It
was a case of fith time around for me last night, as I went to see
one of Britain's greatest punk bands live once again.
Lincoln's
newly re-opened Drill Hall is a smart and modern venue, but they do
not allow smoking or drinking within the stage area.
As
usual, the ever sociable Captain Sensible could be seen mingling with
(and bagging drinks from) the fans at the bar.
The
first support band was ageing but energetic cover act The Infidels.
They
performed versions of 70s punk classics Ever Fallen In Love
and Harmony in My Head by the Buzzcocks, Tommy Gun
and White Riot by The Clash, and The Stranglers'
infamous No More Heroes.
I'd
like to thank singer Chris for dedicating Harmony in My Head
to me following us talking on The Damned message boards.
The
Infidels set the feel for the headliners and so probably should
have been the second support band, which was instead AntiProduct.
The
American frontman'd energy and eccentricity is impressive, but with
their songs being virtually unknown to the majority of the largely
40-something audience, it was almsot wasted.
I
have seen the band with the lovely lady members earlier this year
- but that was a gig for a teenage audience.
Their
singer didn't capture the crowd as much, consequently but was nethertheless
a good performance.
On
with what everyone was there for then. The Damned appeared on stage
suprisingly close to schedule at 9:30pm, with keyboardist Monty Oxy
Moron and drummer Pinch the first to emerge.
Stand-in
bassist Stuart West, replacing new-mother Patricia Morrison, and eventually
original members Dave Vanian and Captain Sensible came on to a huge
applause.
The
band are on the MGE 25 tour, celebrating the 25th anniversary
of their album Machine Gun Etiquette - and they opened with
Love Song, a hit from the album in 1979.
Now
as usual, I have difficulty remembering what they played and in what
order, such is the effect of alcohol and pogo-ing.
The
sound was suprising clear at the front, perhaps a result of the acoustics
at the Drill Hall.
Reliably,
the band played New Rose and their greatest sucess, Eloise.
Two
songs from the band's most recent album Grave Disorder were
played, Would You Be So Hot (If You Weren't Dead) and Absinthe
- the former introduced by the Captain with the usual anti-John Lennon
truths.
I
managed to get onto the front railing, but it's was a fight to stay
there throughout - both with the temtation to get into the pit of
jumping sweat, flesh, flesh elbows and stomps; and with other people
eger to get a good view.
The
ever fantastic Ignite was dedicated to all the smokers present
by the Captain and the already energetic and powerful 'dancers' near
the front really picked up.
Melody
Lee and the high-paced Neat Neat Neat followed, as I stood
at the back for a short time to compare the sound - it was excellent,
but I couldn't stand there all night!
While
the sound was better than some of the Damned's gigs I've been to before,
I couldn't really hear Monty's keyboards clearly enough at any point
during the night - but I don't know if this was part of an idea to
have a rawer sound, such as was MGE.
Well,
I can't remember what was the last song before the encore, but the
Captain re-appeared and went into his solo effort Jet Boy, Jet
Girl.
Well,
there is one song I haven't mentioned and who no one could forget
live and that' the punk anthem that is Smash It Up, for which
everyone obviously went beserk.
Cuts,
bruises, aches, pains and a lost watch - a good gig.
If
anyone can fill in the gaps over what they played, I know there are
many more songs, I'd be grateful.
The
beer-throwing twats that think they are at a Sex Pistols gig
in 1976 are tossers.
As written for Dragontown.co.uk
Tom
Green