Fangbase - Reviews

North Star Bar, Philadelphia, PA

20th October 2001

The Damned! Thanks to Steve Seitz

Oh WOT a gig!!! Without a doubt one of the best Damned show's I've ever seen. The energy was just amazing, they really put their all into it and got the crowd going. Scorching from start to finish with lots of good laughs along the way as well. Top form all the way.

Things looked a little ify when we first got there. The club, North Star Bar, was smack in the middle of a residential neigborhood with not much of anything else around really and honestly didn't look like much from the outside. All the lights were off...place was dark and locked up and the streets were EMPTY! Captain was having to use a payphone out front when first walked up. Once inside though we found it to be quite a nice place, pretty class really. Great staff...nice friendly bartenders, bouncers, and clean...now there's a change! Bit of a small narrow place...not much bigger than NYC's Coney Island High was. Stage was covered with an old oriental rug. Dave commented it was just like playing in somone's living room...and that's about what it was like. Very cozy gig...but the energy was through the roof! Got to watch the soundcheck which was a nice treat.

Swingin' Utters weren't with them on this stop. Instead a band who I think were local who's name I didn't catch opened. They'd evidently opened for The Damned and Phantom Chords in the past from what I gathered. Bit of a psychobilly sound for best description. Really excellent....if anyone knows what their name was please let me know!

The Damned didn't really enter with a lot of fanfare....just walked on stage and immediately Captain and Dave began joking around and saying hello. The intro to Democracy started and Dave actually looked a little surprised...like "Oh, its time to play now" and with that they launched into quite the glorious sonic assult. From start to finish they just tore into it. Even Eloise was transformed into a frenzied snarling number. Lots of hilarious banter between songs. The classic songs have completely new life and vigor with how they play them now and the new songs sound just incredible live....much edgier and harder than on the album. I can't even begin to describe how great Thrill Kill sounds live! Just kicks total arse!

 

The only snags of the night were with one of poor Monty's keyboards acting up. Power kept going out and screwing up all his patch settings. Slowed them down for just a bit and forced them to rearrange the set a little....they did Neat Neat Neat in Absinthe's spot and jammed it out (yes...guitar wanking for you whiners...and it was glorious) so Monty could get them fixed up again.

After the encores the crowd still didn't let up and kept screaming for more. One of the roadies kept signalling to the soundman from the stage and his lips could clearly be read saying "Turn up the houselights" but they wouldn't have any part of it...and so back on stage they came. After asking what we wanted to hear someone screamed for Sweet Home Alabama and Captain actually launched into the guitar intro for it! Then Pinch yelled "This one's called Anti Pope!!" which put look of absolute surpise everyone's face for a second including Daves...but instead they slammed into Looking At You. The middle section soon turned into Gary Glitter's Rock And Roll....then The Door's Whiskey Bar.....then some spaced out guitar....and finally back into Looking At You with lots of grins all around from the band ending into a frenzy of feedback. Glorious!

Its Dave! - Thanks to Rich

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Not only was The Damned wound up and red hot but so was the crowd! Everyone was just so into it and the energy from both band and audience was great. Practically everyone emptied out into the street afterwards and began talking and having a good time. Really extremely wonderful people...some of the nicests, friendliest fellow Damned fans I've ever had the pleasure of meeting. Even Captain commented that it was one of the best audiences they'd had on the tour so far. So thanks Philadelphia for making it such a great night out to see The Damned.....one of the best shows ever.

Back home in Maryland with my ears still ringing. Off to pass out so I'll be somewhat rested for the DC show!

LOTS of gig photos to be posted on online this week!

Steve Seitz
www.oocities.org/thelimitclub


Another...

THE DAMNED Rock The Northstar Bar In Philadelphia, PA ...I Just CAN be Happy Today!

This was my first live DAMNED show after being a fan since the early eighties, and I was blown away. The previous evening I had thought I had seen it all after attending the Jane's Addiction Jubilee spectacle in Pittsburgh. Consequently I drove all the way across the state to see THE DAMNED in Philadelphia the next day to see how "It's really done!".

 

THE DAMNED took the stage at the Northstar, which was so small, that the band was literally on top of each other...which was great! I viewed the scene from the balcony above the stage. During the show, the "pit" in front of the stage was an undulating mass of flesh and leather. They opened with Democracy from the new CD, which they shamelessly plugged all night, followed by New Rose, and Wait for the Blackout. It appeared that Monty's keyboards were not set up correctly, but it didn't matter. Next up was the ode to John Lennon, Would You Be So Hot If You Weren't Dead, then Amen, and 13th Floor Vendetta. At one point, Pinch was pounding the "skins" so hard that he broke his base pedal, stopping the show briefly. In my opinion, all drummers should break something, and Pinch did not disappoint (Sorry if the events are not in the exact chronological order...it's all still a blur to me as I was experiencing sensory overload, but you get the gist). Some technical difficulties forced the band to improvise with the set list as they belted out their homage to Michael Jackson, Neverland, Absinthe, Eloise, Thrill Kill, and Neat,Neat,Neat. For the encore, the crowd was treated to seeing the Captain in a pink tutu and hot pink wig, which was worth ten times the price of admission. The band ripped through She, Love Song, Smash It Up and Disco Man. The next encore consisted of Looking at You, and a rousing version of the Captain's Happy Talk.
In the pink again! - Thanks to Rich

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All in all, the show was incredible. These days you're lucky to find a band with one "character" in it, but to have a band with five personalities is very rare and very special. Dave can belt out tunes with the best of them (Who the fuck is this Bono anyway?). The Captain is....well... he's the Captain (need I say more). Patricia played the hell out of the base guitar like it was nobody's business (I've never wanted to be a base guitar more in my life!). Pinch played the drums like there was no tomorrow, and Monty's keyboards provided the darkly psychedelic vibe that THE DAMNED is know for. Consequently, I couldn't hear for two days after the show.

There was a lot of great interaction between the band and the crowd in this intimate setting. The crowd was treated to some great stories, like the "Wot" story from the Captain. All about how he invented rap music and all, and then went on a five year cocaine and booze binge. As well as many great quips from Dave, and even some comments to and from the roadies.

I've seen a lot of bands in a lot of different venues, and this show was one of the best I've ever seen. I never would have expected that THE DAMNED could exude "the spirit of '76" with all of the energy and excitement of the early days of punk, in this, the 21st century, even without Rat. My only regret is that I waited this long to see them. If you're a DAMNED fan or just want to see "How it's done" check out THE DAMNED at a venue near you. You will be pleasantly surprised either way. In closing, towards the end of the show, the Captain declared..."We're a great fucking band!" and you know what, he was right!

ROCK ON!

M J Coccaro

Pinch, Dave and Patricia - Thanks to Rich

And Another...

I just gotta say...that show has been the BEST I've ever been to. No doubt about it! There was sooo much energy from the crowd, which in turn The Damned returned back and it was just so amazing! And the absolute BEST part of the show was when Dave Vanian pointed to me up in the balcony during "Love Song" talk about perfect timing AND song :) Just a wonderful night to remember...

Lauren Dayap

Thanks to Steve Seitz for the photo collage! More on his Limit Club site!

~also~

Thanks to Rich for the other photos on this page. More on his site!