16/11/2010 Danko Jones @ The Garage

Subject	Danko Jones @ The Garage
PostedDate	11/22/2010 7:37:00 AM
	I've hardly been to The Garage since it reopened after it's refurb as they don't seem to book many bands I want to see these days.  However, I now find myself attending for the second week running. It's only a few months since I saw Danko Jones at the Water Rats - a venue far too small for this band. Now here they are at a far more suitable venue - the second time I've seen them here. The last time was a sold out show - one of the best I saw all year. This show doesn't look sold out, but it's a respectable crowd none the less. As usual, this is a high energy performance - although I have to say the last two or three times I've seen this lot they don't seem to have had quite the fire of their earlier shows. The setlist is pulled from right across the band's back catalogue, from the early days of the stuff on the terrific 'I'm Alive And On Fire' compilation through to the latest album 'Below The Belt'. Successive albums seem to have lost the early raw and exciting edge Danko Jones used to have, and also songs of the quality found on 'Born A Lion'. I found the previous to current album 'Never Too Loud' a bit disappointing - and rather ironically containing the band's slowest and quietest songs to date.  I have found the last few albums rather over produced and bland sounding, although they have all contained some good songs - rather odd considering Danko has been heading in a noticeably more 'metal' direction of late.  I'm pleased to say 'Below The Belt' is a bit of a return to form - even if not as fierce sounding as the early stuff. I certainly don't think the band's energy level as as high as it was several years ago - even though they would still put most other bands to shame on that front.  J.C. has come to the fore more in recent times, but justifiably so as he is one of the best bass players out there - a fact confirmed by the intro to 'Lovercall', which is always a highlight! My only real criticism of this show is that Danko talks far too much between songs these days! His patter is funny and entertaining, but he does get a bit carried away at times instead of getting on the the job in hand... He does stop talking long enough to get the 'Mountain Song' in at the end of the set - just as well as at a Danko Jones show is the only place we can hear this longtime highlight of the set as it has never been recorded in the studio and apparently never will be. The namecheck of Danko's dead rock 'n' roll and metal heroes in this song has now had Ronnie James Dio added - which is much appreciated by the crowd!  However, if Danko had spent a little more time playing rock 'n' roll instead of ranting about music business corporate bullshit, then he would have had time to play 'Cadillac'!