Dananananaykroyd – KCLSU, London, 12/11/11

Originally written for and published on The Line Of Best Fit…

When Glasgow noise-botherers Dananananaykroyd announced in September that their latest tour would in fact be their very last, the news was met with a sigh of mournful surprise from their fans. With final record There Is A Way garnering universal critical appeal and an album support tour that saw the six-piece tighter than they’ve ever been, things certainly appeared to be looking bright.

Yet after five years together, tonight is Dananananaykroyd’s last ever show in the English capital and they’re in the sweaty club room of Kings College London’s Students Union which reeks of snakebite-fuelled nights and drunken dancing. It’s this party aspect of the venue that is particularly apt. Branding themselves as “party hardcore” all these years hasn’t been for nothing: Dananananaykroyd have cemented their reputation for chaotic and energetic live shows with an underlying sense of camaraderie and the pleasantries that undercut many of their contemporaries’ brutality and macho mayhem.

This togetherness presents itself in numerous ways. First there are the beginnings of ‘Pink Sabbath’, where dual vocalists Callum Gunn and John Bailey Junior make everyone on ground level sit and crouch down before summoning them to rise at the song’s climax. Initial crowd surfers are scolded and comically pushed off the stage to prevent the danger of hurting other audience members. Then there’s the inevitable wall of hugs, Dana’s take on metal’s own wall of death – an act that sees the band split the audience twice, creating a mass of sweaty smiles and entangled limbs.

With a set list that comprises both familiar and recent songs alike – featuring ‘Watch This!’, ‘Pink Sabbath’, ‘Infinity Milk’, ‘Some Dresses’ and ‘Chrome Rainbow’ – the band satisfy even the most hardcore fan. Newer tracks such as ‘E Numbers’ and ‘Muscle Memory’ gain as rapturous a reception as many of the band’s older and more popular material – reminders that they should have perhaps stuck around for longer.

http://soundcloud.com/workit/dananananaykroyd-e-numbers

At the heart of every Dananananaykroyd’s gig is fun: from Gunns’s be-cloaked Golem-esque introduction through to JBJ’s dancing on speakers and the whole band taking turns to burst into the crowd and share their drinks, the boys are clearly hell-bent on enjoying their final shows together. There’s yet another line-up change – new drummer Paul is here tonight – but if there’s any animosity behind the split, it’s not evident on-stage. The entire band are full of smiles with JBJ and Gunn displaying the same amount of gusto and energy as ever, their vocals alternately contrasting and blending in a deliciously cacophonic manner.

Before the band exit the stage, they all sit around the drum kit, one by one, intermittently sipping beers, and share a laugh, taking in their enraptured audience. From the unbarriered front row, and the masses behind them, through to the wall of people in the gallery above, Dananananaykroyd take a moment to soak up their surroundings and enamoured crowd for one of the last times before they gradually trickle off stage.

Their last post on their band website ­– the one that announced their split – finished with the words: “We’re going to convert all that sadness into a million joyous moments for these upcoming gigs!” On this promise they certainly delivered. The encore is one big sweaty send off, one that sees us embraced in yet another wall of hugs to fan favourites ‘The Greater Than Symbol And The Hash’ and the closing notes of ‘Black Wax’, and both the audience and the band wouldn’t have it any other way. R.I.P Dananananaykroyd, you’ll be missed.

Image sourced using Creative Commons...