Live Performances Index
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1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990
1989 1988 1987 1986 1985 1984 1983 1982 1981 1980
1979 1978 1977 1976
Naz Nomad & The Nightmares The Phantom Chords Captain Sensible
Selected Miscellany Unresolved issues Site updates
The Damned: Live Performances - 1977
Monday to Thursday 19-22 December - Hope & Anchor, Islington, London
Set: unknown.
Comments: Stiff Records package of four gigs, featuring bands signed to Stiff, which The Damned were due to appear at (on one date presumably). Intention was for free entry, but punters would be asked to bring a toy or game that would be donated to a sick child in hospital.
Tuesday 13 December - The Village, Bournemouth
Set: unknown.
Comments: Support from The Dead Boys.
Monday 12 December - Surrey University, Guildford
Set: unknown.
Comments: Support from The Dead Boys.
Sunday 11 December - City Hall, Newcastle
Set: See Her Tonite, You Take My Money, Creep (You Can't Fool Me), Fan Club, Sick Of Being Sick, Problem Child, Stretcher Case, Neat Neat Neat, Idiot Box, Politics, Don't Cry Wolf, Help, You Know, So Messed Up, New Rose. encore - I Feel Alright, Born To Kill.
Comments: Support from The Dead Boys.
Saturday 10 December - Apollo Centre, Glasgow
Set: unknown.
Comments: Support from The Dead Boys.
Saturday 10 December - Strathclyde University
Comments: Venue rearranged.
Friday 9 December - Clouds, Edinburgh
Set: unknown.
Comments: Support from The Dead Boys.
Thursday 8 December - Polytechnic, Huddersfield
Set: unknown.
Comments: Support from The Dead Boys.
Wednesday 7 December - Mountford Hall, Liverpool University
Set: unknown.
Comments: Support from The Dead Boys.
Tuesday 6 December - Top Rank, Cardiff
Set: unknown.
Comments: Support from The Dead Boys.
Monday 5 December - Top Rank, Southampton
Comments: CANCELLED - according to Stiff Records..."because of difficulties with promoters".
Saturday 3 December - Pier Pavilion, Hastings
Comments: CANCELLED - according to Stiff Records..."because of difficulties with promoters".
Friday 2 December - Kings Hall, Derby
Set: unknown.
Comments: Support from The Dead Boys.
Wednesday 30 November - Top Rank, Brighton
Set included: Neat Neat Neat, Fan Club, Help, So Messed Up, New Rose, Stab your Back, You Take My Money, Politics, Stretcher Case, Born To Kill.
Comments: Support from The Dead Boys.
Wednesday 30 November - Polytechnic, Brighton
Comments: Gig re-arranged for the Top Rank.
Monday 28 November - De Montfort Hall, Leicester
Set: unknown.
Comments: Support from The Dead Boys. Gig known to have taken place.
Sunday 27 November - Roundhouse, London
Set probably: You Take My Money, Creep (You Can't Fool Me), Fan Club, Problem Child, Stretcher Case, Neat Neat Neat, Idiot Box, You Know, So Messed Up, New Rose, I Feel Alright, Born To Kill.
Comments: Support from The Dead Boys and The Drones.
Saturday 26 November - Roundhouse, London
Set: unknown.
Comments: Support from The Dead Boys and The Drones. Gig known to have taken place.
Friday 25 November - Roundhouse, London
Set probably: You Take My Money, Creep (You Can't Fool Me), Fan Club, Problem Child, Stretcher Case, Neat Neat Neat, Idiot Box, You Know, So Messed Up, New Rose, I Feel Alright, Born To Kill.
Comments: Support from The Dead Boys and The Drones.
Wednesday 23 November - Top Rank, Sheffield
Set: unknown.
Comments: Support from The Dead Boys. Gig known to have taken place.
Tuesday 22 November - Locarno, Coventry
Set: unknown.
Comments: Support from The Dead Boys.
Monday 21 November - Top Rank, Birmingham
Set: unknown.
Comments: Support from The Dead Boys.
Sunday 20 November - Elizabethan Hall, Belle Vue, Gorton, Manchester
Set: unknown.
Comments: Support from The Dead Boys.
Saturday 19 November - Hull University
Set: unknown.
Comments: Support from The Dead Boys.
Friday 18 November - Corn Exchange, Cambridge
Set: unknown.
Comments: Support from The Dead Boys.
Thursday 17 November - Town Hall, Middlesbrough
Set: unknown.
Comments: Support from The Dead Boys(?) and Penetration. Opening date for rescheduled tour.
Wednesday 16 November - Queens University, Belfast
Comments: CANCELLED whilst The Damned were recruiting a new drummer. Intended support from The Dead Boys.
Tuesday 15 November - Trinity College, Dublin
Comments: CANCELLED whilst The Damned were recruiting a new drummer. Intended support from The Dead Boys.
Saturday 12 November - Leeds University
Comments: CANCELLED whilst The Damned were recruiting a new drummer. Intended support from The Dead Boys.
Friday 11 November - Town Hall, Middlesborough
Comments: CANCELLED whilst The Damned were recruiting a new drummer. Intended support from The Dead Boys.
Sunday 6 November - Chancellor Hall, Chelmsford
Set: unknown.
Comments: Free gig, supported by 999, given in consolation for non-appearance at the Chelmsford City Rock Festival. Jon Moss now took over drums.
Thursday 20 October - Kant Kino, Berlin, Germany
Set: unknown.
Thursday 20 October - Hamburg, Germany
Comments: See comments for 19 October.
Wednesday 19 October - Markthalle, Hamburg, Germany
Set: I Fall, You Take My Money, Neat Neat Neat, Fan Club, Problem Child, Sick of Being Sick, Idiot Box, Help, Your Eyes, Fish, Stretcher Case, So Messed Up, New Rose, I Feel Alright, Born To Kill.
Comments: Gig known to have taken place but the set may be in some doubt - a bootleg supposedly exists for Hamburg on 20 October 1977, but ticket stubs prove that The Damned were due to appear at Kant Kino in Berlin on 20 October. It therefore seems probable that the set, for so long marked-up as 20 October, is actually 19 October... however, it is possible that a cancellation of the Berlin gig may have occurred and a 2nd night in Hamburg added, or that the set is actually from Kant Kino on the 20th.
Monday 17 October - The Melkweg, Amsterdam, Holland
Set: unknown.
Comments: The venue name 'The Melkweg' translates to 'The Milky Way'. Photographic evidence supports the fact that this gig took place. Support from The Police and / or Paul & Andrè - however Paul of Paul and Andrè states "We played two concerts as a support act with the Damned, in Groningen and (if I remember correctly) Amsterdam. We never played with the Police".
Sunday 16 October - The Mafcentrum, Maasbree (Near Venlo), Holland
Set: unknown.
Comments: Support from The Police and possibly Wayne County. Gig assumed to have taken place as documentary evidence (ie a brochure later issued by The Mafcentrum) lists The Damned on this date.
Sunday 13 October - Huize Maas, Groningen, Holland
Set: unknown.
Comments: Support from Paul & Andrè. Paul of Paul and Andrè states "During the Groningen show The Damned's drummer, and Captain Sensible on bass, even joined us spontaneously.
Sunday 6 October - Bataclan, Paris, France
Set: I Fall, You Take My Money, Neat Neat Neat, Fan Club, Creep (You Can't Fool Me), Problem Child, Sick of Being Sick, Idiot Box, Help, Your Eyes, Fish, Stretcher Case, So Messed Up, New Rose, I Feel Alright, Neat Neat Neat.
Comments: Support from Shakin' Street. Dave Berk on drums.
Saturday 1 October - Kaufleuten Saal, Zurich, Switzerland
Comments: CANCELLED - Then Rat Scabies quits the band. The Damned and The Nasale Boys were intended to support The Clash.
xx September / October - Colmar, Alsace, France
Set: unknown.
Comments: Rat Scabies played two French dates prior to quiting the band in 1977 (is this one of them?).
xx September / October - Nancy, France
Set: unknown.
Comments: Rat Scabies played two French dates prior to quiting the band in 1977 (is this one of them?).
Tuesday 20 September - Hyde Park, Osnabruck, Germany
Set: unknown.
Saturday 17 September - Chelmsford City Football Stadium (City Rock '77 Festival)
Comments: Following poor ticket sales, and it becoming obvious that the balance of the appearance fee would not be forthcoming (2nd half due to be paid on the day), the tour manager refused to allow the band to perform.. Acts that played included - Solid Waste, Slaughter & The Dogs, Aswad, Lew Lewis Band, The Doctors of Madness, The Fruit Eating Bears, Eddie & The Hot Rods with a guest performance by Rob Tyler of MC5).
Saturday or Sunday 3 or 4 September - Speedway Stadium, Scheessel, Nr Bremen, West Germany (Joker Festival?)
Set: unknown.
Comments: Others listed on the 2 day bill were - Byrds, Nektar, Barclay James Harvest, Golden Earing, Camel, Steppenwolf, Colosseum II, Caravan, Quicksilver Mesenger Service, Nite City, Klaus Schulze, Karthago, Graham Parker & The Rumour, Ruphus, Eddie & The Hot Rods, Fairport Convention, Stilletto, Iron Butterfly, Ramses, SFF, Franz K,
Thursday 18 August - Foxes At The Sundown, Charing Cross Road, London (2nd Night)
Set: You Take My Money, Neat Neat Neat, Problem Child, Fan Club, Politics, Sick of Being Sick, Don't Cry Wolf, Stretcher Case, Help, Stab Your Back, So Messed Up, New Rose, Born To Kill, Fish.
Comments: Support from The Adverts and The Fruit Eating Bears.
Wednesday 17 August - Foxes At The Sundown, Charing Cross Road, London (1st Night)
Set included: Stretcher Case, Problem Child, Politics, Sick of Being Sick, You Take My Money, New Rose, Neat Neat Neat, Fan Club, Stab Your Back, Born To Kill.
Comments: Support from The Adverts and The Fruit Eating Bears. This was the opening night for this new venue. Apparently the venue was packed - for The Damned... a 'storm of beer, spit and plastic glasses'... Dave Vanian diving into the crowd and being heaved back onto the stage by the audience. Chris Crash of The Fruit Eating Bears wrote of this gig "One of our more fun gigs was as support on a two-nighter with our mates "The Damned" at The Sundown club in London. When we arrived and walked into the dressing room, there standing up in the corner was a black coffin that had been used as a stage prop in some previous production. If you remember The Damned, you will know that Dave the singer was given to dressing and looking very much like Dracula; so when he arrived and he saw this, his eyes lit up like Christmas had come early, and he proceeded to spend the rest of the time before the gig snogging with his girlfriend in the said coffin. Come the end of the night we were in the side alley loading our gear into our hire van, when the sinister figure of Dave with a coffin on his back appears and walks down the alley and off down Tottenham Court Road. Many minutes later he returns with his prized coffin and throws it into the skip parked next to our van. ‘What’s up Dave’ said Garry. ‘Oh the bloody cab driver would not take the coffin in his cab’. ‘Don’t worry,’ said the ever-helpful Garry, ‘we’ll put it in our van and bring it back tomorrow when your van will be here and your roadies can take it home for you’. ‘Cor, thanks lads’. So it came to pass that we drove back to Purley with Dave’s coffin on top of our gear and after dropping off the other guys, I parked the van outside my parents house and went in for a well earned kip, only to be awakened early in the morning by my Dad saying ‘Chris, Chris did you know there’s a coffin in the back of your van’? It took some explaining I can tell you."
Thursday 11 August - Bilzen, Belgium
Set: unknown.
Comments: 'Bottles, bricks and beer cans splattered about the band on stage'.
Friday 5 August - Mont De Marsan Bullring, France
Set: I Feel Alright, Born To Kill, You Take My Money, Fan Club, Problem Child, Neat Neat Neat, Politics, Sick of Being Sick, Stretcher Case, Help, Stab Your Back, So Messed Up, New Rose, Fish, Neat Neat Neat.
First gig with Lu Edmunds. Also on the bill - The Clash, The Jam (didn't play!), The Boys, Eddie & The Hot Rods and Dr Feelgood.
Wednesday 6 July - The Marquee, London
Comments: CANCELLED. Due to be supported by The Adverts.
Tuesday 5 July - The Marquee, London
Comments: CANCELLED.
Monday 4 July - The Marquee, London
Set included: I Feel Alright and Neat Neat Neat.
Comments: Support from Johnny Moped. 'Stretcher Case Baby' / 'Sick of Being Sick' single given away to fans. From the press at the time - 'The Damned played their set at The Marquee on Monday night under impossible conditions - the surprising thing was that they only walked off the stage once, and that was because the monitors packed up, not because of the shower of gob and glasses that came from the crowd'.
Sunday 3 July - The Marquee, London
Set: unknown.
Comments: Support from The Rings. 'Stretcher Case Baby' / 'Sick of Being Sick' single given away to fans. From the press at the time - "The label reads 'Not For Sale. Special snob collectors artifact of no historical / cultural value. Play it today. Throw it away. Why sell 'em when you can give 'em away. People being what they are for free gifts, there was a riot outside the Marquee on Sunday night, with everybody trying to grab handfuls of singles, instead of taking one each. People were getting stupid, They were taking boxfuls. Probably to put under the bed until they can get a good price for them at Rock On'.
Friday 1 July - Pavilion, West Runton, Nr Cromer
Set: unknown.
Comments: Support from The Adverts.
Wednesday 29 June - California Ballroom, Dunstable
Set: unknown.
Comments: Last night of UK tour?
Tuesday 28 June - St. Georges Hall, Bradford
Set: unknown.
Comments: Also on the bill - The Adverts.
Monday 27 June - Lancaster University
Set: unknown.
Comments: Also on the bill - The Adverts.
Sunday 26 June - Electric Circus, Manchester
Set: unknown.
Comments: Also on the bill - The Prefects and The Adverts. Gig known to have taken place and support bands confirmed.
Saturday 25 June - Casino, Wigan
Comments: CANCELLED - Dave Vanian dislocated shoulder having been rolled down the stairs of a guest house in a pram.
Friday 24 June - Exeter University
Set: unknown.
Comments: Also on the bill - The Adverts.
Thursday 23 June - The Garden, Penzance
Set: unknown.
Comments: Also on the bill - The Adverts.
Wednesday 22 June - Woods Centre, Plymouth
Set: unknown.
Comments: Also on the bill - The Adverts.
Tuesday 21 June - Subscription Rooms, Stroud
Set: unknown.
Comments: Also on the bill - The Adverts.
Monday 20 June - London
Set: unknown.
Comments: Also on the bill - The Adverts.
Sunday 19 June - Queen's Hotel, Westcliff, Southend or Bardot's Club, Canvey Island
Set: unknown.
Saturday 18 June - Kursaal, Southend
Comments: CANCELLED due to the anti-punk backlash. REARRANGED for the next night at an alternative venue.
Friday 17 June - Brunel Rooms, Swindon
Set: unknown.
Comments: Also on the bill - The Adverts and XTC.
Thursday 16 June - Town Hall, Cheltenham
Comments: CANCELLED due to the anti-punk backlash.
Wednesday 15 June - Polytechnic, Brighton
Set included: Neat Neat Neat, Fan Club, Help, So Messed Up, New Rose, Stab Your Back, You Take My Money, Politics, Stretcher Case, Born To Kill.
Comments: Also on the bill - The Adverts.
Tuesday 14 June - Drill Hall, Lincoln
Set: unknown.
Comments: Also on the bill - The Adverts.
Monday 13 June - Outlook, Doncaster
Set: unknown.
Comments: Also on the bill - The Adverts.
Sunday 12 June - Maxim's, Barrow in Furness
Set: unknown.
Comments: Also on the bill - The Adverts.
Saturday 11 June - Barbarella's, Birmingham (2nd Night)
Set: unknown.
Comments: Also on the bill - The Adverts.
Friday 10 June - Barbarella's, Birmingham (1st Night)
Set: unknown.
Comments: Also on the bill - The Adverts.
Thursday 9 June - Winter Garden, Cleethorpes
Set: unknown.
Comments: Also on the bill - The Adverts.
Tuesday 7 June - Drill Hall, Lincoln
Comments: REARRANGED - 14 June.
Monday 6 June - Dingwalls, Camden, London
Set: unknown.
Comments: Also on the bill - The Adverts. Gig intended to have a modulated ticket price... 25p for 1st 25, 50p for next 25, up to a limit of £3.50 (Jake Riviera "This has been designed so that real Damned fans can get in cheaply while the liggers who stagger down the road from the Ramones gig at the Roundhouse will subsidise the true fanatics").
Saturday 4 June - City Hall, St. Albans
Comments: CANCELLED - Rescheduled for 29 June at California Ballroom, Dunstable.
Friday 3 June - Pavilion, West Runton, Nr Cromer
Comments: CANCELLED due to the anti-punk backlash.
Thursday 2 June - Keynes College, Kent University, Canterbury
Set: unknown.
Comments: Also on the bill - The Adverts.
Saturday 28 May - Eric's, Liverpool
Set: unknown.
Comments: Also on the bill - The Adverts.
Friday 27 May - Corn Exchange, Cambridge
Set included: Feel All Right, Neat Neat Neat, New Rose, Born To Kill, Stab Your Back, Fish.
Comments: Also on the bill - The Adverts.
Thursday 26 May - Tiffany's, Newcastle-Under-Lyme
Comments: CANCELLED by the Mecca organisation as part of the anti-punk backlash.
Wednesday 25 May - Sheffield University
Set: unknown.
Comments: Also on the bill - The Adverts. Gig known to have taken place (to a capacity audience).
Tuesday 24 May - Nottingham University
Set: I Feel Alright, Born To Kill, You Take My Money, Neat Neat Neat, Politics, Fan Club, Sick of Being Sick, Stretcher Case, Help, Stab Your Back, So Messed Up, New Rose, Fish, Neat Neat Neat.
Saturday 21 May - Pier Pavilion, Hastings
Set: unknown.
Comments: Also on the bill - The Adverts.
Friday 20 May - University of Southampton
Set: I Feel Alright, Born To Kill, Sick of Being Sick, Neat Neat Neat, Stretcher Case, Fan Club, Help, Stab Your Back, So Messed Up, New Rose, Fish, Neat Neat Neat, Stretcher Case.
Comments: Also on the bill - The Adverts. Neat Neat Neat featured Gaye Advert. Over the years, a press statement from the time stating 'porters and bar staff at Southampton University refused to work in protest against the booking, leaving the capacity crowd high and dry' appears to have been misinterpreted as the show not going ahead (ie The Book of The Damned by Carol Clerk) - the gig did take place... to a capacity audience.
Thursday 19 May - Paris Cinema, London
Set: I Feel Alright, Born To Kill, Sick of Being Sick, Neat Neat Neat, Fan Club, Stretcher Case, Help, Stab Your Back, So Messed Up, New Rose.
Comments: Recorded by the BBC for the 'In Concert' series.
Monday 16 May - North Staffordshire Polytechnic
Set: unknown.
Comments: Also on the bill - The Adverts.
Monday 16 May - Top of the World, Stafford
Comments: CANCELLED at 4 hours notice due to the anti-punk backlash - REARRANGED for North Staffordshire Polytechnic.
Saturday 14 May - Civic Hall, Middleton, Manchester
Set: unknown.
Comments: Also on the bill - The Adverts. Confirmation that the gig took place by a contributor to this site - 'I lived in Middleton at the time and it was quite exciting for me & my classmates to have a gig happen locally rather than have to travel into town. My memory of things is rather hazy now, but I'm fairly sure that Slaughter & The Dogs were also on the bill, being a local band. The Adverts also definately played. I don't remember much of The Damned's set, other than it was so good that myself and mate went to see them again at the Electric Circus'.
Friday 13 May - Porterhouse, Retford
Set included: I Feel Alright.
Comments: Also on the bill - The Adverts.
? May - Copenhagen, Denmark
Set: unknown.
Comments: A contributor to this site wrote 'Picture taken by Jørgen Angel are from (I think) a university or educational place where The Damned played in Copenhagen. In the first weekend of May, I believe'.
? May - Skaelskoer, Denmark
Set: unknown.
Comments: The same contributor, as for The Copenhagen show information [above], wrote ' For some obscure reason they also played in Skaelskoer Lystskov. In a Dance Pavilion in a small wood on the edge of a small insignificant town - Skaelskoer is locaced some 100 km. (south) west of Copenhagen. How do I know that? Because I specifically remember the poster in the local radio / record shop in Korsor where I live. I was 17 at the time and the poster (picture from the debut album photo session) said "The Damned - New album out now - Play it on your sister". Later the same day me and my friends were listening to the singles Top 10, and the DJ put on a new one (a bubbler), a noisy raunchy fast tune -by then I had never actually heard any punk rock, only read of it - I instantly knew what it was and I said to my mates, "I bet this song is the ones from the poster. This is the Damned". The song was, of course, New Rose. Me and my mates agreed to go see The Damned in Skaelskoer some 12 days later. We never went. I was sick and had to stay in bed for several days and wasn't able to keep up the good spirit in going. I was really into it. My mates were more like "yeah, if you wanna go, we'll go". They eventually forgot about it, and I couldn't get them together in time. And we / I missed history. Later I had my own punk/new wave bands. New Rose and the readings of punk and The Sex Pistols had made their mark.'.Tuesday 3 May - P.E. Janson Auditorium, ULB University, Brussels, Belgium
Set: unknown.
Thursday 28 April - Palais Des Glaces, Paris
Set: unknown.
Comments: Support from Electric Callas.
Wednesday 27 April - Gibus Club, Paris
Comments: Non-Damned but seems worth mentioning... Captain Sensible, Rat Scabies, Joe Strummer and Mick Jones played together (Clash in town playing Palais Des Glaces that night and The Damned in town playing the same venue the next night). Set included Gloria, No Fun, Anarchy In The UK.
Sunday 24 April - Roundhouse, London
Set: I Feel Alright, Born To Kill, Fan Club, Neat Neat Neat, Stretcher Case, Sick of Being Sick, See Her Tonite, Feel The Pain, Help, New Rose, Stab Your Back, So Messed Up, Fish, Neat Neat Neat.
Comments: The Captain's birthday. Support The Adverts and Motorhead. Banner unfurled (tax exiles return... Hurray For The Captain's birthday!), Captain Sensible appeared in a ballerina costume and threw cream cakes at the audience and Dave Vanian. Gaye Advert featured on Neat Neat Neat.
Thursday 21 April - Mabuhay Gardens, San Francisco, California
Set: unknown.
Comments. Crime were also due to appear on this bill but did not play. Photos that appeared on the internet confirm that The Damned did play this show.
Wednesday 20 April - Mabuhay Gardens, San Francisco, California
Set: unknown.
Tuesday 19 April - Barbarella's, Birmingham
Comments: Advertised gig that did not go ahead as The Damned were still in the USA - possibly arranged prior to the US tour and then cancelled?
Tuesday 19 April - The Starwood, Los Angeles
Set: unknown.
Comments: Support from Quick. M Compton states on a web blog - 'The second night [see comments against 18 April also], I dragged along my friend Jeff Wolfe, who knew little about punk, but was in the process of forming a band called the Furys that punk would influence quite a lot. For some reason, Captain Sensible took a dislike to Jeff, jumping onto the dance floor and spitting right in his face. Jeff allowed punk to influence him, but he always hated the Damned after that. I secretly found it kind of amusing. I got my own injury that night when Dave Vanian lit a flare and the hot sparks cascaded over my shoulders and burnt the crap out of me, leaving holes throughout my shirt. I wore the wounds proudly. It wasn't the first injury that my love of punk rock would lay on me.'.
Monday 18 April - The Starwood, Los Angeles
Set: I Feel Alright, Born To Kill, Fan Club, Neat Neat Neat, Stretcher Case, Help, New Rose, Stab Your Back, So Messed Up.
Comments: Support from Quick. Apparently 2 sets were played - exactly the same set.
A write-up of someones memories of this gig states... "They belted out basically the entire contents of their debut album that night and left us wanting more. The Damned had run out of cash pretty early on in their American “tour” so they asked the audience to throw whatever change they had on the stage. I think they made a good amount of money gathering up what we tossed up to them. They also offered to have their picture taken with you for $10. $10 was a bit steep to afford in those days but would have made a great souvenir all these years later if I had bitten on the offer.".
Another piece on the web by M Compton states - 'The Starwood, one of LA's best and most missed clubs. They offered the Damned two nights, obviously expecting a huge turnout. But when the nights of the shows came around, there were maybe 20 or 30 people per show who came out to see this groundbreaking band. (As punk grew in popularity after these shows, it was hard to find any punk who wouldn't claim they were there to see it. There was no way all the people who claimed to be there could have been there unless they were hiding behind the bar.) I went to both shows and was in heaven. The band pretty much played their first album in order, making up a set that lasted all of 25 minutes. And I was exhausted after that. [see also 19 April].
Saturday 16 April - Whiskey A Go Go, Los Angeles
Comments: There is some conflicting historical infornation as to whether this gig was 14 or 16 April. The Damned were booked as support for Tom Verlaine & Television but the headliner refused The Damned as support. Television are reported to have played the Whiskey A Go Go on the night of 14 April, and there is no evidence of them playing on 16 April, but I tend to believe that the 16 April date is correct regarding The Damned, due to further information that is available about The Germs, The Zero's and The Wierdos:
On the web, taken from a site about LA Punk 1977, '16 April 1977 is a day that will remain permanently imprinted on my mind until the day I die. We (Steve, myself and our friend Mike) had tickets to see The Damned and Television at the Whiskey. When we arrived for the show, the Damned had been removed from the bill and replaced with somebody I don’t remember. Fortunately for us, one block down and across the street from Tower Records, the Weirdos were going to be playing.'
The Germs and The Zero's played support to The Wierdos at Orpheum Theatre down the road. Sometime during the show, Dave Vanian and Captain Sensible of the Damned arrived with Rodney Bingenheimer. Photographer Jenny Lens is known to have written when discussing the first live appearance of The Germs - ' The Germs: that’s the saddest story of my life... [fake crying]. Okay, I have pictures of that, almost but not quite...I didn’t realize that the Germs were gonna play. I shot the Weirdos at Bomp Records on April 16 1977, maybe the first time they were ever photographed. Pleasant was with Darby and dared them to talk to the Weirdos and get on the bill. If they were a band, they should play. But I didn’t know this until you told me that recently. I know the Weirdos were scheduled and I lived 20 feet from the Orpheum. The theater was on Sunset Boulevard right next to where Book Soup is, right across from Tower Records. There’s a big office building on the corner of Sunset and Palm now, but there used to be bar on the corner and a teeny 8-unit, two story building just south of it. I lived in an upstairs apartment facing the alley. I was always early to shows and parties, but I just missed the Germs because I didn’t know they were playing. They played for 30 seconds or 3 minutes or whatever. I photographed Captain Sensible of the Damned jamming with the Weirdos. That was my big picture of the evening. I just discovered a shot of Captain Sensible, Dave Vanian, the Damned singer, Jake Riviera their manager and Brian James their guitarist, sitting in the audience. I wonder where their drummer Rat Scabies was. But it verifies the rumor the Damned showed up, not just Captain'.
Elsewhere on the web there is further evidence to support the 16 April date - 'The Damned may have been booted off the Television bill but they did play the Starwood 2 nights later'.
Incidently, Captain Sensible's jam with The Weirdos, mentioned in the text above, was on the old Seed's classic "Pushin' Too Hard.
Tuesday 12 April (night2) (Possibly 2 Sets) - Rat Club, Boston
Set included: Neat Neat Neat.
Comments: Began their last set by bringing tables and chairs on stage and proceeding to eat pizza while playing.
Monday 11 April (night1) (Possibly 2 Sets) - Rat Club, Boston
Set: unknown.
Sunday 10 April - CBGB's, New York (Set 2)
Set included: I Feel Alright, See Her Tonite, Help, Neat Neat Neat, So Messed Up.
Comments: Also on the bill - The Dead Boys and Patti Smith. Joined Dead Boys on stage for Anarchy in the UK.
Sunday 10 April - CBGB's, New York (Set 1)
Set included: Stab Your Back, Feel The Pain, I Feel Alright, See Her Tonite, Help, Neat Neat Neat, So Messed Up.
Comments: Also on the bill - The Dead Boys.
Saturday 9 April - CBGB's, New York (Set 2)
Set: unknown.
Comments: Also on the bill - The Dead Boys. Joined Dead Boys on stage for Anarchy in the UK.
Saturday 9 April - CBGB's, New York (Set 1)
Set: unknown.
Comments: Also on the bill - The Dead Boys.
Friday 8 April - CBGB's, New York (Set 2)
Set: unknown.
Comments: Also on the bill - The Dead Boys.
Friday 8 April - CBGB's, New York (Set 1)
Set included: New Rose, Stab Your Back, All Messed Up.
Comments: Also on the bill - The Dead Boys.
Thursday 7 April - CBGB's, New York (Set 2)
Set: I Feel Alright, Born To Kill, Fan Club, Anarchy in the UK, Neat Neat Neat, Stretcher Case, Help, New Rose, Stab Your Back, So Messed Up.
Comments: Also on the bill - The Dead Boys. Some records show these sets as being played the other way around - however, Rat Scabies can clearly be heard on bootleg saying they will play another set later.
Thursday 7 April - CBGB's, New York (Set 1)
Set: I Feel Alright, Sick of Being Sick, See Her Tonite, Fan Club, I Fall, Feel The Pain, Neat Neat Neat, Help, New Rose, So Messed Up.
Comments: Also on the bill - The Dead Boys. Some records show these sets as being played the other way around - however, see comment against Set 2.
Saturday 2 April - Stirling University
Set: unknown.
Comments: Gig curtailed due to crowd disruption - played for 15 minutes, back on for 5 minutes - the end.
Thursday 31 March - The Roxy Club, London
Comments: CANCELLED.
Wednesday 30 March - The Royal College of Art, London
Set: unknown.
Comments: Gig and support (Johnny Moped) confirmed by a contributor to this site that attended the show.
Saturday 26 March - The Winter Gardens, Malvern
Set: unknown.
Comments: Also on the bill - The Cortinas.
Friday 25 March - Polytechnic, Newcastle
Set: unknown.
Comments: After the Fire supported. Throwing of bottles and/or cans caused the band to threaten to leave the stage... having continued, they left the stage after 20 minutes and did not return. Some scuffles broke out and the police were called.
Wednesday 23 March - Nottingham University
Set: unknown.
Monday 21 March - Tiffany's, Edinburgh
Comments: Purely an assumption, but it feels unlikely that this advertised gig would actually have gone ahead, The Damned having played Portsmouth the night before and long distance travel not being particularly easy in the UK in the early 1980's. Presumably, The Damned being added to the March T-Rex tour would have seen details for this initially arranged concert overtaken by events.
Sunday 20 March - Locarno, Portsmouth
Set: I Feel Alright, Born To Kill, Fan Club, Neat Neat Neat, Sick of Being Sick, Stretcher Case, Help, New Rose, Stab Your Back, So Messed Up, Fish.
Comments: Support to T-Rex. The Damned joined T-Rex on stage for 'Get It On' (The recording of 'Get It On' is included on the 'Marc Bolan and TRex Live 1977' recording).
Saturday 19 March - West Runton Pavilion, Nr Cromer
Set: unknown.
Comments: Support to T-Rex.
Friday 18 March - Rainbow Theatre, London
Set: unknown.
Comments: Support to T-Rex.
Thursday 17 March - Odeon, Birmingham
Set: I Feel Alright, Born To Kill, Fan Club, Neat Neat Neat, Sick of Being Sick, Stretcher Case, Help, New Rose, Stab Your Back, So Messed Up, Fish.
Comments: Support to T-Rex.
Monday 14 March - Colston Hall, Bristol
Set: I Feel Alright, Born To Kill, Fan Club, Neat Neat Neat, Sick of Being Sick, Stretcher Case, Help, New Rose, So Messed Up, Fish.
Comments: Support to T-Rex.
Sunday 13 March - Victoria Hall, Hanley, Stoke
Set: unknown.
Comments: Support to T-Rex.
Saturday 12 March - Apollo, Glasgow
Comments: Support to T-Rex. Gig did not take place for either performers as roadies left PA cables in Manchester.
Friday 11 March - Apollo, Manchester
Set: unknown.
Comments: Gig known to have taken place. Support to T-Rex.
Thursday 10 March - City Hall, Newcastle
Set: I Feel Alright, Born To Kill, Fan Club, Neat Neat Neat, See Her Tonite, Stretcher Case, Help, New Rose, Stab Your Back, So Messed Up.Comments: Support to T-Rex.
Wednesday 9 March - The Bell, Pentonville Road
Set: unknown.
Monday 7 March - The Toby Jug, Tolworth
Set: unknown.
Saturday 5 March - Art & Technology College, Derby
Set: unknown.
Friday 4 March - The City of London Polytechnic, London
Set: unknown.
Comments: This gig assumed to have taken place as a Melody Maker music paper the next week says of Wayne County & The Electric Chairs, who were playing at The Roxy that night, 'Then the Damned arrive, hot from wasting their audience at some gig or another, and Captain Sensible decides that he wants to jam with Wayne. The Captain is dressed in, uh, a nurses's uniform, complete with a neat little skirt. (Yes - a NURSE's uniform, what the hells wrong with that???? Anyway, up on stage he gets and begins to exercise his vocal chords by bellowing as loudly as his sensitive little lungs will allow. He leaves to an enormous cheer'.
Thursday 3 March - The Red Deer, Croydon
Set: unknown.
Wenesday 2 March - North London Polytechnic Halls of Residence, Tufnell Park, London
Set: unknown.
Comments: A contributor to this site made the following observation, 'On 2 March 1977, North London Polytechnic Business Society hosted The Damned. I had to be there and write about it in my scrap book. I cut up the original flyer but chose to decorate the scrap book with a picture of the Sex Pistols at Caerphilly! Most of the fans are young-the girls 14 or 15 years old, the blokes 17-19. A long line of girls sat along the edge of the stage, eyes laced with turquoise eye-shadow, peroxide hair and an abundance of safety pins through noses and clothes. Torn T-shirts held together by by safety pins, crocodile belts, mini-skirts, suspender belts, green stockings, stilettos. The blokes aren't as colourful but have their own gimmicks: telephone strapped to the shoulder, rainbow hair. And the Damned... not as dynamic as I had hoped. Much too loud and didn't try to excite the audience - I heard they tried to set light to some cymbals at the end but it didn't work too well.
Monday 28 February - The Roxy Club, London
Set: unknown.
Comments: Also on the bill - The Adverts.
Saturday 26 February - Bristol University
Set: unknown.
Comments: Gig known to have taken place. Support from The Dragons.
Friday 25 February - University of East Anglia, Norwich
Set: unknown.
Tuesday 22 February - University of Essex, Colchester
Set: unknown.
Comments: Advertised as 'A Punk Rock Nite featuring The Stranglers, The Damned, Count Bishops'. Gig know known to have taken place. From the press at the time - "The Damned and The Stranglers spent an evening dodging beer cans". "Kid Strange seen wresting with The Damned's Rat Scabies & Captain Sensible basckstage at the uni last week. And the man who threw bottles at The Stranglers and cut Jean-Jacques Burnel over the eye ended up in hospital after fierce bouncing activity".
Monday 21 February - The Roxy Club, London
Set: probably included: Neat Neat Neat, New Rose, Fan Club, Fish.
Comments: Gig known to have taken place. Johnny Moped in support with Captain Sensible on backing vocals. A contributor to this site wrote 'We just turned up each Monday and walked straight inside the Roxy until this point, however, we had to queue around the block to get in this time, 'Damned Damned Damned' had come out about a week before, and suddenly the band were news. We were outraged.'
Saturday 19 February - University of Leeds
Set: unknown.
Comments: Gig known to have taken place. Also on the bill - Johnny Moped.
Friday 18 February - Penthouse Club, Scarborough
Set: unknown.
Thursday 17 February - Rebecca's, Birmingham
Set: I Feel Alright, Born To Kill, Fan Club, Neat Neat Neat, I Fall, Sick of Being Sick, Stretcher Case, Help, New Rose, Stab Your Back, So Messed Up, New Rose.
Tuesday 15 February - County Ground, Northampton
Set: unknown.
Comments: Gig known to have taken place.
Monday 14 February - The Roxy Club, London
Set: unknown.
Comments: This gig confirmed as having taken place. Support from The Adverts.
Friday 4 February - City Hall, St. Albans
Set: unknown.
Comments: Advertised as support to Stray... Sidewinder also on the bill.
Monday 31 January - The Roxy Club, London
Set: unknown.
Comments: Supposedly support to Eater, and The Rejects also on the bill, however, a contributor to this site wrote 'Support were The Rejects - I remember nothing about Eater'.
Monday 17 January - The Roxy Club, London
Set unknown.
Comments: Support supposedly from Eater and The Boys, however, a contributor to this site wrote 'Support were The Boys, I remember nothing about Eater being on the bill, and anyway, The Roxy policy was two bands only, or one band twice'.
Thursday 13 January - The Roxy Club, London
Set: included: Born To Kill, Fish, Help, New Rose.
Comments: The Damned played before Eater. 'He terrified me. I took several steps back when he started to sing, and it wasn't because of the volume. He's simply very frightening. Dave Vanian bellowed like the prodigal returning to hades as he assassinated Born To Kill, Fish, Help and the incredible New Rose, jumping off the stage for a soupcon of performer participation as he pogoed wildly with all the young +unks. The Damned left me feeling like a speed come-down, like the feeling you get watching day break after 3 nights awake'.
Wednesday 5 January - Europe
Comments: Some European dates scheduled from 5 January but details unknown.
Sunday 2 January - Hope & Anchor, Islington, London
Set: unknown.
Saturday 1 January - Hope & Anchor, Islington, London
Set: unknown.
Live Performances Index
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1989 1988 1987 1986 1985 1984 1983 1982 1981 1980
1979 1978 1977 1976
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Page content last reviewed/updated on: 5 January 2010.
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