A Curry With The Damned

I had a fantastic night out last week. I met Captain Sensible when he put on a sterling performance at the tribute night for Rog/Syd at the Barbican in May. He was kind enough to invite me to see him play with the Damned when in town. I have never seen the Damned live and would be mad to pass up on this opportunity.
Along with a few friends - including Kev Mann, drummer with the Television Personalities and Andy Melchior ( Mick Rock's agent) We all had a superb night.
The band may have played for many years and in many incarnations but they still have a an incredible energy and enthusiasm when playing live. I don't profess to know all their songs but I know many such as Smash It up and Eloise.

The set was preceded by an amazing burlesque show featuring the tassled, shimmering glories of Missy Malone and Mimi Le Meaux.
This was compered by Kitten on The Keys a US vaudeville artist. she played some hilariously filthy songs to her own keyboard accompaniment. Superb stuff!

The Damned set started eneergetically and never let up from start to finish. It may be punk, but the problem of fans throwing beer at keyboard player Monty Oxymoron meant he had to be imprisoned in a perspex screen at the back. I spoke to him at length after the show and he was really upset at this. he said it felt like he was playing the gig at home and wasn't part of the action.
Even with this precaution there was still a fair bit of beer throwing and this led to a few heated moments on stage. The bickering and hollering from the Captain was hilarious I must add. I must also congratulate him on some incredible guitar work. A friend with me has seen him play many times and told me to look out for his guitar playing and he wasn't wrong.
He really is one of the most powerful and vibrant guitar players I've seen for a long time.
I watched some footage last week of the Buzzcocks recent show at the Indig02 in London the other week and as contemporaries there was nowhere the same energy and speed coming from that stage.