WORDS AND IMAGES SAM HOLT
The Damned recently welcomed drummer Rat Scabies back into the fold, and unlike many other bands of the time, they have managed to maintain many members from their “classic period.” The question for me is whether they still have it, and how well they will perform in front of the Wolverhampton crowd here at The Halls. They are accompanied tonight by two support acts: The Fleshtones from America, and Dr. and The Medics from London, each with a different style but from the same era.
Dr. and The Medics opened the night, led by the flamboyant yet humble Dr. Clive Jackson, who mentioned that it had been since 1985 when they last played Wolverhampton with The Damned. Despite having the shortest set as the opening act, they successfully warmed up the audience. People have speculated over the years about their direction as a one-hit wonder. Had they evolved into a covers band? Apparently, they did for a while, but after receiving renewed support, they unveiled fresh original songs and recently released an EP of new material. The band chose to end their set with their well-known hit, “Spirit In The Sky,” which worked wonderfully in energizing the crowd.
Next on stage were The Fleshtones, and while the lighting was initially dark and moody, their music was anything but. They are a tight, hard-hitting garage rock band from New York. This four-piece works well together, with both the guitarist and bass player leaping from chairs and striking dynamic poses while playing enthusiastically. I enjoyed “Back at School,” but my favorite from their set was “I Surrender,” a cover by Dutch singer Anne St. Clair. It’s a tight, punchy number with a big impact. The band has played at the well-known CBGB’s several times, and although they never achieved mainstream success, they have developed a loyal following.
As the lights dimmed, The Damned, led by drummer Rat Scabies, strolled onto the stage, joined by keyboardist Monty Oxymoron, Paul Gray on bass, and, of course, Captain Sensible on guitar. It was evident that both the band and the audience were ready. As vocalist David Vanian joined the lineup, they launched into “Love Song” and “Machine Gun Etiquette,” making it clear they were in top form for the night, delivering an excellent show.
David and The Captain kept the audience engaged with jokes, like “Well, we are still here,” and “The train on platform 4 is…,” before launching into “History of the World.” The band then performed a stirring rendition of “Stranger on the Town” that captivated the crowd, followed by “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.” Vanian invited Captain Sensible to sing “Life Goes On,” led in by Paul Gray on bass.
As a unit, they commanded fantastic stage presence, and this was particularly evident during “Eloise.” The Wolverhampton crowd was ecstatic by this point, singing along enthusiastically to “Ignite,” with both The Captain and Vanian reaching out with their microphones—not that they were needed. The set ended with “Neat Neat Neat.” As they left the stage, The Captain thanked the Wolverhampton crowd, mentioning the significance of the place for rock ‘n’ roll and giving a shout-out to greats like Black Sabbath and Roy Wood.
Returning for an encore, the band had the chance to play “Curtain Call” and “New Rose,” as well as an impromptu “Happy Birthday” for someone in the audience. However, it was “Smash It Up,” both parts 1 and 2, that had the crowd jumping, especially down at the front, singing along in fine voice and enjoying a nostalgic trip back in time.
To answer my original question: The Damned still have it. As a band, they played tightly, the crowd loved them, and overall, it was a great night. As I stepped into the chilly December night, I was warmed by the entire experience of a fantastic Damned performance.
SET LIST:
1/ Love Song
2/ Machine Gun Ettiquette
3/ Wait For The Blackout
4/ Lively Arts
5/ History Of The World (Part 1)
6/ Plan 9 Channel 7
7/ Stranger On The Town
8/ Gun Fury (Of Riot Forces)
9/ I Just Cant Be Happy Today
10/ Dr Jeckyll and Mr Hyde
11/ Beware Of The Clown
12/ Eloise
13/ Life Goes On
14/ The Invisble Man
15/ Ignite
16/ Neat Neat Neat /Break On Through To The Other Side/Neat Neat Neat
Encore
17/ Curtain Call
18/ Drum Solo
19/ New Rose
20/ There Aint No Sanity Clause
21/ Smash It Up (Part 1)
22/ Smash It Up (Part 2)
FOLLOW THE DAMNED
FOLLOW DR AND THE MEDICS
FOLLOW THE FLESHTONES
Returning to gigs and live music after a short break, and love being able to combine that with photography. For me I’m happy to make a road trip out for the right band/artist. I enjoy all genre’s of music, but a huge Gary Numan, Rival Sons and more recently Dirty Honey fan, but I’m always up for checking out all new music, and its just as important to catch support acts, during a gig, as one day they could be headliners themselves.
