HOLLYWOOD - HOUSE OF BLUES
Saturday 18th November 2006

Managed to get into this one after a bit of hassle from a HoB employee who didn't like the look of my UK photocard driving licence - for some reason, picture ID seems to be needed to get into gigs Stateside. He soon buckled after a bit of me standing my ground and in I shuffled.

Just in time to catch The Adored who did a slightly longer set than before. The Epoxies came on and were fine visually but their set was marred by some very iffy sound, with the vocals all but inaudible. Either that or they been plied with too much alcohol by those naughty Damned boys the night before, which was the rumour on the street. Old Mimi was there again shedding clothes like there was no tomorrow.

After The Epoxies left the stage there was a rather long pause before The Damned came on stage (at 11.20). A bigger stage here so all the graveyard props were in evidence as was the thunder that signalled the sart of the Damned show. Pinch came alone and Blackout commenced with the others lurking off-stage.

I've tacked the set list on at the end of this - slightly different songs and a noticeably shorter set - possibly just a bit lower powered than the others I'd seen on this tour, but still highly enjoyable.

There was much moshing etc. as New Rose tried to raise the roof - fortunately the sound had picked a bit but it was far from perfect from where I stood.

Think I'll fall back on the old "do a quick summary of the best bits" trick:

• Captain telling the crowd it was "just like Croydon" and looking highly amused when he got them to shout "Cor Blimey Guv'nor" back at him
• Captain introducing Absinthe as being about "the stuff that made Van Gogh cut his ear off. I've drunk so much alcohol it's a wonder my knackers haven't fallen off". This bamboozled just about everyone in the crowd (apart from my goodself)
• Captain (he was on form tonight!) before Perfect Sunday saying he knew it was Saturday but "use your imagination and pretend Arsenal have won the Championship" - cue more baffled Yanks
• Both DV and Captain vocalising the trumpet part of Alone Again in perfect harmony
• The look on face of the bloke standing next to me when Alone Again was announced - he just stood there open mouthed in amazement
• Captain's tribute to Arthur Lee before Alone Again - "he was one of the good guys"
• The Epoxies singer helping DV with the backing vocals on Jet Boy Jet Girl (an unknown young lady dressed in red was dancing around Captain too, much to his delight) - DV was very nearly off stage here.
• Plenty of fairly wild moshing
• For some reason trilbies seemed to be in vogue amongst the audience
• Another non smoking venue giving the good Captain chance to rant about evil tobacco companies before Ignite, leading DV (who seemed very quiet tonight) to say "you certainly gave them enough money during your youth"
• Curtain Call with Pinch on stage alone first, followed one by one by Monty, Captain, Dave and finally Stu who came on just before the quick bit
• Dave's spectacularly long Shout of Smash It Up
• Captain tossing his unplugged guitar into the crowd right at the end and sparking a minor panic amongst the roadie and security staff as they fought to get it back (which they did manage after a bit of struggle)
• Captain's superb guitar playing - especially during Ignite, JBJG and Love Song

  This one finished at 1 in the morning and I walked back to the hotel thinking how safe I felt compared to London (or indeed most UK town centres) at that time on a Saturday night.

Set list:
Wait For The Blackout
History Of The World
Perfect Sunday
Absinthe
Neat Neat Neat
Alone Again
Eloise
Little Miss Disaster
Ignite
Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde
Generals
Jet Boy Jet Girl
Love Song
Smash It Up

Encore:

Curtain call
Antipope
Looking at You

Froggy