Saturday, August 24, 2002 Post-Stones Jones Ah, those mythical notions of what a Rolling Stones post-show party must be like. The limos and secret locations. The exclusive guest lists and throngs of famous hangers-on. The cases of Rebel Yell whiskey and busted up bits of hotel furniture. But for Danko Jones, it was Chinese food and a party of five following the local band's gig opening for The Stones at the Palais Royale last week. "Yup, there we are supporting them and a few hours later we're in a Chinese restaurant on Spadina," bassist and manager John "JC" Calabrese says with a laugh. "I can't even remember the restaurant's name!" Calabrese was joined for the celebratory meal by singer-guitarist Danko Jones, the group's soundman, their tech guy, and a buddy. Drummer Damon Richardson went home to bed, exhausted from a three-week Canadian tour that culminated with the last-minute spot on The Stones' bill. If that sounds anti-clamactic, they were quietly thrilled. "What we had just done hadn't sunk in," Calabrese says. There hasn't been much time for that since, either. The Danko crew took one day off after the Palais show, and spent Sunday shooting a video for their forthcoming single Lover Call. Then it was off to Sweden, where they've been enjoying the biggest success of their six-year career with new album Born A Lion. Following a concert in the Swedish port city of Malmo on Thursday, they were off to festival dates in Holland in Belgium. Clearly, The Stones affair was just a pleasant diversion in an already hectic schedule. "Other Canadian bands have opened for The Stones before," says Jones, as low-key a guy offstage as he is cocksure onstage. "The Tea Party have done it, and Widemouth Mason. I guess the difference was that we've been toiling in the clubs for years. We're very much part of the Toronto club scene -- or we were until recently. To scoop up one of those bands and put them together with the biggest band in the world is special. But it won't define us. We've never relied on just one thing to spread the word and we wouldn't start now." Danko, the band, have had feedback from fans as far away as Germany, the U.K., Japan, and Brazil since last Friday. The band say that apart from the obvious exposure the gig gave them, the experience was invaluable for other reasons. "It was great to see how The Stones' unit works," Calabrese says. "There are 14 people on stage, they have a big crew, and the harmony and efficiency in the way they work is so impressive when you see it from the perspective we had. It's really empowering. These guys have been doing this for longer than I've been alive." For his part, Richardson says he expected to see less of The Stones than he did. "I'd heard everyone was going to get kicked out of the building for their soundcheck," he muses. "Not only did we get to stay, I even got a little nod and an ''euyyy' from Keith. That was the closest I got to a conversation with the guys." Adds Calabrese: "We got treated really nice. It was funny, I got a call from (a Toronto music writer) and he was like, 'Did they treat you like s--- and pay you $100?!' No, no. "We were treated well. We got positive feedback from everyone. Mick Jagger's daughter was dancing at the side of the stage throughout our set. I got a really cool comment from (Toronto-based tour promoter) Michael Cohl. The Stones' crew were complimentary at how professional our little operation was. It gives you a real sense of validation." Danko Jones play with some more heroes this weekend when they share a Belgian festival bill with former Stooges Ron and Scott Asheton, and Guns 'N Roses this weekend. They return for a spot at SnowJam at the CNE Sept. 14, followed by a Canadian tour with opener Andrew WK, tentatively slated for the Docks Oct. 11. |
