SXSW Live Shot: The Damned

Whoever was mixing sound Wednesday night at Mohawk must have hated the Damned.

Would-be Hammer Films star Dave Vanian at Mohawk, 3.18.15 (Photo by John Leach)

Not that the last of ’76 London punk’s three pioneers (after the Sex Pistols and Clash) played badly on what was essentially the Day of the Damned. Flying in for this gig and the afternoon’s world premiere of Lemmy director Wes Orshoski’s cinematic valentine, The Damned: Don’t You Wish That We Were Dead, they delivered as only veterans with prog-worthy chops and decades of touring can. Disgracefully, the PA refused to give them a fair shake.

Visibly frustrated, vampiric frontman Dave Vanian climbed the Mohawk’s stage-left ladder to likely throttle the soundman.

Still, no band serves up nonstop thrills and high-energy action like the Damned. With The Walking Dead’s Melissa McBride and Norman Reedus looking on, plus eccentric Canadian interviewer Nardwuar the Human Serviette, they tore into material rarely aired live: “Lively Arts” from The Black Album, and the heightened drama of their hit cover of Barry Ryan’s “Eloise.” Given the dodgy sound mix, they were at their best bludgeoning vintage bashers like “New Rose,” “Neat Neat Neat,” and “Machine Gun Etiquette.”

Pinch drummed exactly as anyone taking Rat Scabies’ long-vacated drum stool should, Captain Sensible shredded the Gibson borrowed from current Offenders guitarist Jeff Martin like a punk Carlos Santana, bassist Stu West brought in the pressure drop, and key man Monty Oxymoron spazzed about when not adding atmospheric science.

They were the Damned! That’s all they need be.

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