Fangbase - Reviews

King Georges Hall, Blackburn

Wednesday 27th November 2002

WHAT a contrast! The last time I had seen The Damned was at Jilly's Rockworld, Manchester, in July, and although that rather small and dingy club generates a cracking atmosphere, it was great to see them in a more grandiose venue, where the sound is much clearer and you can actually see the stage!

The sound quality is important for a band like The Damned, who are currently offering a brilliantly diverse set, featuring intricate songs such as 13th Floor Vendetta, Under The Floor Again and Thrill Kill, as well as the usual turbo-charged classics.

As with the summer tour, they opened with a cracking Street of Dreams, and then went into Nasty, always one of my favourites. The return of I Fall to the set list was a welcome surprise, and after a rousing rendition of I Just Can't Be Happy Today, the rest of the set relied heavily on material from the magnificent Grave Disorder album.

Between songs, the Captain was quieter than I've ever heard him before, but in one of his few bits of banter with the crowd he revealed that The Damned's stint on Nitro Records may prove to be a short one. If so, let's hope that another recording deal is in the offing, because Grave Disorder has certainly whetted the appetite for more new material.

My only slight criticism of this set is that Neat Neat Neat is starting to feel a bit past its sell-by date - especially the long, drawn-out version which has become the norm. Personally, I'd have preferred Wait For The Blackout or Plan 9 Channel 7 to close the main set. But that's just a minor gripe, and a cracking encore of Would You Be So Hot, Eloise and Smash It Up sent the fans home happy, as always.

As for me, I'd have paid the admission money just to hear the Captain's guitar solo on Under The Floor Again, which was sublime.

On this form, The Damned should, quite simply, be conquering the world.

The full set list was:

Street of Dreams
Nasty
I Fall
Disco Man
I Just Can't Be Happy Today
Democracy
Amen
13th Floor Vendetta
Ignite
Song.Com
Under The Floor Again
Thrill Kill
She
Neat Neat Neat

Would You Be So Hot
Eloise
Smash It Up (Parts 1&2)

Grant Macabre