DJ @ Mean Fiddler, London 13/12/03

[ugthepug]

Danko Jones headline slot was far too short at 50 mins!!!!
Their performance was, as always, awesome but they should have been on for longer. The 10pm curfew was bollocks (for people who don't know the venue, the curfew on a Saturday night is early because they run a nightclub or something afterwards).
I really think one of the supporting bands should have been dropped. I think there was something like 4 or 5 bands on the bill, far too many for such an early curfew. I got to the gig when Electric Eel Shock were playing (the band on just before DJ, who were fairly entertaining) so I don't know what the other bands were like.
I hope DJ play the Mean Fiddler again as it is a great venue but with fewer bands on the billing or maybe on a weeknight as the curfew is later.

[Tidyman]

Thanks for that review, ug. I missed an October DJ gig in Detroit because of a ridiculous 9:30 curfew. Same reason, the venue was actually a nightclub.

I also saw one DJ gig that was about 50 minutes, and it really does leave you wanting more. I hear the Dandy Warhols don't usually have opening bands. They play a set, take an intermission, then play another set. It'd be cool to see DJ do that, but with their touring schedule Danko would have NO voice left. Ah well, a fan can dream, right?

[René]

i heard they like to play like over three hours sometimes

[ugthepug]

Yeah you're right. I went to see the Dandy Warhols about 3 weeks ago and they do play for 3 hours with no support act. Infact, I also went to see them about 6 months ago when they played Brixton and that was 3 hours too. Practically the same set. On both occasions I got quite bored through the gig.
They start off really well playing popular numbers but then in the middle they start improvising. A lot of the songs seem like they're made up on the spot and sound very durgy. There must of been about 5 or 6 tunes that went on for over 10 minutes and were unrecognisable. I don't think it was just me who got bored as when I looked around during these tunes I could see most of the audience chatting amongst themselves and looking as though they're waiting for a tune they recognise.
I don't know why they do it as they've got quite a bit of material (4 albums worth plus B-sides from singles) which would easily fill 3 hours and everyone (well most fans) would recognise and sing along.
Still, the Dandy Warhols must be doing something right as both events were sold out. No-one can complain about not getting their moneys worth.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not meaning to slag them off as I consider myself to be quite a fan, but I felt they could have done things better.
I went to see ACDC at Milton Keynes a couple of years ago and they played for almost 3 hours and each one of those minutes was rocking, so it can be done.
As for Danko doing 3 hours, if they did that every night on a tour, they'd probably collapse of dehydration as the amount they sweated in just 50 minutes was unbelievable. It would be good to see them for that long though.

[Sac]

AAAAAW! AC/DC, thats a band almost as cool as Danko Jones! I would love to se them live, lucky you! I guess its not so hard to fill out 3 hours when you have made so many albums as they have, and I can imagen the whole show rocked hard!

On the SwedenRockFestival gig this summer Danko played for more than a hour, but of course we all wanted more... And they probably WOULD dehydrate if the show was any longer! ;D

[toppler]

Yup the set on SRF was great. All exept 3 songs from Born A Lion... It's great that so many people turned up even though Motörhead played at the same time.

[ugthepug]

You lucky fella.
Danko and Motorhead both on the same billing.
I was hoping DJ was gonna be the support band for Motorhead back in October but I was to be disappointed. Rumours strongly suggested that they would be but the rumours were wrong.

[ugthepug]

Whoops, I think I mis-read ToppleR's post.
In that case my last post doesn't make sense. So DJ and Motorhead weren't on the same billing. Looks like no-one will get to see them together.
I think Motorhead are probably scared of coming on after Danko.
I've seen Motorhead loads of times and the last few times they just seemed to be going through the motions, barely breaking into a sweat. Pretty much the same set list each time. I know Lemmy is an old git now but that shouldn't be used as an excuse.
I've seen Danko 4 times this year and every gig was awesome and, although they've not done half as many albums as Motorhead, they've managed to vary the setlist each time.
Danko would certainly give Motorhead a much needed big kick up the arse.

[GBV]

not to toot the horn of my handle, but guided by voices regularly play two hours 45 minutes. and it's not just 'playing' it's drinking beer after beer after beer for the duration.
that's rock.

[toppler]

Ugthepug: Yes danko played on a smaller stage at the same time as motörhead played on the biggest stage. But i've seen motörhead before and i don't think they get better with time, Lemmy is still doing the same old thing and his voice keeps getting weaker and weaker...