Band:
Danko Jones Venue:
Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK Date:
7 November 2001
Anyone who's ever been to an Alabama Three concert will tell you that
sometimes a band don't need to have deep meaningful songs to capture an
audience. If you can show them a good time, manage to play a half decent
tune and litter the contents of your songs with sexual innuendo's then
you'll either be glassed right there and then, or else hailed as heroes.
Before this tour with the Backyard Babies I doubt whether many people over
here in the UK will have heard of this band before. However they have
stormed the UK and rather surprisingly won a large following.
The songs are skilfully crafted although they are at times rather catchy.
The band although good musicians are that and only that … good. Nothing
outstanding other than they have a lead singer called … go on have a guess
… Danko Jones! A man who although shy off-stage; once he hits the boards
and the bright lights he becomes a sex machine.
Well that's what he kept telling us all night, not quite sure if he was
trying to convince us or himself more but he chanted on about it to the
extent that it had us all in stitches of laughter. Not many could get away
with such blatant sexual discussions, but this guy managed to pull it off
rather remarkably. Thus ensuring a lot of CD sales and most likely a large
press coverage for the part they played on this prestigious tour.
The music was catchy, the songs were cheerfully cheeky and a total
wonderment to hear performed live. Here before us was a man who claimed
quite openly to be every woman's dream. He told us we were hot for him and
that we'd need to form an orderly queue! One thing you could never deny,
Danko Jones are one of the funniest, but at the same time enjoyable, bands
we've seen in a long time. Their bravado knows no end.
The songs they played were actually quite tuneful and sounded reasonably
good. Damon Richardson played along on a very sparse drum kit (it looked
like someone had run off with the other 2/3 rd's), while John Calabrese
did the deep and moody bass man thing while being careful not to smile
throughout the outrageous banter of their lead singer.
Even the security guards were laughing out loud at what he said, tears
flooded down their cheeks as he went on and on and got wilder and wilder
with his claims of being the ultimate sex object of our desire. It's the
first time I've ever witnessed the security guards smile at a show, let
alone laugh out loud to one. It really was a first.
Danko Jones really is a hugely funny person who has fallen lucky by
finding a couple of likeminded musicians willing to play along with some
great tunes while he sings his outrageous tales of sex, lust and raw
passion. Quite where they can go from here is anyone's guess …
Setlist included:
Rock Shit Hot
Bounce
Samuel Sin
Sugar Chocolate
I'm Alive & On Fire
Mango Kid
Cadillac
Dr. Evening
My Love Is Bold
