Fangbase - Reviews

Guildhall, Gloucester

Thursday 12th December 2002

"We're back" the Captain announced.

Certainly are. The floor was bouncy, The Damned were bouncy and as for the support acts hooters ..........

Musically they were spot on, the best set I've seen for years and last night was an energetic live show that they all seemed to enjoy playing.

The band have been in my blood since Machine Gun Etiquette but for whatever reasons have not done themselves justice since 84 in my opinion. The new album is right back up there though and the live show is tight and shows off both the energy and the musicianship that they have.

The key members of this band are without doubt the Captain and DV, Rat has proved to be replaceable in my opinion. In terms of the live show they are backed up now with characters in their own right in Monty, Patricia and Pinch and they can all play a bit.

As for the set, there was something from every era (except Music for Pleasure & Anything) and were all delivered better than ever. There was a good mix of energy and slower numbers. I Fall, Nasty, Ignite, Disco Man, Democracy, Song.com and a rocking Neat Neat Neat for the floor bouncers and 13th Floor Vendetta, Under the floor again, Absynthe etc for the culture. The main bonus was the new material which sounded better than on the album. On top of those mentioned Amen, Thrill Kill and a teasing loves you when you're dead which started as New Rose came off. Every number worked for me and it was rounded off with Smash it up (part1 note perfect from the Captain).

I'd like to see I think I'm Wonderful in there somewhere, my Damned anthem, because at last I think they are again on that showing.

I'm re-converted and even bought a shirt for the cause. Thanks to the band for a great gig & keep the new stuff coming cause there's nothing else out there to touch it.

Next tour/album is ................

Mike & Vive Le Rock, Bath

Another...

This gig will always be extra special to me because I took my 13 year old son Derek and my 14 year old nephew Jake with me! For years I have raved on about how great The Damned are live.Now my son was finally old enough to get in and see for himself! I shall never forget the look he and Jake had on their faces when the show kicked off. You see they like groups like GreenDay and Blink182, good groups in their own right but not in the same league as The Damned. I think they can now see what I have been on about all these years.

The show was fantastic, the sound was great! The gig started at around 9.30 with the lights going up to reveal a suitably smoke filled stage with some horror music playing in the background, a tartan kilted Captain bounded onstage first, shouting a greeting into his megaphone, closely followed by the rest of the band.

They opened with a fantastic version of Street of Dreams, quickly followed by a riotous Nasty. The band seem tighter than I have ever known them. I have seen most line-ups but this is my favourite. Patricia is just getting awesome on the bass and Pinch seems to have reached a new level on the drums. Awesome, to quote my young guests. I want to say a word of thanks to a bloke and his wife that we met there. When I explained this was my sons and nephews first gig, he made them feel so welcome and helped build up the excitement for them, thanks mate, though I don't know your name.

The songs from the new album such as Democracy were great but I thought Vanian really enjoyed She, he really seemed to go wild on the stage and gave such a great performance. I have to say I have never heard Under The Floor played live by them before, but what a cracking song live, stunning. As usual the whole thing seemed to finish so quickly but The Damned played 17 songs in all, here is the running order:-

Street of Dreams
Nasty
I Fall
Disco Man
Just can't be Happy
Democracy
Amen
13th Floor Vendetta
Ignite
Song.com
Under the Floor
Thrill Kill
She
Neat Neat Neat

ENCORE

Would you be so hot
Eloise
Smash it Up

Thanks guys for such a great gig, I think you have 2 more young fans to add to your loyal following, ok so they are a little deaf this morning, but they have asked to go again and they both want a copy of Grave Disorder for Christmas.To sum it up, The Damned are at their absolute best, I really hope they get to release another album and I hope they keep on touring, because we the fans will keep on turning up. As Captain said last night, "through thick and thin, they've always been able to rely on the fans"

Derek Peacey
Cheltenham, UK