Fangbase - Reviews

The Sanctary - Birmingham

22nd November 2001

Just got back from tonight’s show in Birmingham, what can I say? Fantastic.

The band were all fully animated, with plenty to watch and never a dull moment on stage. Talking of never a dull moment, both Captain and Dave kept things ticking along between songs with plenty of banter and chat. The band seamed to enjoy themselves as well (always a good sign), climaxing with Captain winding Patricia up during Smash It Up (part 1), hogging her limelight and keeping her at the back of the stage

For a playlist it would be churlish to ask anything more, with an excellent mix of new and old. New songs blended into old, and vice-versa. The mix was probably about 60:40 new-to-old, but I didn’t count and didn’t care (this didn’t even occur to me until driving home). All my faves from the new album were there, and many from the past catalogue, including some I didn’t expect!

In short this was a night for Damned Disciples. Thanks to the band (I really do hope you enjoyed it to)! And a special thanks to Mugwort, without who’s directions I never would have found the place (especially as they don’t appear to believe in answering telephones).

Sid

Another...

I had been looking forward to this gig from the moment it was announced and it did not disappoint. This was the third time that I had seen the band in the last six months (small beer compared to some of your fanatics I know) and I was intrigued at how they would combine their old and new material. At the sauna that was the Rock Café in Stourbridge in June they had played their old set for almost the last time with merely a smattering of the new. At Dingwalls on the day the album was released understandably the material was almost exclusively new. So what would the Grave Disorder tour have in store?

For those of you not fortunate enough to be there, The Sanctuary is an interesting venue with a high stage surrounded by iron railings. The big hall with surrounding balcony lacked the intimacy of many of the bands recent venues including that used when the Damned played at the opening night of the Sanctuary last year. However at least the back drop of the massive organ pipes was appropriate and the large stage allowed DV to strut his stuff. The railings themselves also gave Monty some assurance that he wouldn't fall off stage as he manically bashed away on his keyboard.

The gig started with a two-fingered salute from Pinch and a rousing rendition of Democracy which is almost becoming the bands signature tune. This was quickly followed by New Rose and this really set the pattern for the night. Something old, something new, something borrowed (from Rogers and Hammerstein) and something blue (to swing away from in the atmospheric hue created by the dry ice presumably).

The old blended very well with the new on the basis that although it may have spanned a quarter of a century in the making the quality of the Damned's work has remained as good as ever. In particular there was a splendid link between the haunting Amen and 13th Floor Vendetta. As expected the set contained the vast majority of the album including Song.com, Absinthe, Thrill Kill and the band's own "tributes" to John Lennon and Michael Jackson! What was an added bonus was the number of old classics that we were treated to which resulted in an extra long set. I would have expected Neat Neat Neat, Love Song, Eloise etc but there was much much more including my favourite Wait For The Black Out.

The traditional encore was preluded by the Captain, by now resplendent in pink tutu and blonde wig, treating us to Happy Talk, before the band finished off with Disco Man, She and finally - of course what else but Smash It Up.

So an excellent night was had by all including the band I'm sure. Their time on the road has clearly been well spent and the set and band gelled perfectly even if Patricia did find it difficult to shake the Captain off (oo er) in the finale. There was a good size crowd there despite the almost total lack of publicity that the gig received locally. Come on guys this band is a national treasure not a private members club go out and spread the work Grave Disorder has broken out.

Happy Christmas - see you in Hackney!

PKN