Daniel Romano likes both kinds of music: country and western.
Sure, he’s an Ontario boy who came up in the punk scene, but his former band, Attack in Black, long ago made the transition towards more of an alt country/folk sound so it’s not surprising that he’s embraced the classic country look and sound. Still, it may seem a tad audacious for a Canadian who used to play hardcore shows to come to Texas and rep himself as a country singer. Here’s the thing though; Romano knows his stuff. This is clearly a man who’s studied the genre. His songs, both in lyrical content and structure, could fit in easily on a playlist alongside classic tunes from the ’50s, ’60s, or ’70’s. And then there’s Romano and band’s wardrobe, which made them look as if they stepped out of a honky tonk some 30 odd years ago (and have you seen his latest album cover? I think someone may be a Slim Whitman fan).
As for the show itself, Romano has definitely got the goods live. While some of the performance may be a little tongue in cheek (the band took to the stage after a prerecorded message styled after old time theatre announcements), this is no “let’s dress up as hayseeds and mock the genre” type of thing. Romano has a love for the music and it shows.