Fangbase - Reviews

Cheese & Grain, Frome

Saturday 6th July 2002

Yippee!! We got there in the end!! Sickness nearly stopped us going, a turned over car in the road on the way nearly stopped us, getting lost in Frome nearly stopped us.. but we got there and boy was it good!

Due to a variety of problems, no electricity, then equipment going live, no dressing room.. this gig may not have happened but the resilience of The Damned won through and after an entertaining support by Far Que and a short wait, the smoke machine coughed out it's smoke screen and at 10.00pm they were on. Ripping in to Street of Dreams that sounded so good it could have been a new song, they then pounded through the set, which was a fantastic balance of old and new. Every song being delivered with a conviction, tightness and power that proves this band is getting better and better. And wow, was Patricia ever hammering her bass, she was really belting it out and is was great to see her taking her place upfront in the spotlight with Cap and Dave as well. Her and Pinch, who delivers such solid drumming, formed a stable, powerfull backline for the others and allowing Monty to totally freak out, leaping around like his trousers were on fire - I could have sworn he headbutted the keyboards at one point!

Saying that it wasn't all perfection (eh?? sacrilege!!) the sound was dodgy (comes from playing in a barn I suppose..) And what happened to the start of Smash It Up?? Captain and Patricia must have been playing different versions! The atmosphere in the crowd didn't feel quite like the last time either, dunno what it was either as The Damned were giving 110%. Anyhow there was some great banter with Dave and Captain especially when they noticed the monstrous mirror ball hanging above the crowd - hmm.. sounds like a build up for Disco Man to me, and what was Captain going on about getting Farmers Lung when he comes to Frome!!

A great night was had by all, my kids loved it (their first live gig - well it had to be a Damned one), my daughter was chuffed to bits after getting Pinch and Captain (Birdseye??)'s autographs. She is now on a mission to get Dave, Monty and Pat's (you can't escape!!). Oh, and watch out for Tom Cruise (AKA Captain) leaving dodgy voicemails on your mobile!!

Great to meet with some faces from old too (Mark V, Dickie D etc). All in all it was a brilliant, brilliant night. Didn't get any cake though :(

Master Therion (craving for another gig).