Danko Jones/The Amorettes live at Whelan’s, Dublin September 18th 2015

Although he performs his music with a brilliantly controlled ferocity, at times his interaction with the crowd is just as compelling. When he addressed, as he called it “the big fucking elephant in the room“, meaning the empty balcony above, it drew a loud belt of laughter, but when he topped it off with “we’re not looking but we know it’s fucking there“, he had his disciples in stitches.

After a nasty rendition of Misfits Dye, Dye My Darling and 1999’s Samuel Sin he brought out one of the big guns, the always reliable First Date. From the second his white Gibson SG rang out those familiar first chords, Whelan’s in Dublin was in weekend party mode. The rousing chorus had Danko’s followers raising their pint glasses precariously high, but I don’t think a bit of beer spillage could dampen the mood inside this venue tonight.

Of course it isn’t all about Mr Jones up there, bassist and wingman John Calabrese provided a pounding backbone all night, and new man Rich Knox who’s drumming, without a shadow of a doubt, brings a whole new dimension to the Danko Jones live sound.

New songs Do You Wanna Rock, Watch You Slide and Gonna Be A Fight Tonight already sound roadworthy, and they stood their ground tonight against the old Danko favourites.
Although Danko Jones roots are predominately rooted in punk rock, tonight lay bare the influence Phil Lynott and the music of Thin Lizzy had on his career. This was not a stunt to soft soap a room full of tipsy Dubliner’s; there was a genuine tone in his speech. And that was doubly appreciated when he burst into Lizzy classic Are You Ready.

Danko promised he’d be back as soon as that “big fucking elephant in the room” is full.