Guy Fawkes Night went off with a bang at The Garage as Los Pepes delivered a blistering 40-minute set of Power-Pop Punk, combining the Speed-Metal ferocity of Motörhead with the infectious melodic sensibility of the Buzzcocks. Led by Ben Perrier (vocals/guitar, formerly of Winnebago Deal), the band boasts an international lineup featuring Seisuke Nakagawa (bass/vocals), Guilherme Rujao (guitar/bass/vocals) and Kris "Killer" Kowalski, aka Kris Hood (drums). Racing through 14 songs, from the opening salvo of 'Guilty Pleasures' and 'Undercover' to the closing one-two of 'Never Get It Right' and 'Stay With Me', the band barely paused for breath. 'New Christians', 'Automatic' and 'Positive Negative' were among the highlights, rounding off a feisty, no-nonsense set brimming with grit and attitude.

If Los Pepes had provided the opening fireworks, Danko Jones were here to set the whole place alight. Making their entrance to Ennio Morricone's 'The Strength of the Righteous' from The Untouchables, the Canadian Hard-Rock trio wasted little time getting down to business, launching into 'Guess Who's Back' before unleashing a barrage of high-octane riffs, thunderous rhythms and infectious Rock 'n' Roll attitude.

Frontman Danko Jones is a natural-born showman, his charismatic persona and commanding stage presence bringing to mind Dan Reed of the Dan Reed Network. However, there's a refreshing self-deprecating side to his performance, with an entertaining line in banter and a willingness not to take himself too seriously. You could almost imagine him reviewing his own gig and giving it a straight 2/2! Yet behind the humour is a formidable performer who knows exactly how to deliver the goods. Armed with a striking bright white Hagstrom Ultra Max, his own Danko Jones Signature model, he combines razor-sharp guitar work with powerful, assured vocals. Backed by John "JC" Calabrese on bass and Rich Knox on drums, the trio operate like a well-oiled Rock 'n' Roll machine.

'Get High?', 'I'm in a Band' and 'I Gotta Rock' set the tone, while 'Everyday Is Saturday Night' and 'First Date' kept the momentum firmly in the red. 'Invisible' stood out with its distinctly Punky, 'New Rose'-era The Damned feel, adding a welcome twist to the band's Hard-Rock assault. 'Good Times' proved another crowd-pleaser, with Jones encouraging the audience to join in with the raucous lyric, "I came here to fuck shit up and have a good time". In contrast to Rob Zombie's rather different attitude towards mobile phones at live shows, Danko was positively encouraging the audience to get their phones out, adding another touch of humour and informality to the evening. There was little let-up through 'Code of the Road', 'I Love It Louder' and 'Full of Regret', with the band's hard-hitting sound and infectious hooks keeping the audience firmly onside.

Returning for an encore, Jones continued to demonstrate his self-deprecating humour by cheekily asking the crowd if they wanted to hear some more "original but derivative songs" before launching into 'Shake Your City', 'Lovercall' and 'My Little RnR'. A thoroughly entertaining display of unapologetic, no-frills Hard Rock, with Danko Jones proving that charisma, attitude and a great guitar riff remain a formidable combination.

Review and photos: Ivan De Mello