Ponderano 2001 Review

Fangbase - Reviews

Babylonia, Ponderano (Biella), Italy

5th December 2001

It's Captain!

Well, it was the first time that I saw the Damned since the MCA period that the Damned weren't in Italy.

Ponderano (BIELLA) was the second gig on the Italian TOUR. I arrived at the BABYLONIA at 21:00 - the show was scheduled for 22:00, but the Damned started at 23:00. Before them were the supporting band, 'The PEAWEES' - an Italian band that gave us some good tunes.

During the supporting band show I saw a black dressed man that ran from back stage to the drinks bar - YES was Captain. I was near and while he was waiting his beer I talked with him. When he understood that I was the owner of the Italian web site (YES I know.....not recently updated ) he smiled and started to talk with me very close. Then he invited me to meet the band backstage. Trying to not bother them, I said a big "Hi" to everyone - first to MR VANIAN, then PINCH, PATRICIA and MONTY. Then after a fast talk about the show, I asked them to take a photo, and 'bye bye, see you on stage' :)

The show started as I said at 23:00 They entered from the back. The last was VANIAN, I positioned myself in front of MONTY and PATRICIA in a place where VANIAN often stands. They started with Democracy, and since the first moment I understood a thing - MONTY is totally crazy! Eh eh - jumping and moving his hands on the air all the time - he was amazing. I always thought that VANIAN was a static singer - well not at all - he moved himself all the time - from CAPTAIN (in a Leopard dress) to MONTY, and near PINCH too (of course he was very close to PATRICIA), then New Rose, Song.com, So Hot, Blackout, Amen, 13th Floor, Plan 9, Absinthe (during the song my friend, not addicted to the DAMNED told me...."hey it's great!"), Eloise, Neverland, Thrill Kill and Neat Neat Neat (I have the sheet with the list now in my room).

Between the songs they talked a lot with the crowd....saying everything vs Rod Stewart (Captain sang also a slice from Do You Think I'm Sexy and called him "WANKER"), Michael Jackson, John Lennon and his ugly and stupid wife, George Michael and Phil Collins. Captain pointed, also, to one of us advising him to shave his face sometimes - then they went away - waiting for our encore - and yes they returned back. Again, the last was VANIAN, this time he had a banana that he gave to CAPTAIN. Well, he didn't wait to take his pants down and use the banana only in the way that he could - throwing the banana to the crowd. The played Disco Man, She, Smash It Up (pt 1 & 2 ), but they skipped Love Song (VANIAN told me that was a SENSIBLE's choice.)

The show ended with a big thank you from CAPTAIN. At this point, more or less all the people left, only those who wanted to have their albums signed (GD or not - I saw also a Strawberries original and flavoured sleeve, and a MGE first sleeve.) Waited, and soon all the band came out to sign autographs. Offy I had my GD signed, and CAPTAIN again talked with me, while he was signing some posters. He did also a portrait of Phil Collins with these words "PHIL COLLINS MUST DIE" eh eh eh. Here started my surprise - he invited me, and my friend to have a drink and a slice of pizza (Italian Pizza) with the rest of the band. He shared with me a beer, and talked. Then arrived a guy from the press - he wanted to interview them, and he did his interview. But while he was talking with VANIAN he didn't understand what CAPTAIN did - eh eh eh he put all the time the artichokes, from the pizza, into the interviewer's pocket! Everyone was laughing!

It was quite late - near 2 AM, it was time to leave. Last photo (while Captain was handing a knife over me), and thank you guys :) I had nice time, I have really to say to Captain, "THANK YOU"

PS now he learned how to say CHEERS in Italian, "CIN CIN CAPTAIN!"

Werty

Click here to visit Werty's great Italian Damned site! Soon to be revamped, so keep checking back!

Thanks to Werty for the photos on this page!