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House Of Blues, New Orleans
31st October 2001
The band have a very special place in my heart, so much so then when it finally came down to settling down it was Love Song that I chose to pogo down the aisle to.
My husband and I had arranged our to spend our honeymoon with friends in Atlanta and experience some real American hospitality, I would never have guessed this included being taken to see the Damned in Atlanta on my first night there. I had only mentioned in passing that their were my favourite band some months earlier and the fact they had remembered and got us tickets blew me away.
The gig was amazing and to finally meet the band after seeing them in Britain some 15 times or so was almost too much, however Captain if you read this, Phil Collins signature isn¹t much use even if it is a source of hilarity for said husband.
On to New Orleans for Halloween (a road trip already planned) and straight to the House of Blues for one of the best nights of my life.
The energy and enthusiasm of the crowd and band will be hard to beat. For sheer stage presence there is no-one to compare with Dave, although it is hard to concentrate and not spend the entire gig watching Oxy Moron, who looked like a cross between a mad scientist and one of his creations. How he does it night after night will remain a mystery.
The set list was pretty much the same as Atlanta but that didn't detract from anyone's enjoyment as it was a brilliant mix of old classics and new and improved Damned formulas. The band really got into the spirit of Halloween and it's hard to compete when everyone in New Orleans had seemed to have spent all year preparing their costumes.
Dave's voice was as close to perfect as you could want, and the sound quality was amazing (very impressive venue). This is probably as tight and professional as I have ever seen them, their new material, Democracy, She, Song.com etc. seeming to sit comfortably with old favourites like Disco Man as if they has all been penned in the late 70's. It was a real pleasure to see brilliant musicians play their hearts out, although there was a distinct lacking of movement from the crowd even for Smash It Up. Plenty of banter with the crowd, but not too much and a wicked sense of humour from both Vanian and Sensible dealt with any hecklers although there was nothing malicious.
Everyone there seemed to realise this was something special. If there was anyone who disregarded their work of the eighties (like some in Britain) as disposable pop then tonights rendition of Eloise would silence them immediately, more energetic and haunting than any recorded version.
Normally when any band plugs their new album it's because it badly needs the help, as fans can be opposed to too much change but Grave Disorder proves the Damned still have what it takes and the pure energy to pull it off live.
After the gig Dave and Captain took the time to sign stuff and have pictures taken, and as always were charming and good humoured. At this point I had now met them 3 times and managed to talk gibberish on each occasion, I even stopped Dave mid shopping spree in New Orleans before the gig only to find out I'd lost my camera. It's to his credit that he took the time to speak to me and my friends and not treat me like the deranged stalker I obviously appeared to be.
Long live the new line up and here¹s to my next gig in Newcastle, England. (Dave I¹ve got my picture and brilliant memories, so don't worry I won't be waiting for you at Newcastle, just pogoing gently to myself at the back.)
All the best and thanks for the best honeymoon anyone ever had......
Fe
Hardy