The Damned

Damned as sharp as ever, great set, great venue, rightly sold out.

From the moment the Damned hit the stage, they exploded with godfathers of punk rock fury!

I've waited so long to see the Damned ..they did not disappoint.. close to perfection.. and I got to meet them too and they were so freaking nice! It's one thing to be able to meet your idols, but when they turn out to be so kind and down to earth.. so much respect to them. Been a long long time fan and will always be

LIKE MOST OF THE CROWD, I'VE BEEN A FAN SINCE THE 70'S...AND HAVE BEEN SO HAPPY THAT THIS INCREDIBLE BAND STILL PLAYS AND WRITES NEW MUSIC...SO MANY YEARS LATER. I WAS EXCITED TO SEE THE 35TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR SHOWCASING TWO INCREDIBLE ALBUMS...WHAT BLEW ME AWAY IN PARTICULAR, WAS THE ATTENTION TO DETAIL THEY PUT INTO REPRODUCING EACH TRACK...SO MANY MINUTE LITTLE SOUNDS YOU HEAR ON THE RECORD I JUST EXPECTED THEM TO DROP FOR THE SAKE OF BLAZING THROUGH THE SETLIST...BUT THEY BLAZED THROUGHT THE SETLIST..WITH SUCH ATTENTION TO DETAIL THAT IT REALLY WAS LIKE LISTENING TO THE ENTIRE ALBUM LIVE...NO SOUND WAS LEFT BEHIND!...AND WE ALL KNOW THAT CUZ WE'VE BEEN LISTENING TO THE BLACK ALBUM FOR OVER 30 YEARS NOW. THAT'S AT LEAST THE 10TH TIME I'VE SEEN THE DAMNED..AND IT WAS UNREAL...I AM GRATEFUL TO HAVE THE CHANCE TO SEE THEM AT THIS POINT IN TIME...I HOPE THEY NEVER CALL IT QUITS. (AND IF THEY DO...WHO'LL BELIEVE THEM ANYHOW!)

The show rocked! They did such a great job, the audience was excited, and the drinks were stiff. It was so amazing! The only thing I would change is there were gates put up around the stage. I have been to the Showbox before to see bands that could get an audience wild-up as well without the gates and everything went fine. Like when I saw Helmet, no gates. Again, GREAT show!

There isn't much to say if you're already a fan of the Damned, they were just that good. Even after 35 years they still sound great. Yeah, it was disappointing that drummer Rat Scabies isn't part of the band anymore, and yeah, they did forget to play "Stab Your Back" during their first set, but it was still a great show. It was my first time seeing them, and if they visit the pacific northwest again, I will be sure to attend. The venue was also great. It was a really nice layout and never seemed too crowded. The selection of beers on tap was kind of mediocre, but what are you gonna do when you attend a show sponsored by Bud Light?

I had a previous engagement so I only made it for the encore but that alone was worth the price of admission!Three killer tunes by an all time fave band! I'm glad that all the folks that had never seen them got to see it and that I could see them live one more time!

i am still on a DAMNED high!!! they looked and sounded great!!!! most fun i've had in years!!!!

I have seen the Damned many times over our 30+ years together, and they have always put on a phantasmic performance. This was no exception. I had never seen them play many of these songs, so it filled a gap for me there. Crowd was very enthusiastic and active, not quite mayhem. The first set was the first Damned album, and got the crowd moving. The Black album has some ponderous moments, was well performed but some people were restless it seemed. The encore set was terrific - Long live the Damned!

Despite, or perhaps because the band features only 2 original members, these guys sounded great while ripping through their debut classic. For some reason, they skipped a song ('Stab Yer Back'), which was likely because the song was written by their estranged original drummer, Rat Scabies. Speaking of which, I was concerned that the drumming would not live up to Scabies' amazing work on the original but was pleasantly surprised and impressed. I'm not a fan of 'The Black Album' (find it a bit pretentious) but the other concertgoers seemed to love it as much as the debut.

epic band epic time in history and music epic show all hail the damned

They were amazing, the show was great, the sound was great can't expect anything less from the Damned

The band obviously still has it. Their vocals have not deteriorated despite the many years of playing, and conversely, the skill on the instruments demonstrates that those years have been spent maintaining and improving their craft. For any one who is a fan of any song by The Damned, this concert was a treat, and I am convinced that any other concert will be just as great.

They played all of the songs we were hoping to hear. They sounded and looked great. We had a great time.

The show was awesome, they played so many old songs! I have seen them many times over the years, and I must say last night was one of the best shows ever!! Dave looked fantastic, Captin was hotter than ever!

amazing show! amazing band! perfect night! exceeded all expectations! we will definitely see the damned this spring at warsaw! the venue was good and the staff were terrific!

35 songs spanning their amazing 40-year career and a killer performance.

The Damned. An amazing and talented group that performed for over 2 hours sharing recent tracks, going through deep album tracks, on to their start-up hits, like Neat, Neat, Neat, New Rose, and of course Smash It Up. Captain Sensible was his usual amusing & funny self with Dave Vanian still able to belt out tunes from Phantasmagoria like, Shadow of Love and Street of Dreams. (Swoon!) Anyway, the entire band played tight and did not disappoint long time time fans, since the original line-up. Additionally, keyboardist Monty, is worth a view with his spaztastic feel of punk rock music. Get your tickets. The show is worth every penny spent to see The Damned in concert.

Forty years on, The Damned are still at the top of their game.

The Damned always the showmen. Captain Sensible is great on guitar. We took my teenage son to see them for the first time live. He was impressed. Still don't like the set up of HOB Anaheim but were told they were moving so hopefully this will get better.

THIS BAND HAS BEEN A FAV. OF MINE SINCE 77, FORTUNATE TO SEE EM 8 TIMES. THEY WERE AT THEIR VERY BEST THIS TIME ROUND, INTENSE MIND BLOWING PERFORMANCE . STONE PONY IS MY ALL TIME FAV. VENUE TO GO SEE BANDS , TLA'S GOT NOTHIN ON THIS PLACE, WELL WORTH TRAVELING FROM CAPE MAY, LOVE IT !

Amazing, The Damned haven't diminished one bit, despite their advancing age. Every bit of power, wit, sharp attack, remain, and the crowd thrived on their energy. My own enjoyment was limited only by a common "club" problem: the vocals were not bright, distinct, loud enough - for me to comprehend songs I didn't know. In all, an awesome evening of "punk"!

the Damned NEVER disappoint. I was in the front row and Dave Vanian shook my hand. Never washing it again. They are always pleasant to their fans.

I love seeing The Damned, every show is a great show to me. They played mostly older songs and I loved every minute of it. Dave is incredibly talented. The opening bands were fun as well- I actually enjoyed all three opening bands a lot.

The Damned was a fabulous show! Took my wife and we loved every second of it including the beginning bands! The changing lights and stage set up was perfect! The audience was full of energy and true punks/goths! Met alot of great people there and it really set the mood right for Halloween!

I love going to see the Damned. Such an eclectic crowd. Old punks and new. Band are in top form! <3

TSOL & The Damned both sounded great.The vocals were still there after all these years.

Extremely impressed. Great show! Great crowd. Thoroughly entertained. Wasn't a huge fan before but now I am. Will see again!

Hadn't seen them in years. Sometimes when you see a band from your younger days they don't live up to prior experiences. They did not disappoint, they sounded great and were as good as I remember.

The Damned REALLY know how to put on an entertaining show. It was so grimly fiendish and nonstop. Every song was awesome! I love that they still play all of their hits like "Neat Neat Neat," "New Rose," and "Eloise." They not only sound amazing, they also look terrific. Their energy is infectious. I couldn't stop jumping up and down. I only wish the show wasn't over. I hope they don't wait too long before they return to this end of the planet. We saw them at the Sycuan resort in San Diego too. It was sooo cool because we got to meet them before the show. My rock and roll dreams have come true.

For bunch of old geezers including my self... They rocked the roof off...

It was a nice venue. It was a pretty old and very docile crowd. A few freaks came out to get freaky but the crowd was so straight-laced it made the freaks uncomfortable and feeling like people dressed inapropriately for the occasion. 45 Grave ripped like they always do. One of the most interesting bands of all time, 45 Grave never fails to deliver on stage, and continues to grow artistically. I didn't bother see the Damned because after a 45 Grave performance anything else is anticlimactic. One last thing, I noticed that all the old people were historians and without any prompting would go into an extended lecture on the subject of "Punk Rock," always including some vain nostalgic vision of the 80's. I remember how the 80's were and have very hard time taking what they say seriously. I see these "historians" reveal themselves through their discourse as people getting older replacing desire with nostalgia. Nevertheless, the El Ray Theater is an excellent venue with a great atmosphere, excellent PA, good parking, and I recommend it.

Dave Vanian's vocals are as good as ever, Captain Sensible and the gang were having a goofy fun time between the shredding. Amazing show, wish I could see them again tonight!

It was a great show. would go again. They played awesome set.Thought this was the best concert this year

Brilliant show!!! Dina Cancer has a dynamic voice. She was amazing. The Damned ROCKED....Dave sounds like its still 1976 Nothing has changed they were awesome....The damned Did a cover of L.A woman....we loved it.....did not want it to end. The best gig in a long time....can't wait for them to come back!

i saw the damned friday at HOB Anaheim. they were amazing. i've seen them at least 20 times, and friday's show was one of the best. they are playing rarities and a vairied set. they did several songs i was not expecting. if you want to see the setlist, you can check out setlist.fm they played a mostly psychedelic set, but the older numbers were delivered with a fury i haven't heard for a few years. if you ever get a chance, do not miss them. they are the most underrated band of all time. sensible is one of the greatest guitarists, and never seems to get any credit. and vanian invented the death rock look, and delivers it with an appropriate sense of humor some of the later bands in the genre seem to lack.

The best show I've seen them do since, I believe, back in 1990. All classics starting with Curtain Call, playing New Rose, Ignite (one of my faves), so many others and then ending with an encore playing Smash It Up! Oh, they even played Grimly Fiendish, Alone Again Or, and Eloise! They had energy and sounded really good. The audience was totally into it. They sang along through the whole show. Afterwards I heard people saying how great The Damned were.

Despite a median age of 50, the Damned tore it up like a bunch of brash 20-something punks at the Showbox last Thurs. night. They played their debut (Damned Damned Damned) and the Black Album in entirety. I purchased the latter on vinyl when I was sixteen; if someone had told me then that these geezers would be playing the album live 30 yrs later I would have said "You're mad!!" But they nailed it. Every guitar solo, every nuance... chills run down the spine as I recollect. Even the epic Curtain Call was played in its complete form. The songwriting maturity from debut to Black Album was astonishing, and abundantly clear from the performance. The Damned encored with 3 classics from Machine Gun Etiquette - maybe next time they'll do THAT one in its entirety!!

The bands sounded great, when you could hear them. The constant tech problems that happened through out the show did distract from the experience. However, both bands were really enjoyable in spite of the problems. I had never seen Manic Hispanic before, but after this show I would see them again in a heart beat. The Damned have always been one of my favorite bands, and it was great to see them still give it their all (and play two sets each an hour long) after so many years. I feel bad for any fan that missed this show.

I was so glad to be there with those damned and manic fans listen good music !!!

This legendary band just keeps getting better. They manage to appear here in the States practically every year, but this time it was not your typical Damned show. For their 35th Anniversary tour, the band followed the current fashion of playing entire albums. After plowing through a vintage album containing several of their signature tunes, the Captain and company moved on to the Black Album, their 1980 masterpiece. Captain Sensible is one of the best rock guitarists anywhere, very underrated. Dave Vanian has the voice of a crooner, and could have been one. They were in fine form.

I love The Damned and having loved them since I was in 8th grade, seeing them perform for Halloween weekend is always a special treat. This year was no different, they are so full of energy, on track and every song was just bursting with energy. They played for over 1.5 hours and played some rare tracks that were a pleasant surprise. 35 years and still kicking some serious ass. Some of these younger up and coming bands should take notes. we actually sat at a reserved table with a 100$ bartab right behind the soundboard. Great elevated view of the band and no need to push and shove at the bar.

Here I was right in the front, face to face with Dave Vanian within touching distance. I manned my position with the help of some amazing friends. The set list was to die for, and their performance was impeccable. I never thought that I would have been able to see such legends live. They were also humble enough to do an encore, and the encore happened to be my two favorite songs of theirs.

Glad that I finally saw them in the flesh!!! Captain Sensible is a great guitarist.

They played the first 2 albums in their entirety as a tribute to Brian James, and amazing feat . Then encores with some songs form machine gun etiquette. Sensible was very much into it, and was obviously enjoying the whole thing. I,ve been watching him for 30 years now, he is still a great performer.

One of the best shows I've seen (and I've seen many). I splurged on the VIP pass and it was worth every penny. They were down to earth, friendly, and funny. You could tell they love what they do and appreciate their fans. The show itself was wonderful. They played a great variety of songs that all Damned fans can enjoy. They had such great energy and strong stage presence. I believe that they just get better and better as time goes by.

It was shenanigans, laughter and non-stop fun at the Damned concert, Wednesday night inThe Murat Theater. They played with amazing energy and sounded great. No joking here, the live sound quality at The Murat was very neat and clear, it was too awesome. This was my first time seeing them play live, so you can imagine how excited that experience was, my soul felt happy! They have been a favorite band of mine through the years.

Two hours and 3 encores! Played 8 off MGE and a couple Capt. Sensible tunes. Everything I wanted to hear other than Liar, Liar, Problem Child and Anything. Bravo!!

The Damned was incredible. Dave Vanian had his arm in a sling, but it didn't slow him down at all. Captain and Monty and the rest of the guys were on it! Such a great show!

What can I say, The brand new House of Blues was packed and The Damned did not disappoint. The Acoustics at the show were excellent, even loud the Damned sounded tight and worked well together. The Captain as lively as ever, David moving around the stage with ease and confidence, and that distinctive voice never missed a note. I've seen the Damned a number of times now and they never disappoint. If you get a chance for the VIP upgrade - do it!!, you get a T Shirt and a picture disc, a quick private concert at sound check, and then the band will mingle, sign autographs, pose for photos, chat about whatever - great stuff Show lasts just short of 2 hours. Keep rocking - loud !!

The Damned are one of my husbands favorite bands and this would be the second time he saw them this year. I wasn't a fan and really only knew a few songs so I declined going with him, but then my daughter wanted to go too, so we ended up buying 4 tickets. None of us were disappointed. Great show! The band has tons of energy (especially for their age!) and it was just amazing. Dave the lead is demanding and easy to watch. The captain is fun and shares a lot of comical stories. The keyboard player was just amazing to watch also, never a dull moment with these guys! Now I HAVE to mention the theater. The Belasco is amazing and we are lucky to still have places like this to see shows. Parking was not a problem at all, which is amazing in L.A. The staff was wonderful to us and even threw out a drunk guy that had caused problems earlier which made the night absolutely perfect. Oh, and the cute bartender out in the patio area made some awesome drinks! There was nothing to complain about at all and we are definitely returning in April to see The Damned again! Great show

I have been in the stage lighting industry for over 35 yeas and I was also the LD for The Damned for a bunch of shows during the Phantasmagoria tour, they never disappoint me, and although I have seen this 40th anniversary gig twice both times have been amazing...

While I wasn't able to stay for the whole gig (I missed The Briefs entirely) it was truly an event to remember. T.S.O.L. did a great set; I didn't know their stuff but they had a great stage presence and a great sound. Their front man certainly had no shortage of charisma. The Damned were magnificent! I've seen them on two previous occasions, both well over 10 years ago (in the UK before I moved to the US) and there, they looked a bit tired an unenthusiastic. This new line-up seems to have pumped in some new energy for their classics. Despite some tech issues with Dave Vanian's mic, they ripped out songs from Machine Gun Etiquette and Strawberries that I have never heard them play before. Monty on keyboards is a real character and Captain Sensible brought a cheeky element of cheer to a packed house of appreciative punk music devotees across a pretty broad age bracket.

Even with the departure of Rat Scabbies the Damned hold onto their icon status. They are never a disappointment. They represent punk in the primary stages where influences like MC-5 and Stooges come to mind. I have seen the damned just about every LA shown since 1985. Back then they were doing Phantasmagoria and mixing it up with songs from the Damned Damned Damned, Machine Gun Etiquette, The Black album, and Strawberries. The 1989 Farewell Tour show at the Palladium was the best all time. Although because I like the raw power high intensity punk. Sunday's show was on my 45th birthday and it was a great show. I DA Manic Hispanic with the Adolescents and a couple times previously. Like the Damned their tounge in cheek humor combined with maximum punk rock in roll was a pleasing warm up to one of my favorite bands.

Not many bands manage to stick around (even in barely valid configurations) for 30+ plus years and perhaps more surprising in the Damned's case being an original punk band. There seems to be an honest and deep commitment to showmanship that is lacking in so many other retreads (A clear counter-example were the openers: some version of Gene Loves Jezebel; adequate musicianship but such poseurs otherwise to the point of wearing out their welcome quite quickly. And I am really very forgiving of bands overall). While it might be fun to have Rat Scabies back in the line-up, Pinch is a fine drummer (though he was petulant throughout the set due to monitor problems) and rest of the current line-up is solid (One could argue it really wasn't the Damned in the past unless Captain Sensible was there with Dave Vanian). Between this and the 2008 Halloween show, I am of the mind to see them every time they come through. You should too.

Seeing The Damned play at The House of Blues Sunset Blvd. on October 30th was absolutely great! The band was in fine form, and hearing both the complete "Damned Damned Damned" album and "Black Album" live was a real treat. With their 35 year history of writing and performing powerful, melodic, emotive and energy-filled songs that run the gamut from punk to gothic to garage style rock, it has always been a mystery to me why The Damned haven't eclipsed their contemporaries in popularity. Their live performances are every bit as compelling and excellent as their studio efforts. Dave Vanian & Captain Sensible are still going strong 35 years later and have found "new" members that have really grown into their roles in the last ten or twelve years. I hope they continue to tour because they BRING IT every time! Congrats on 35 years of great music and fantastic live performances! Don't miss The Damned if they play near you!

See this tour if you can! Tight and bright musicianship, tons of energy. Captain Sensible is a joy to behold and Dave Vanian prowls the stage like a 20-year-old. No rust on these blokes!

I love this venue, the staff really friendly and great service, the Damned were superb and the bell rays, always close to the stage at revolution!

The band was great as always, but the sound system was not up to par. it was all mushy, couldn't hear the clarity of Davian or the instruments.

The Damned have not forgotten how to put on a great show, and they have been doing it for 40 years. The wife and i had a great time, and cant wait for them to come back so we can do it again!

Even with broken ribs the Captain commanded his crew through a blistering set of Damned favourites. No dull Moments! The musicianship was stellar, the sound just about as good as it gets, a total entertainment experience. Keep on rockin' you lovely bunch of old farts!

fun concert. good music from long time ago. very energetic

Great band with lots of energy. Venue is good, too.

The still have it! 100% energy and didn't miss a beat or note! Incredible depth of songs...

I didn't know the band or their music but figured anyone still around for 40 years deserves to be checked out. While older guys playing punk don't really move all that well, the music stands the test of time. It started fairly slowly but got better as the show went on. They were very engaging and entertaining. The singer wasn't too easy to understand but the guitarist not only played great but was the highlight of the show. It was worth checking out for sure.

This is my second time seeing The Damned (both times at St. Andrew's.) My fiancé loves them and he's the reason I know them now. They are just a really fun band to see live. They each have a 'persona' which is cool to see since many bands today don't have an image. St. Andrew's has been remodeled and the bathrooms are so nice! Drinks are WAY too expensive.

Great show! Played all their best songs with high energy.

This was a fun show to go to. The Damned, like many bands from the 70's, are having to change their style a bit just to be able to play the tunes well. Robert Plant slowed down a bunch of the Zeppelin tunes in order to put them out there without having to hurt himself doing it. Nobody can play as hard in their 70's as they did in their 20's. So the show was very good, but it ain't punk rock. Which is fine, except they came out and claimed they were punk, which they no longer can claim. Punk pioneers, yes. Punk torch carriers, no. Their new stuff is guitar based pop and is very good. It's a great show to see, but don't expect a punk rock show. Even their older stuff came across as pop to me. It's great that people in their 40's, 50's and 60's can feel like punk rockers again for a night....but it's a bit of a fantasy.

This was an amazing show. This is the first time I have ever seen them live and they sounded great! This is a "not to miss" show.

Talk about a band who hasn't lost a step. Captain Sensible is a guitar hero and Dave Vanian's voice has not wavered one bit. The setlist was perfect. Must see...

How does one give a review for The Damned? They were awesome! - ? Sounded great! - ? They're The Damned, and it was their 40th anniversary tour... Nothing really need more be said. The crowd was completely in sync with them, Dave Vanian sounded as good as he ever has, they played songs for true fans, and it was a great night.

8th time to see the Damned. Looking forward to their return to southern California because I will be there!!

The Damned have been "bringing it" for forty years and show no sign of slowing down.

Took the wife to both nights of the Damned at The Gramercy Theatre. Venue is awesome and the band was incredible.

Great show. The Damned are pros, you can see that they've been doing this for 40 years. Beers were VERY expensive.