The Damned at The Academy – May 25th 2012
Review by Justin McDaid
Photos by Alan Moore
Thirty-five years after The Damned raced out of the traps with the first single by a British punk band in the shape of New Rose, nine studio albums and a revolving door of members later, The Academy plays host to the current incarnation on their anniversary tour. The years haven’t dampened the band’s enthusiasm for theatrics, nor their sharp bite – guitarist Captain Sensible has quite the distaste for Paul Weller it would seem, among others. The fine weather outside is no friend to support band C O’Neill & Co. with a sparsely populated floor as Goldenplec enters and the band begin their final number. It sounded good though and the eclectic Cavan band received a warm response from the wings of the venue, and Sensible had a few kind words to say about them during the main act’s set. As The Gossip blared out of the PA system while the headliner’s roadies geared up, the first impression of the night was that there was little thought put into proceedings. Travis followed, then The Thrills, an odd mix of mood music – the first cd at hand was thrown on it appears. It just seems that there is no sense of occasion for a thirty-fifth anniversary tour.
The floor has filled to a more respectable size as Captain Sensible bounds onstage, decked out in trademark white sailor suit and red beret, warning us “There’s no Happy Talk unfortunately”, before his guitar emits a high-pitched squeal. “That’s the ghost of Robin Gibb” he quips. Wait For The Blackout kicks things off, with one or two dedicated pogoers among the still sedate crowd. After the opening trilogy of ‘Black Album’ numbers things change gear with I Just Can’t Be Happy Today – both crowd and band suddenly get into it and there’s a sense of camaraderie all round as Sensible and singer Dave Vanian crowd around keys player and all round freak-out merchant Monty Oxymoron during his solo. Then, early in the set that first single, New Rose. What can we expect but what we get; a mosh pit opening up to engulf the floor.
The night is punctuated with much witticism from Sensible – an excellent Stretcher Case Baby is dedicated to the roadie who crashed the van on the way to the gig; he chides the younger element in the crowd about not remembering the world’s first first boy band The Beatles before ripping into the second, The Sex Pistols. A few choice words are reserved for Simon Cowell and Johnny Rotten before the band lash into Neat Neat Neat, with it’s extended jam section that probably would have gotten them bottled offstage back in the day. History Of The World (Pt.1) is simply fantastic, and Dave Vanian, looking like a cross between Bela Lagosi and Del Boy, pulls out every theatrical hand gesture in the book throughout the set, signalling imaginary vistas with splayed fingers.
“Join with your old mates The Damned and make this gig more dignified than it really is” says sensible before Ignite, a favourite of Lemmy’s and it isn’t hard to see why with its Motorhead…everything. The crowd sing along anyway, and in fairness it’s a rocker. We even get a bit of reggae thrown in for good measure. With that, Sensible dips into the crowd for a few handshakes. “I’m turning into a complete Sleazebag!” More hilarity ensues when the band come back for the encore – the smoke machine that was to add some atmosphere to the climax was broken in the crash and the roadie is again lambasted with good humour. One pathetic wisp of smoke puffs out before a fun Curtain Call. A wag in the wings shouts for Happy Talk before a genuine ‘wow’ moment in the night – a completely unexpected, and amazing, version of Love’s Alone Again Or from their ‘Forever Changes’ album, and a fine end to a psychedelic encore.
But wait…there’s mischief to be had yet. “Do you want Disco Man or Happy Talk?” asks Sensible and puts it to a crowd vote. Inevitably the roars go to the latter and a rocked up version is played before the band then go into Smash It Up and Sensible plays some behind-the-head guitar. We can’t have Vanian using up all the theatrics. The Damned are “a lot better than Paul Weller and all those other scumbags who say they’re happy to be here and don’t mean it!” shouts Sensible before the band head off to get bought copious amounts of drink at the bar. And as we exit the venue to the sounds of Jet, I wonder…did Weller really not mean it? The Damned – still crazy after all these years…what a show.
The Damned Photo Gallery
Photos: Alan Moore
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