The
Damned put on a great show this Saturday past at The House of Blues
on the Sunset Strip. We had a big group of friends turn out to see
one of our favorite bands play one of their much too infrequent gigs
here in Southern California.
It
seems like a lot of other people had the same idea since the house
was packed. We missed The Adored, but heard they were good.
The Epoxies were next with their slightly wacky mix of synth
driven new wave and punk, sort of like a cheerful mash of The Dickies,
Devo, and Missing Persons.
After
the intermission, the curtain opened to reveal a stage decked out
with tombstones, skeletal trees and other spooky decor.
The
Damned came out and blasted right into "Wait for the Blackout"
which got the crowd going right away. The band was in top form all
night and the crowd jumped around and sang along with just about every
song. The Captain evidently pleased with the crowds energy, commented
that it seemed like an English crowd and got everyone to repeat his
"cor, blimey Guv'ner!" in a loud and fairly reasonable
fashion.
I
worked my way down towards the stage on Captain's side where I enjoyed
most of the show, only getting slammed about occasionally by the pit
which mixed it up pretty good in the center of the floor during the
fast songs.
The
whole show was top notch, but there were a couple standout highlights
for me. Although it may be a sort of heresy, I must say that I've
always preferred the Damned's version of "Alone Again, Or"
to the original by LOVE, so it was fantastic to hear it played live,
and the Captain dedicated it to the late Arthur Lee.
Other
pleasant surprises included "Absinthe" "Generals"
"Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde" and a really fun english
language version of Plastic Bertrand's "Jet Boy Jet Girl"
with singing help by Roxy Epoxy and featuring our friend Melanie dancing
on stage with the Captain...
At
the end of the show, as if to put the exclamation point on the evenings
festivities, Captain Sensible slipped off his guitar and casually
tossed it into the crowd where it disappeared like a steak in a pool
of pirana. His poor guitar tech and a huge bouncer had to dive head
first into the pit and fight really hard to get it back! LOL!
L.A.
still loves The Damned! Thanks for a fantastic show!
Song
List (you can thank the makers of Guinness and Newcastle Brown Ale
for this list being almost entirely out of order and possibly inaccurate.
Please straighten this out if you can!)
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
*new
Chris