The Damned, Auckland NZ, 2023

The Damned

2nd June 2023
Powerstation, Auckland, New Zealand.

Review by Kev Rowland. Photography by Doug Peters.

I must be honest and say I never thought The Damned would be back in Auckland again given when they were here last time, they said they would probably not be returning to these shores, but here they are, and with a new album as well! Before that though, we had Ringlets, a local band who are new to me. Comprising László Reynolds (guitar, vocals), Leith Towers (vocals), Arlo Grey (drums) and Arabella Poulsen (bass, vocals), they released their self-titled debut album a few months ago through Massachusetts-based label Mutual Skies and describe their music as post-punk.

They started with Boundless Heart, which has a very staccato introduction but soon developed into something much beefier. Leith was holding the microphone stand, still as a statue looking towards the rear of the stage, not moving until it was time for him to make his entrance. His style is very different to the rather bombastic music taking place around him, with the other three locked very tightly together. Arabella uses a plectrum, and that hard strike helps her to cut through when Arlo is belting around the kit in dramatic fashion and László shifts between picking notes and creating a wall of sound. Scam Me contains multiple sections, and while they can be very punk in some places, they are far more art rock in others, and I can certainly imagine them fitting in with classic CBGB’s which held so many important gigs from the bands of the New Wave back in the Seventies. Their approach was also being welcomed by the audience, all of whom were here to see survivors from the original UK scene from the same period. Leith announced they were the support band before they went into Sever, but still failed to announce who they were, and a comment I said out loud was heard by someone close to me who then asked me if I knew who they were as he was really enjoying them.

In some ways they remind me of Talking Heads or The Smiths, only more abrasive and with a real edge, drums often providing multiple patterns within the same song, the bass often leading the main melody, a guitar which may be following or going off at tangents, with these three elements then being brought together by Leith who is some ways is a cross between David Byrne and Liam Gallagher with little movement away from the microphone. With Arabella also not moving much, it is left to László to provide some music as they allow the music to provide all the energy for them. They told everyone who they were before Snitch Olympics, and I certainly hope some people will remember their name as they were certainly making an impression on me. Heavenly Wheel was their heaviest song of the night so far, with plenty of riffing and László getting lots of different sounds out of his guitar with Arabella keeping it tight and Leith getting so carried away that he took his microphone off the stand for a while and got into it (it’s okay, he put it back and was again rooted to the spot). There is no doubt this a fascinating band with a compelling presence and some great songs. Get It Right had the band moving into more experimental styles, allowing for lengthy instrumental passages yet also taking us into more extreme areas. This style carried through with last number with I Used To Paint with a complex syncopated introduction, which led into a punchy song with loads of hooks and interesting patterns. I can see why they have been picked up by an American label and I am sure we are going to be hearing their name a lot more on the circuit, certainly a band to look out for.

Now it was time for the band everyone had come out for, The Damned, the first punk band from the UK to release a single, the first to release a studio album, and the first to tour the United States. Two of those guys are still there in singer Dave Vanian and guitarist Captain Sensible, while bassist Paul Gray has had multiple stints with the band, the first all the way back in 1980, keyboard player Monty Oxymoron has been there for more than 25 years while this would be our first viewing of drummer Will Taylor who joined last year, following on from the departure of Andrew “Pinch” Pinching who had been there for 20 years.

They walked onto the stage during the intro tape, and then Captain took the microphone and announced they were all cream crackered and they were going to start with a rousing rendition of “Happy…:, but a shout of “Go Monty” had us instead heading into Street of Dreams. Suddenly Vanian was there, looking dapper in his suit and hat, wearing dark glasses, with his baritone losing none of its power over the last 40+ years. With thousands of gigs behind them, this is a band who live for the stage and Taylor is right in the pocket, driving the band from the back and it certainly did not seem like he was a recent addition. We were going to be given quite a few songs from Darkadelic tonight, which considering it was only released overseas at the end of April was quite a move, but The Invisible Man was well received, certainly when Captain gave us a wah wah solo. There are not many punk bands who use a keyboard player, but Monty is a key part of the overall sound, here acting almost as a rhythm guitarist punching the chords.

Vanian may be in his mid-Sixties, and Sensible nearer 70, but one would never guess from the way they were having fun onstage and showing so much energy. There was no let up at all, as they moved from one song quickly into another, with Paul gently swaying while he provided the underpinning melody, Monty looking like a mad professor while he gave us the nuances over the top of Captain’s riffing in Lively Arts. They are providing so much energy that everyone in the audience just responds and The Power Station was soon a mass of happy, happy, sweaty punks. It wasn’t until Bad Weather Girl that Sensible spoke to the crowd again, ensuing everyone knew there was a new album out, and the next song was from it, and it is classic Damned in so many ways. They segued straight into the song which follows it on the album, You’re Gonna Realise, and the band are just insanely tight in a way which only comes from many years spent playing together.

The Damned have never done what anyone expects of them, and we were now on a stretch of nine songs from the new album, not something I think I have ever heard a band undertake, yet even when it was slowed down as on Western Promise, Vanian had everyone in the palm of his hand, such is his presence, and when he put a clown nose on his face for the more uptempo Beware of the Clown (which in true Damned fashion is about politicians) it somehow seemed both menacing and comic at the same time. Mind you, there was nothing comic about Sensible’s run down the frets. He plays a Gibson running through a Marshall, so of course he gets masses of crunch. Wake the Dead takes us back to their classic Gothic period, with a great introduction on keyboards, and then we are off and running before coming into a psychedelic breakdown which saw some lighters out in the audience. There are definite flavours of Eloise in this, which is not a bad thing at all in my book. Motorcycle Man may not be the Saxon song of the same name, but it still has plenty of riffs and bite and it is only Vanian’s delivery which moves this out of the NWOBHM scene they undoubtedly influenced.

We were asked if we remembered Alvin Stardust, The Sweet, Roxy Music, David Bowie, T Rex and others before being told the next song was not about any of them, and then we were into Leader of the Gang, a song about the infamous Gary Glitter, and there is no doubt the drum pattern and shouts are very similar to what he used to do. It certainly got people moving and having fun, even if Paul Gadd needs to rot in prison. When they came to the end of the Darkadelic set we were all told to cheer for Brian James who started everything, and then they were ripping into Born To Kill as if the last 45 years had never happened, and the crowd at the front went mad, only to take it up a notch when they launched into Love Song. There was no chance of having a rest as now we were being taken on a journey which shows why The Damned were such an influence on hardcore, with Second Time Around taking the energy levels ever higher. They brought us nearly back to date with the opening cut of their 2018 album Evil Spirits, Standing on the Edge of Tomorrow, which saw our first stage diver of the night.

Paul kicked out the famous riff and the whole place was in motion and the gallery was moving up and down as everyone joined in Neat Neat Neat. Captain even played his guitar solo behind his head, and although we all knew we were heading to the end, no-one wanted the night to finish. Neither the band as it was extended far longer than the original, with Vanian even giving us some lines from Who Do You Love, showing some of the power which he often keeps contained. By now Captain was using the microphone stand to coax notes out of his guitar, and then suddenly we were back in the song, and then it ended! They left the stage, but everyone knew there were songs they hadn’t played, which surely, they must so the cheering and clapping continued while a roadie tuned Paul’s bass.

They came back, and Captain gave a nice callout to Ringlets which was way more genuine than what one normally hears, and then Monty started the introduction to Eloise, and were off into the Gothic masterpiece which I never thought I would hear played live. For some strange reason a boot was thrown onto the stage, and although Dave put it back in the audience it was returned, and he burst out laughing during the serious section. We were getting to the sharp end now, and Captain and Paul went into an extended introduction (with Vanian offtstage), the phones were out, and finally the riffs started and were into Smash It Up, one of the finest punk anthems of all time. At the end Captain said how great the crowd had been, and then they left again. But would they come back?

Of course, they would. It was announced they would do one new song, which was half heartedly booed but no-one meant it and Girl I’ll Stop at Nothing has all the makings of a classic, typical high octane Damned with everyone pushing and Vanian the master of ceremonies, in total control. It turned into an extended workout with the rhythm section keeping it together and Captain and Monty each going off at tangents, showing there is far more than just punk in the old boys yet. But they had to finish with the song which started it off, all those many years ago, and here it was, New Rose. Monty’s frantic “dance” will stay with me for a very long time indeed.

What a way to finish what was a remarkable gig. Tonight, in Auckland The Damned showed just why they are such an important band, refusing to rest on past histories and playing new music which is just as passionate as the old.

The Damned:

Ringlets:

Were you there at Powerstation for this superb punk rock gig? Or have you seen The Damned perform live somewhere else before? Tell us about it in the comments below!

The Damned Setlist:

1. Street of Dreams
2. The Invisible Man
3. Wait for the Blackout
4. Lively Arts
5. Bad Weather Girl
6. You’re Gonna Realise
7. Western Promise
8. Beware of the Clown
9. Wake the Dead
10. Follow Me
11. Motorcycle Man
12. Leader of the Gang
13. From Your Lips
14. Born to Kill
15. Love Song
16. Second Time Around
17. Standing on the Edge of Tomorrow
18. Neat Neat Neat
19. Eloise [encore one]
20. Smash It Up [encore one]
21. Girl I’ll Stop at Nothing [encore two]
22. New Rose [encore two]

Ringlets Setlist:

1. Boundless Heart
2. Scam Me
3. Sever
4. Snitch Olympics
5. Heavenly Wheel
6. Get It Right
7. I Used To Paint

_{Note: Ambient Light was provided passes to review and photograph this concert. As always, this has not influenced the review in any way and the opinions expressed are those of Ambient Light’s only. This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase a product using an affiliate link, Ambient Light will automatically receive a small commission at no cost to you.}

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