Joker
Niener's
09.29.2000

Review by Dana Detrick-Clark

Three sets might be too much for some bands, but Joker manages to fill an entire evening with sounds old and new that don't fail to entertain.

Though they start the set with a couple of Judas Priest and Black Sabbath songs, this isn't some cover band. Granted, they do a lot of old and new metal and hard rock classics, but once their originals start in, you find out where they really shine. With Metallica-esque presence and an animated stage show, new songs like "Devilstone" and "Hangman's Noose" from their current album "2" (which this set of shows at Niener's was a release party for) hold the crowd's attention just as much as any Alice in Chains or Poison song they may have just performed.

What shines through the most about Joker is how much they're really enjoying what they do. The tight choreography that hearkens back to classic metal and the vocal and instrument trading that occurs throughout the show might take their toll on some bands, but the energy level and enthusiasm are never spoiled here. Their sense of humor reigns supreme as well, leaving spots for audience participation and jokes (like guitarist Andymann's Cartman impersonation during Nugent's "Free for All") that insure they live up to their name.

If you're in the mood for a fun evening of music that shows its old school influence without sounding dated, check Joker out. For more information, go to http://www.jokerweb.net/.

--Dana Detrick-Clark
dana@thezone.org