The Damned 40th Anniversary – Guildford G-live 15th November

[elvisintheclouds]

The Damned 40th Anniversary – Guildford G-live 15th November 2016.

It’s been a right old week for the Sugar Tongs…

Whilst aiming for Finchley in 1976 to witness the Finchley Boys first meeting The Stranglers at The Torrington, we accidently got the date out by a week and ended up at a different gig the week before, still in The Torrington, Finchley Boys present too, not The Stranglers but The Damned…

…And we didn’t even get that right, somehow we ended up in Guildford (home of The Guildford Stranglers but not Guildford Lil) Forty years later to witness The Damned still giving it their all…

I chanced upon Guildford Lil and SiB so to celebrate we partook of some sustenance in India (Maloncho to be precise), which was nice…

Then, we navigated the drunken staircase paid our dues at the bar and took up a nice spot on the barrier for the latter half of a set by none other than The Members.

Who sounded somewhat stonkingly brilliant in here tonight serving up a tight dish of well sculpted punky pop delight with numbers like, Chelsea Night Club, I ain’t Gonna be your Bitch No More and Sound of the Suburbs to name a few (hopefully correctly too etc Etc EiTC)…

JC Carroll engaged all who were gathered with his charm and wit being as he was in the Zone! Tales of time machines and super moons had the tongs a twitching. Reports from SiB up in the balcony was that the sound tonight was a bit boomy but from where Lil and EiTC were stood it was spot on! Great Stuff.

In the seeming blink of an eye we were being treated to the wonderfully atmospheric Sanctum Sanctorum issuing from the PA heralding the imminent arrival of The Damned.

And arrive they did kicking off with a mighty Street of Dreams. Once more the sound was superb and no prisoners were taken as they kicked straight into Nasty, then fast forward a decade or so to what was probably the most recent song played this evening Amen.

There was a fantastic atmosphere on stage with the lighting and back drop and the energy of the band was high, with Dave Vanian covering all corners of the stage like some manic hovering/prowling vampire.

The brilliant Disco Man next then Eloise before they headed into Strawberries territory, where we were treated to the sublime Under The Floor Again backed up with a stonking ignite and the welcome surprise of Life Goes On.

Back in time to the Black Album for Wait For The Blackout and History Of The World…

Back further MGE – Love Song, Antipope, I Just Can’t Be Happy Today, Plan 9 Channel 7 and the traditional set closer Smash It Up.

Then it was all over etc Etc EiTC…

But…
In true pantomime style – Oh No It Wasn’t!!!

A quick breather and they were back to 76/77 to treat us to the whole of their debut Album the brilliant Damned Damned Damned. Captain put a shout of gratitude out for absent friends as he introduced it as Brian James’s masterpiece and mentioned Rat Scabies in his words “what a fucking drummer!”

And it was brilliant as you would expect from this line-up.

All too soon it was all I Feel Alright and goodnight…

But still they came back for more and treated us to a perfect nightcap in the shape of the majestic Curtain Call! Perfect!

Earlier this year in May I was stunned into silence at the brilliance of The Damned as they took The Royal Albert Hall by storm - no review was forthcoming but know this, for EiTC it was right up there as one of the greatest gigs ever and tonight was pretty Damned good too…

Over…

Full review with vids and pics here... http://eitc.elvisintheclouds.co.uk/eitc ... guildford/

[Rockula]

Nice one.

[Bag Lady]

Thanks for the review.

Think Lil enjoyed it. I'm still not quite converted but if Lil wants to go, I'll tag along

[elvisintheclouds]

Thanks for the review.

Think Lil enjoyed it. I'm still not quite converted but if Lil wants to go, I'll tag along

That's the spirit Ma'am

[ThruBeingCool]

Great review as always. I saw The Damned at a packed out Rock City, Nottingham last Sunday. they were as good as ever I've seen them.

Damned & Killing Joke are giving The Stranglers a run for their money on the live circuit these days it has to be said.

[PaulinLondon]

Great review !

[pigeon]

Thanks for the review Matt