Fangbase - Reviews

Dacorum Pavilion, Hemel Hempstead

Thursday 23rd May 2002

Not the biggest turn out in the world. Dave and the gang were quick to suss the lagging audience potential. Pinch is a changeling on the skins. The songs from Democracy need this. His style is totally stamped on 'Thrill Kill.'

Captains wit was still amusing, you always know he's a magnet for crowd abuse and his guitar playing can piss on most. Patricia stayed well back from the front line. She's a very understated player, but can she play.

The first half was going to be an obstacle course to generate any gas from the Hemelites.The Damned played tremendously well. Monty having a coronary about his Fisherprice keyboard going temporarily tits up made me laugh the most. My twelve year old nephew said "Who's the cross little fat man with the curly hair!"

Second half - The Damned took no prisoners, they worked hard for their magic and won it!.Dave's induction course in singing with a free mic for audience participation had become a teret syndrome seminar. Hemel could alas only
deliver the 'cunt' word but nothing else. What an inspiration for song writers!

Sue pollard may have taken Eloise from the no1 slot years ago. But it's still a belter.

Well played you lot. Captain may have enough money now for the Saga holiday he wishes to go on. Nows the time!

Adam Chance

Another...

We arrived about 15 minutes before the venue doors opened, so sat on the benches by the back doors to wait (after foolishly deciding not to pay a visit to the pub across the road). As we left to go in a familiar figure came out of one of the back doors. He looked like he was headed somewhere, so I didn’t try to stop him, and just waved – and got a lovely gesture back for my trouble… So, can you guess who that yellow-haired man was?! Could it have been the same bloke who was up on stage later, showing off his figure in the latest in slashed Damned tee-shirt chic? :-)

It’s true that while the band played a great set, the audience left something to be desired. I believe the venue was half full. I was initially getting ready to spend the gig being bashed against the barrier, but found that I actually had space to move in behind me. Good for me, not so good for the band. I’m guessing that the other gigs will get a much better turnout - perhaps most of the people further south are waiting for the London gig?

It was a night of firsts (well, ok, two firsts). They began with Street of Dreams, which, as Mark Orbit has said, was the first time Captain has played it live. Second first was Under the Floor Again (end solo and everything…yay!), which Dave Vanian said was being done live for the first time. I was pleased Plan 9 Channel 7 hadn’t been dropped, and also that they did I Just Can’t be Happy Today as well. Unfortunately I didn’t get to concentrate properly during the instrumental bit of Happy Today (one of my favourite bits in any Damned song), due to the over-enthusiastic moshing of some geezer who seemed to want to spend the entire gig being dragged about on his back – hey, whatever floats your boat, but stay away from me!

Also of note in the mosh pit was the bloke who was all dressed up like Vanian in the Gigolo video – bunny hat and all. The hat was thrown up on stage later on in the gig, where DV attempted, and failed, to attach it to Monty’s head. However, I thought the sound effect produced by bunny hitting keyboard was rather good, and fitted into the song (Smash It Up I believe) quite well…

Comedy moment: Captain reappearing on stage to sing Happy Talk, and promptly being manhandled off by Vanian. Perhaps someone should get DV one of those walking sticks with the hook at the end?

Kitty