Bristol O2 Academy, 14th April
It’s been a long five years since the Damned graced a concert stage in Bristol, they were the first punk band to release a single, first to release an album, first UK punk band to play America and the first to split up yet here they still are.
Who would have thought some 47 years after forming they would be releasing new album ‘Darkadelic’ (out 28 April), and embarking on a full UK tour this after playing European dates and following the UK shows more gigs in America, Australia and New Zealand.
I have been looking forward to this for a long time and wasn’t disappointed, following the support band (the Nightingales) the Damned arrive on stage and straight into a blistering Street of Dreams, Dave Vanian as ever is looking the part, sharply dressed with still a fantastic voice that has got better over the years, Captain Sensible still the OAP (Old Aged Punk, 70 next year!) wearing the standard red beret, Paul Gray the bass maestro, Monty Oxymoron the keyboard wizard and the new drummer Will Taylor who does a very fine job, he has hard shoes to follow in that the last UK tour they done was with the original line up which included the legendary Rat Scabies on drums.
We then get the first new track from Darkadelic – The Invisible Man, then two classics from the Black Album (1980) – Wait For The Blackout and Lively Arts, from my vantage point high up in the gods (first time ever in around 70 gigs at this venue) the Bristol crowd are well up for it, then from a crowd point of view it becomes somewhat subdued as they then play nine new songs from the new album, there have been some mutterings on Social Media about this not being a good idea and people wanting to hear more ‘hits’ but for me personally having seen them around 35 times since 1983 I was not disappointed, I would much rather hear new material than the oldies, upon hearing I cannot wait to hear the new album, the songs have a very psychedelic/punky feel to them which is a million miles away from the 1977 debut Damned Damned Damned.
For once there’s not a great deal of in between banter and Captain Sensible is relatively quiet although he does advise us that the new album is available in all ‘Spotify Stores’ to which Dave Vanian asks what are they?
Once the new songs have been dished out amongst others it’s a collection of classics – Love Song, Neat Neat Neat, Eloise Smash It Up and a final encore of another new track and a storming New Rose to finish the evening’s entertainment.
Speaking to a few gig mates afterwards it appears they are happy with the gig and what’s played, there is always those who go to gigs and want to hear the old stuff so fans will never be happy, but for me it was a perfect evening, seeing a fantastic band who I have been a massive fan of since 1979, still going strong and playing to a near capacity venue with a new album out later this month.
I often wonder having seen the Damned and my other favourite bands live(Stranglers, Killing Joke, SLF, Spear Of Destiny, Skids, New Model Army to name a few) how much longer they will continue as the majority of the band members are in their sixties and some older but I
cannot see this happening for a few years yet, not whilst they are performing and obviously enjoying the gigs they play and most importantly releasing new material.
Long live The Damned!
Check out https://www.officialdamned.com/ for the remaining tour dates and of course the options to purchase Darkadelic. I for one cannot wait to see this legendary band again.
Simon Kent
Daisy Kent – Music Photographer
Daisy Kent @daisylkent
Role: Photographer / Reviewer / Interviewer
Hi! I'm Daisy, and I'm a music photographer and digital creative. I also write live music reviews.
Qualifications: 2:1 in BA Photography: Editorial and Advertising at the University of Gloucestershire.
Available for: Gig Shoots, Gig Reviews, Photo Shoots, Album and Single cover shoots, Interviews and Touring
First attended gig: Mcfly at Westonbirt Arboretum, June 2009.
First gig shot: My first photo gig was The Stranglers at O2 Academy Bristol, in March 2019. My first writing and photo gig was Bastille at Marble Factory, in February 2022.
Dream gig: Taylor Swift, 100%. No doubt.
