5 August 2024

London‘s legendary punks THE DAMNED are smashing things up since 1976 and have no intention whatsoever to call it quits. They’re those kinds of musicians who would go insane when they have to stay home, and get endlessly bored with painting their fence, mow the grass, work in their garden etc.

Last night they played, with 3 heroes of the original line-up (drummer Rat Scabies, guitarist Captain Sensible and frontman Dave Vanian) at Lokerse Feesten in Belgium. Within an hour they went from blistering hot to boring cold and back.

Blistering hot with roasting renditions of golden oldies New Rose, Neat Neat Neat, Love Song and Eloise. Boring cold with lesser known tracks that just didn’t work out to get the crowd afire, and then Captain Sensible losing himself in totally boring guitar solos. Guitar solos? Wasn’t punk invended to get rid of macho guitars solos and dinosaur rock? I thought so.

– NEW ROSE –
Set opener

Of course, the die-hard fans loved it, as well as they did like the beers. Good for them. Unfortunately The Damned sounded mostly as a cover band of their own. Glorious past? YES. Glorious present? NO.

Maybe they should smash it all up for good.

– SMASH IT UP –
Set closer

The Damned: Story

(Photos by Turn Up The Volume)