The Damned With Ancient Greece At The Danforth Music Hall

Toronto was taken to punk rock showmanship school Thursday night when The Damned returned to town, proving yet again why they’ve earned their place as one of the most influential bands to ever emerge from the UK. Fans of all ages from grizzled veterans in vintage band tees to younger concertgoers discovering the group’s catalogue for the first time united by the promise of something legendary.

Toronto band Ancient Greece replaced The Bellrays as the opening act. Unfortunately The Bellrays were unable to get through the border for the 2 Canadian tour dates. Ancient Greece put on a heavy sounding, energetic set that got the crowd primed for the main act.

As the lights dropped and the band strode out, the atmosphere shifted from expectation to excitement. The opening chords instantly ignited the crowd as they rushed the stage from their seats. The band encouraged everyone to get up and press forward to the edge of the stage. Their interaction with the crowd made the show more intimate.

Dave Vanian cut a commanding figure at centre stage, his resonant and dramatic voice still carries equal parts menace and charm. His presence was akin to a gothic storyteller with a dash of punk rock preacher. Captain Sensible balanced feverish guitar work with his brand of humour, tossing out quips between songs that had the audience laughing.

The setlist was a journey through the band’s history. The band didn’t just lean on nostalgia, this band has released albums throughout their decades long career. Mid-career goth-tinged tracks revealed their adventurous side with darker, theatrical soundscapes. Newer material sat seamlessly alongside the classics, showcasing a band celebrating their deep catalogue of tunes.

Highlights for me were Machine Gun Etiquette which had that rat-a-tat-tat frenetic pace. Stranger On The Town rocked in a more melodic way with its beautiful harmonies and keyboard work from Monty Oxymoron. Fan Club bounced along with the enthusiastic audience.The end of the set and encores proved to be the best part of the night. When Paul Gray hammered out the opening notes of Neat, Neat, Neat the crowd erupted. A massive song in the history of punk rock! The band took a brief pause, coming back with the apropos Curtain Call before Rat Scabies went into a drum solo, bashing the pots and pans with primal power. As the rest of the band came back onstage, the unmistakable riffs of New Rose pierced through the air.

They weren’t done there. The second encore had the band delivering a psychedelic cover of White Rabbit, The Jefferson Airplane classic. Closing out the show with a bit of story time about the song Smash It Up which Captain Sensible dedicated to their friend Marc Bolan.

It was a fantastic night of music and it showed that these legendary artists are still as vibrant and engaging as they ever were.

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Be sure to check out Collective Concerts to see what other great acts they will be bringing to Toronto this year.