Cambridge Corn Exchange saw the lineup of The Damned that recorded one of the band’s classic LPs, The Black Album. Dave Vanian on vocals, Captain Sensible on guitar, Rat Scabies on drums and Paul Gray on bass, along with Monty Oxymoron fulfilling keyboard duties, hit the stage at 9.20 pm. After a small delay while Rat Scabies in-ear monitors were fitted, they launched straight into the bona fide The Damned classic, Love Song.
The Damned
Cambridge Corn Exchange – 16 December 2024
Words: Robert Adams
Machine Gun Etiquette, Wait For The Blackout and Lively Arts follow and the sound is fantastic. Vanian is in fine voice, prowling the stage with his old school mic, looking sharp in a black shirt and jacket with customary jet-black quiff.
Captain Sensible, in red and white ‘Neat, Neat, Neat’ top and trademark red beret, is pulling off licks with consummate ease. It is clear for all to see and hear that he is an incredible guitarist, a fact that is usually criminally overlooked due to his comic persona. 
Tonight’s set leans heavily towards three classic The Damned albums – the aforementioned The Black Album, Machine Gun Etiquette and Strawberries. Songs from these fantastic albums make up half the set, and they all sound relevant and fresh today.
We are also treated to the psychedelic side of The Damned with Plan 9 Channel 7, Dr Jekyl and Mr Hyde, the full 12-inch version of the wonderful Eloise and half of Curtain Call, which still clocked in at over 7 minutes.
Being one of the original punk rock bands, The Damned have turned into much more than three chords and an attitude. There is genuine musical skill and wonderful songwriting.
We are even treated to a drum solo from Rat Scabies. Yes, you read that correctly: a drum solo! Back in their punk heyday, they would have been bottled off stage for that, but not tonight. The drum solo segues into a blistering version of the first-ever punk rock single, New Rose.
The gig closes with a second encore featuring There Ain’t No Sanity Clause, complete with Father Christmas on backing vocals and the new national anthem according to Captain Sensible, Smash It Up. The band take their bows and depart the stage, apart from the Captain. He has other ideas and starts to play a solo version of Pink Floyd’s Arnold Layne in tribute to his hero and former Cambridge resident, Syd Barrett.
This was news to the rest of the band, and one by one, they came back on, apart from Paul Gray. Obviously unrehearsed, it was still a touching tribute to one of rock’s greats.
The Damned were the first proper band I ever saw live at Glasgow Apollo in 1981. Tonight was the first time I have seen them since then, and they were jaw-droppingly good.
If you get a chance to go and see The Damned, grab it with both hands. You might be surprised. They are one of the tightest bands I have seen in a long time. They play their second night at London’s Roundhouse this evening.
Age be damned, The Damned are a great night out.
