For fans of the UK’s first and longest-standing punk band, it’s a no-brainer. The Damned, playing in full the first UK punk album, in full, followed by a similar treatment for The Black Album – which saw the ever-changing ensemble take an unexpected turn in direction, and by doing so, invent Goth. Ok, a slight exaggeration (Bauhaus had surfaced a full year before), but the album saw singer Dave Vanian bring his undertaker/vampire persona fully into his songwriting.
But that was 1980. In early 1977, The Damned released their debut album and with it single ‘Neat Neat Neat’. And following a booming ‘633 Squadron’ the curtain is unfurled to reveal 4 men indistinguishable from those on the sleeve of that single. (Well, they are wearing paper bags over their heads to be fair).
Unbagged, Sensible dons his trademark red beret and it’s 1976 all over again. Admittedly there’s only two original members here, with a couple of 40-something journeymen in for Rat Scabies and Brian James / Algy Ward / Paul Gray. And, for the first 30 minutes, keyboardist Monty Oxymoron – a crazy-haired mad professor type – assumes the role of Bez, given that keyboards were definitely not the thing in those halcyon years of safety pins and spit.
So as I say, you get what’s on the tin. And when opened we find 12 rumbustious slabs of punk rock energy, undiminished by the years – indeed, the Captain is a better guitarist than Bran James was at the time while Vanian’s voice, always good, hasn’t faded over the years and if anything is stronger. Oddly, second song in – ‘Fan Club’ – shows some of the dark semi-gothic songwriting that would later become their trademark but in the main it’s a 100mph rush, in keeping with the sound of the day.
Remarkably we’re all done and dusted in under 30 minutes – the Scabies-penned ‘Stab Yor Back’ is omitted for reasons unspecified. “See you in 1981” says Sensible.
I’m fairly sure the lights are dimmed for the second set, though Vanian has dispensed with the frock coat by now and is instead clad in rather non-Gothic white. And as an aside, I’m struck by the similarities between him and the various cast members of True Blood – the singer’s younger self a bit of a lookalike of Erik, the blond Nordic bloodsucker, while 18th century gentleman vampire Bill Compton has the look of Vanian circa 1980-odd. Nowadays, protected from the arclights by sunglasses, there’s more than a hint of 5000 year old Russell.
Though, given that the albums are being played in precise chronological order, getting to the true heart of darkness will have to wait, Still shaking off their punk roots, there’s the pogo-tastic ‘Wait For The Blackout’ to open, a terrific slice of, er, new wave – my definition of the genre as uncertain as the band’s direction at this point. ‘Lively Arts’ is even better confirmation of how criminally underrated the band were as songwriters – though this faithful reflection of the sprawling Black Album means that Sensible’s solo ‘Silly Kids Games’ and the sledgehammer-subtle ‘Drinking ’bout My Baby’ are almost throwaway as we head for the main event. Indeed, ‘Twisted Nerve’ and ’13th Floor Vendetta’ are like mini goth epics, separated by the ‘Dr Jeckyl and Mr Hyde’ which contrasts with the ebullient pop of ‘History of the World’.
Side three is what we’ve waited 30 years for. Occupied by the 17-minute ‘Curtain Call’ – a ‘song’ which turned punk rock on its head and while perhaps not inventing goth, cetainly paved the way for many acts who arrived in their wake. Reproduced faithfully, it contains live all the swirly keyboards on the original as Monty finally takes centre stage, and the breakdown of eerie noises and the speeding up into an almost electro tune in the second half all adds to the mystery – including the fact that the band were somehow excused this curious dalliance from the punk straight and narrow in a musical genre that traditionally attracts an unforgiving fanbase.
However, forgiven they are. Especially as we move onto the encores, and ‘Nasty’ is wheeled out – a bit of a poor man’s replacement for the first album, but ‘Love Song’ – The Hit – soon follows and gets aged bones moving for a mosh and pogo. Sensible surveys the audience to see if they want to hear ‘Happy Talk’ – despite the vote being unanimous for ‘Smash It Up’ he continues unabashed and unashamed with his solo number 1 before the band run through ‘Eloise’ (the band’s Sensible-less #3 hit) and finally, and to great cheers, ‘Smash It Up’ (parts 1 and 2) to bring an epic two-hour show to a close.
This has been a bit of an epic review. But given the fact that its subject spans 35 years, and that the band concerned seem as youthful as ever, not a word has been wasted. 1976 may be long gone, but close your eyes and it’s just like yesterday.
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