Fangbase - Reviews

The Backroom, Austin, TX

2nd November 2001

This is the 5th time I have seen the Damned (starting with the Strawberries tour), which isn't easy living in Texas. I must say every show has it's own little twist, making no 2 alike.

My personal fave is Captain Sensible, whose solo work is also outstanding. ANYHOO -the Backroom is a dumpy heavy metal/thrash joint in south Austin, and is not in the safest part of town. Arriving about 10:30, my girlfriend and I noticed the most gawd-awful 70's style (a'la Partridge Family) grade "A" ugly van/camper with trailer attachment parked on the side of the club. Thinking at first we had made a wrong turn and entered a retirement community vacation spot, our fears were squelched when we saw Dave and Patricia standing outside by the van. Dave looked like a "That's-the-Way-It-Is" '71 era Elvis. By the time I stopped laughing at the van and got inside, the Toilet Boys were in the middle of their set. He/she the singer was vamping and camping it up, and I thought the band had a real classic '70's Glam sound going. Glitter Rock Rules! My son the Painkiller of the Houston review didn't care for them, but I thought they were really good! Enjoyable puffery with a solid beat and great pyrotechnics.

Afterwards, lights dimmed, and I made a run for the bar, grabbed 4 Fat Bastard Ales for me, plus 2 extra for my girlfriend. I was not going to move from the stage once the show started. I had my beer stash and was ready. The extra beer saves trips to the bar, and if I have to piss, I have an extra cup (or 2). Those years in the Boy Scouts taught me to be prepared!

The 3/4's capacity crowd was typical Austin (re: stand and stare in potheaded stupor). I sequestered a perfect side view of the stage on Sensible's side that was perfectly clear of anyone and had a perfect view. I soon found out why no one stood there. The club bouncer came over kind of worried and said I needed to move. I asked why I couldn't stand there, I was just gonna drink beer and sing along with the band. He pointed and said "The gentleman there with the band needs the pathway to that side of the stage clear." I saw who he was talking about. The "gentleman" was the biggest damn bodyguard I have ever seen. A huge towering guy, he just smiled and smoked a pipe, looking over the crowd and being very serene. Needless to say I moved out a ways.

The band hit the stage like an atomic bomb. Sensible dancing and grinning and Dave booming his vocal chords over the PA. My girlfriend was parked over to the side enjoying the band while I moved more towards the middle of the crowd, dancing by myself (sorry Billy!). One big smash after another, and most of the crowd just stood there. No pogoers, no stage divers, no mosh. This must have had an effect on the band, as the energy level was not quite up to what it had been the last time I saw them in 98. One beauty of the Damned is that they feed directly, and respond to, the audience mood. Ah well, Captain helped out and acnowledged the small crowd of excited frontliners by accusing them of wanting to lick his bunghole. Much laughter all around, and the spirits rose. Captain did say something about true originals in music and mentioned Captain Beefheart and a couple of other unique individuals, but as to the context or complete record of what he said, I must say dear reader, that this reviewer is at a loss. The Fat Bastards were kicking me in ass about this time, and everything was becoming blurry.

Encore time, and Captain had his tutu with blonde wig on and bare ass hanging out. Gawd, what a pasty pommy bum -

The show was hugely enjoyable, they played like the champions they are, but I wish the crowd had been livelier. It would have made a good show even better.

PS - My girlfriend and I ran into Captain outside by the tour van and chatted him up a bit while the rest of the band was hanging/cooling down. Again, it was odd this time out, as no one was trying to talk the band up. Last time through the band members were surrounded by fans and well wishers. No one really around this time. Captain was a very nice and gracious person, and signed all my stuff. My girlfriend and I, feeling very gregarious and beery, invited him back to our house for cocktails and a dip in the hot tub Hey, what the hell, I said, bring the whole band! He said thanks but he doesn't drink after the show (!). Nice fellow. As we were saying goodbye, he noticed something out in the parking lot, got excited, said he had to go. We wished him well, he said "So long", and he took off like a shot towards the parking lot, still in encore attire.

My final memory of the evening is that of a 40-something male adult running across a crowded parking lot at 1 AM dressed in a pink tutu................odd sight, really....nightmares for a week......

Yours with a twist of lemon

Johnny Cat

Another...

One of the highlights of the show came early as Capt joined opening act, The Briefs, on stage for a blistering version of "Jet Boy Jet Girl". This got me fired up early (cough). Hadn't heard of or seen The Briefs before, but would pay $$ to see them again.

The Toilet Boys were... er, nice, but the best part of there set was that near the end, my young cousin asks me, "What's up with that chick?", referring to singer. When I informed him it was guy, he was stunned and embarrassed. This will be funny for weeks...

While I would have been pleasantly suprised had the band played "W", I was resigned to the fact they wouldn't have the cobbles to do so. (Even the lead Toilet Boy screamed "fuck George Bush" into the mic... he got no adverse response).

"Thrill Kill" was the highlight of the set - a massive wall of sound! Both Monty and Pinch threw fits about the sound. Memo to Sound Dude: Monty was working up there (I know because I saw him), but you coudn't hear a damn thing!

The evening ended appropriately enough with me vomiting and passing out on the couch. Well, that's rock & roll for ya!

Love,
Doodolly