live reviews

GREENBELT FESTIVAL ‘09: Performance Café – 4pm
Danny has a winsomely modest persona that from the off engaged the audience – “I was introduced as an ‘intellectual’ – don’t believe a word of it.” Wakefield-based Danny had hoped to play Greenbelt with a band but is just as effective as one-man-and-acoustic, his smooth and tuneful voice effortlessly registering his memorable lyrics with the audience as he sang, “I must be lazy, or crazy or a bit of both.” He introduced one of his oldies “Sandcastles” with an amusing explanation of the different Northern and Southern pronunciations of “castles” then sat at the piano for a song before breaking into one of his best compositions, “You Colour Me In”. No wonder Danny has a job teaching songwriting skills to others. Seemingly every line from this consummate songsmith shone with insight and an easy eloquence while his melodies were fresh and memorable. With so many Christian singer/songwriters opting for either the clichés of Bible paraphrases or the confusing obliqueness of obscure metaphor, Danny’s deft fusion of spirituality and songwriting craft could only be admired. No wonder the audience clapped long and hard at the close.
Tony Cummings, Cross Rhythms Magazine