Supports: Split Dogs
Location: Patronaat, Haarlem
The British duo Split Dogs and the Canadian band led by Danko Jones performed on Stage 1 on the first floor of the Patronaat, which has the largest capacity of the venue’s three stages, on the Halloween eve.
Split Dogs
By the time we arrived and I had finished coordinating with the venue staff, the voice of the fabulous Harry Atkins had already begun to shake the walls.
Full of energy, with a voice full of grit, she was definitely the first thing your eyes would be drawn to on stage. Mil Martinez, the guitarist of the Brighton-based quartet, was also dynamic and expressive in his playing, perfectly complementing Split Dogs’ stage presence.
A garage-style street rock sound influenced by Motörhead (especially on the drums), AC/DC, and even MC5, the kind of music that can easily get the crowd going, even though the crowd was laid-back with a beer in hand.
Although the stage was slightly off-center to the left, due to bassist Suez Boyle’s dedication to her captivating bass lines, which kept her focused on the fretboard and motionless, almost like a statue. The unstoppable Harry, however, filled every gap in movement and set the stage ablaze with every move she made, while the punk-infused rock ‘n’ roll of Split Dogs proved to be the perfect opener for that evening.
The band’s style is such that it takes on a different meaning—perhaps even finds the ultimate meaning of life—in its live performance, which has earned them high regard among music-loving and performance-loving audiences. The quartet from the United Kingdom is rounded out by the dynamic beats of drummer Chris Hugall, whose playing strongly evoked the Motorhead school of drumming.
I didn’t even realize how long Split Dogs were on stage and that was certainly because I was having such a great time that I didn’t care if the clock ticked any faster, with the result that the British band gained yet another fan. If nothing else, their performance confirmed what my friends had told me when I mentioned I’d be seeing them—and I’d recommend to my friends who love ’70s punk rock that they shouldn’t miss them if the chance arises.
Danko Jones
With “Guess Who’s Back,” Danko Jones, John Calabrese, and Rich Knox stormed the stage with ferocity and did what they love most of all. They played fast, playful, and clever rock ’n’ roll.
Full of energy, with JC rousing the crowd with his gestures during the brief pauses left by his bass notes, encouraging rhythmic clapping, and generally leading the crowd’s movements while Danko was inevitably tied to the microphone.
Danko’s voice was at its famously killer levels, balancing between soul, funk, and punk with generous doses of Phil Lynott’s style, and reminding us that for the past 11 months the band has been touring the world to promote last year’s Leo Rising.
Curiously, the setlist wasn’t solely based on that album and was divided almost equally among their already extensive discography.
“I’m in a Band,” “Everyday Is Saturday Night,” “First Date,” “Code of the Road,” “Invisible,” and many more filled a packed program of groovy musical revelry, which the audience once again embraced wholeheartedly.
Cheerful as always, he tried his hand at some crowdwork, letting his banter go on longer than we’d have liked, but that’s Danko Jones for you, and we’ll love him even when he talks nonstop between their killer tracks. “Nice haircut,” someone shouted at him, to which he replied, “this haircut has taken me all over the world”, prompting the crowd to remind him that he should stick to his guitar and vocal melodies and leave the stand-up comedy to others who are more skilled at it.
The sound was flawless throughout the entire evening, which made the experience even more intense, and for a few days afterward, I found myself humming, “Oh baby, you’re my little rock ’n’ roll”…
Like a good groupie, I screamed my heart out, rocked out nonstop for about 90 minutes, and drove back, completely wiped out from the drive and having gone nearly 24 hours without sleep. But I’m not complaining and as long as there’s Danko and loud music in general, I won’t be sleeping…
