in and around the London rock’n’roll circuit that times have changed. Gone are the days of a cheeky pre-gig grab and run from McD’s, a few cheap ones at the local bar before heading to the venue sharpish to start swilling on more cheap lager. Nowadays we now like a nice comfy pub with good beer and a quality kitchen to satisfy our rumbling tummy’s.
Nevertheless, we did managed to get in for the only support band of the night, Miraculous Mule. What was miraculous that I remember them at all, which being honest is hazy at best. They were a rootsy 3 piece blues band that struggled with captivating the crowd and stuck to same tempo. Honestly…a forgettable Ass.
In stark comparison, on bounded the talismanic presence of Danko Jones, band in tow to a rapturous rousing applause. He wasted no time in kicking into his trademark punchy punk infused hard rock. Stopping regularly his stage banter is second to none, away from the crafted and scripted lead-ins he lives, breathes and sweats rock and roll so its no wonder he speaks with such passion to his fans.
Rather than revert to stereotype and dwell on the recent album Wild Cat, this evening’s set list was truly career spanning. From early raw punk of Sugar Chocolate and Cadillac, to their (in inverted quotes) “Pop” song First Date, the sweltering dirty groove of Legs and the menacing thunder roar of There’s Gonna Be A Fight Tonight. When the new material did surface it was warmly received, with plenty of crowd singing despite the relatively short time between its release and today. They were soaked in pop, macho rock posturing, general merriment and uplifting melodies.
What is 100% guaranteed at a Danko show is that we’d finish the night with the epic Live only track that is ‘Bring On The Mountain’, tonight was no exception. This unreleased song (and probably never will be put to a studio record) captures the essence of the man and the band, one that’s so steeped in rock tradition, grit and determination that can only be put into perspective from the summit of rock and roll. As he finished his heartfelt monologue he calls all the names of those with him at the top (a british feel to the list tonight including Lemmy & Strummer). Inevitably the cheers go up, and finally as we build to the finale, the taught guitars are finally unleashed in an avalanche of furious power chords…Fade to Close!
Job Done! Next City! The Next Crowd Awaits! Danko Jones Has Left The Building!
“This heart gets stronger, this skin gets thicker, this mouth gets louder”
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