The Damned – The Studio March 8, 2017

When it comes to the invention of Punk, forget The Sex Pistols and forget The Clash. The Damned beat both of them to every punch, including being the first UK Punk band to release a single and an album in 1976. But they never quite fitted in with the rest of the punk movement, so the likes of The Pistols have gone on to be heralded by many to be the leaders of the revolution, leaving The Damned to mill around the side lines.
Needless to say, this has been a massive oversight in the history of punk. The fact that The Damned don’t seem to give a fuck that their blend of vaudevillian goth melodrama doesn’t fit into punk convention and they maintain a sense of rock n’ roll swagger clad in outfits you can find in your local op-shop or amateur theatre company possibly makes them the most punk band of all, and this attitude was on full display at last nights performance at The Studio.

Opening act was Waiheke Island’s own Leatherhead, who released their debut album Needles this February. This four piece proved to be a formidable live experience. Their guitarist Brendan Mooney worked with David Vanian and the Phantom Chords and was a regular on the Jools Holland Show. His twitchy, tense guitar work intertwined with lead singer Bede Taylor’s impressive vocal range, who oscillated between Nick Cave and Steve Albini in both mannerisms and delivery throughout their set.

For an hour and a half headliners The Damned proved time and time again that amongst the forefathers of Punk, they are the most musically accomplished, the most sonically bracing and the most creatively ambitious band. Over the course of 40 years they not only pioneered punk and goth, they perfected pop and psychedelia in their songs. There was a plethora of inevitable hits- Love Song, I Can’t Just Be Happy Today, and of course, Neat Neat Neat and New Rose, which had the crowd pogo-ing frantically. Each song was delivered with tight, powerful urgency, which was tempered with playful banter, comradery and downright goofiness.

But the fact that they can vent their rage while still having a laugh is only a testament to their greatness which they, as original punks, never aspired to anyway. Top marks.

Kate Powell
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