February 23, 2018

The D4 – Kings Arms February 22, 2017

I believe it was that esteemed philosopher Joni Mitchell who wrote, “you don’t know what you’ve got til it’s gone”. That sentiment felt especially relevant as we were witness to a reunion show by The D4 at the soon-to-be-defunct Kings Arms.

We will indeed miss The Kings Arms once it is replaced by another gaggle of anonymous high-rises. But what really struck me at last night’s show was how much I missed The D4.

Rock and roll bands like this are few and far between these days and it’s easy to assume that any outfit with guitars, bass and drums know how to rock.

The D4 prove that it takes more than a few amplified instruments to make rock and roll that really matters. These four men have a deep understanding and a deep passion for what they are doing and that poured out from the stage and into the sold-out crowd at the Kings Arms.

Taking the stage at about 9:45, the quartet (Jimmy Christmas, Dion Lunadon, (English) Jake Harding and Beaver Pooley) immediately ripped into Get Loose after scrawling their name, graffiti-style, on the backdrop wall.

The opening three songs became a breath-taking blur with Dion and Jimmy trading vocals and guitar riffs while the rhythm section pummelled away.

There was a brief pause between Come On and Party, just long enough for Jimmy to acknowledge Beaver’s drumming expertise and then they were at it again.

Out Of Control was just that and Do No Right featured pounding drums and a rock and roll swagger that mesmerized the crowd.

“How does it feel to be back in the Kings Arms”, asked Jimmy.

“Where have you been?” was the response from a fan.

Where indeed?

We need The D4 more than ever.

Sadly we only had them for about an hour, but we all made the most of it.

After a menacing brief tune called Stab Your Boy, a glorious version of Johnny Thunders’ Pirate Love and a rampaging Rock & Roll Motherfucker, they slowed things down with the bluesy Stop Me Clean, giving Dion a chance to play some tasty guitar.

Then it revved back up with another trio of rockers including the mighty Heartbreaker, Guitar Wolf’s Invader Ace and Exit To The City.

Less than an hour after it began, the set finished with John Rock.

Of course there would be more.

Sake Bomb kicked off the quick, three-song encore, wrapping with What I Want.

And then they were gone.

I should point out that this was more than a one-band show.

Openers Miss June and Echo Ohs both put on impressive performances with Miss June’s Annabel Liddell making a huge impression.

But by 11pm it was all over but the beer drinking and the merch buying.

How The D4 can disappear for over a decade (yes, I know about all of their individual projects) and then taunt us with this kind of full-on rock and roll assault is incredible. They truly played as if they were one.

So guys, please let’s not make this the last time. The Kings Arms may be disappearing forever, but you don’t need to. Let’s make this a regular thing.

Marty Duda

Click on any image to view a photo gallery by Ivan Karczewski:

The D4: