The Damned Live Performances Index
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The Damned: Live Performances - 1980

The list of shows for 1980 should be considered as 'work in progress'.


Wednesday 10 December 1980 - Cleopatra's, Huddersfield, England, UK

Comments: Although flyers from the time show this date as a re-scheduling of the intended 28 November gig, apparently it did not go ahead.

Tuesday 9 December 1980 - King George's Hall, Blackburn, England, UK

Set: unknown.

Comments: This show confirmed as having taken place - the gig actually took place in the Windsor hall rather than the King George's Hall (same building). Support from The Straps.

Monday 8 December 1980 - Dunelm Ballroom, University, Durham, England, UK

Set: unknown.

Comments: This show confirmed as having taken place. Support from The Straps.

Sunday 7 December 1980 - Apollo, Glasgow, Scotland, UK

Set: unknown.

Comments: This show confirmed as having taken place. Support from The Straps.

Friday 5 December 1980 - Odeon, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK

Set: unknown.

Comments: This show confirmed as having taken place. Support from The Straps.

Thursday 4 December 1980 - Apollo, Manchester, England, UK

Set: I Fall, Wait For The Blackout, I Just Can't Be Happy Today, Plan 9 Channel 7, Fan Club, Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde, Smash It Up, Hit or Miss, Neat Neat Neat, Drinking About My Baby, Love Song, New Rose. encore - Noise Noise Noise, Ballroom Blitz.

Comments: Support from The Straps.

Wednesday 3 December 1980 - Hammersmith Odeon, London, England, UK

Set: I Fall, Wait For The Blackout, I Just Can't Be Happy Today, Plan 9 Channel 7, Fan Club, Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde, Smash It Up, Hit or Miss, Neat Neat Neat, Drinking About My Baby, Love Song, New Rose. encore 1 - Noise Noise Noise, Looking At You. encore 2 - Ballroom Blitz.

Comments: Support from The Straps and Dag Vag. Motorhead & The Ruts announced as special guests for 'Ballroom Blitz'.

Tuesday 2 December 1980 - Odeon Theatre, Birmingham, England, UK

Set: unknown.

Comments: This show confirmed as having taken place. Support from The Straps. A contributor to this site stated 'My first ever concert aged 14. All I remember is that Captain came back on stage, after the encores, naked except for his guitar, pee'd on the crowd and sang a song. No idea what it was but it obviously made an impression'.

Monday 1 December 1980 - Brady's, Liverpool, England, UK

Set included: Wait For The Blackout, Neat Neat Neat, Love Song, I Fall, Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde, Hit Or Miss, Ballroom Blitz, Pretty Vacant, Rock 'n' Roll.

Comments: Support from Twisted Nervez and The Straps. A contributor to this site wrote 'I was at Brady's on the night in question and can tell you 'Ballroom Blitz' was in the encore along with renditions of The Sex Pistols 'Pretty Vacant' and Led Zeppelin's 'Rock 'n' Roll'. A great gig. In fact, my favourite of all The Damned gigs I saw back in those heady days'.

Sunday 30 November 1980 - Locarno, Bristol, England, UK

Set included: I Fall, Wait For The Blackout, I Just Can't Be Happy Today, Love Song, Smash It Up, Neat Neat Neat, New Rose, Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde, Fan Club, Looking At You, Noise Noise Noise.

Comments: This show confirmed as having taken place. Support from The Straps. There is evidence to suggest that Twisted Nervez were an additional support band for this show, but whether they played or not is unclear. A letter / report to a fanzine said of this show "The evening started with the appearance of 5-piece band The Straps, who played a good set of fast, powerful songs including the new single 'The New Age'. However, they didn't go down well with the majority of the crowd, and the vocalists attempts to get the crowd to dance were in vain and they left the stage disappointed with the crows response. - The Damned came on far earlier than expected. An intriguing part was the fact that Rat was helped onto his seat behind the drumkit by one of the roadcrew. - They immediately crashed into 'I Fall' followed by 'Wait For The Blackout' one of only 4 tracks taken from the studio sides of the Black Album. The 70-minute set consisted mainly of songs released on singles. 'I Just Can't Be Happy Today', 'Love Song' 'Smash It Up', 'Neat Neat Neat' and 'New Rose'. These days The Damned seem more concerned with playing rather than mucking around as on their 2 previous visits to Bristol. - Captain Sensible complete with beret and red jumper only stopped the set twice. The first time to preach the usual anti Brian James propaganda and the second time to tell everyone to ecuse him while he visited the crapper. The gig continued with 'Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde' and 'Fan Club'. - Halfway through the superb 'New Rose', Rat in a fit of rage and frustration, kicked over his drumkit, one drum landing on bassist Paul Gray and knocked him to the floor. - The Damned left the stage and returned 5-minutes later, when the equipment had been set-up, with Scabies shaking his fist and yelling obscenities at Vanian, he had to be restrained, by a member of the road crew, from racing at him. - Rat eventually returned to his drumkit and played out the remainder of the set 'Looking At You' and 'Noise Noise Noise' for the encore. - An excellent Damned performance ended with Scabies tossing a glass of beer into the crowd as they made for the dressing room".

Saturday 29 November 1980 - Ajanta, Derby, England, UK

Set included: I Fall, Neat Neat Neat, New Rose, Looking At You, Love Song, Smash It Up, I Just Can't Be Happy Today, Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde, History of The World, Drinking About My Baby, Wait For The Blackout, Ballroom Blitz.

Comments: Support from The Straps.

Friday 28 November 1980 - Cleopatra's, Huddersfield, England, UK

Comments: CANCELLED - flyers from the time show the gig as re-scheduled for 10 December.

Wednesday 26 November 1980 - New Cornish Riviera Lido, St Austell, England, UK

Set: unknown.

Comments: This show confirmed as having taken place. Support from The Straps.

Tuesday 25 November 1980 - Top Rank, Cardiff, Wales, UK

Set: unknown.

Comments: This show confirmed as having taken place. Support from The Straps.

Monday 24 November 1980 - Gaumont, Southampton, England, UK

Set: unknown.

Comments: This show confirmed as having taken place. Support from The Straps.

Sunday 23 November 1980 - Top Rank, Sheffield, England, UK

Set: unknown.

Comments: This show confirmed as having taken place. Support from The Straps.

Saturday 22 November 1980 - Pavilion, West Runton, England, UK

Set: unknown.

Comments: This show confirmed as having taken place. Support confirmed as The Adicts and The Straps.

Friday 21 November 1980 - Unity Hall, Wakefield, England, UK

Set: unknown.

Comments: This show confirmed as having taken place. Support from The Straps.

Thursday 20 November 1980 - Mayfair, Newcastle, England, UK

Set: unknown.

Comments: This show confirmed as having taken place. Support from The Straps.

Wednesday 19 November 1980 - Polytechnic, Leicester, England, UK

Comments: CANCELLED (or tentative and never confirmed).

Monday 17 November 1980? - BBC Studios, Cardiff, Wales, UK

Set: Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde, Drinking About My Baby, Something Else.

Comments: Not a live gig as such - but still a live appearance to a studio audience, The Damned appeared on the BBC TV programme 'Something Else' - a BBC2 TV show specifically targeted at a youth audience.

Wednesday 5 November 1980 - Hope & Anchor, London, England, UK

Set: unknown.

Comments: Charity festival gig (where The Damned supposedly performed their original 1976 set) - billed as 'Blanket Coverage' - intended to provide bedding and heating costs to old people in Islington. Other bands intended to to play this sold out charity event were - The Specials [30 and 31 October], The Skids [1 and 2 November], The Only Ones [3 November], Pauline Murray & The Invisible Girls and John Copper Clarke [4 November], Tom Robinson's Sector 27 [6 November], Madness [7 and 8 November], Bad Manners [9 and 10 November], The Revillos [11 November], The Rumour [12 November], The Selecter [13 November], Ian Dury & The Blockheads [14 November].

Friday 31 October 1980 - London, England, UK

Comments: A Halloween show was tentaively being arranged for London on 31 October, but never came to fruition.

Monday 6 October 1980? - Maida Vale Studios, London, England, UK

Set: Curtain Call, Hit Or Miss, Therapy, Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde, Wait For The Blackout, Lively Arts, History Of The World.

Comments: Not a live gig - but still a live appearance, this session was recorded and used partly on The John Peel Radio Show ('Curtain Call' to 'Therapy') and partly on The Mike Read Radio Show ('Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde' to 'History Of The World'). The order of the set above is assumed - but could be wrong. There is conflicting information 'out there' as to the date that this recording was made and to when it actually aired - some items suggesting a recording date of 6 October and some that The John Peel Show airing was 6 October or 20 October, whilst other information suggests that the Mike Read radio airing was on 9 October. All tracks from this session would later be made commercially available to purchase (though not necessarily together as a full session).

Tuesday 30 September 1980 - Top Rank, Sheffield, England, UK

Set: unknown.

Comments: Support from Man Servant.

Monday 29 September 1980 - Brady's, Liverpool, England, UK

Set: unknown.

Comments: Support from The Underdogs.

Sunday 28 September 1980 - Croc's, Raleigh, England, UK

Set included: Love Song, Second Time Around, Drinking About My Baby, Melody Lee, New Rose, Neat Neat Neat.

Comments: Support from The Underdogs.

Saturday 27 September 1980 - Cleopatra's, Huddersfield, England, UK

Setlist: Love Song, Second Time Around, I Just Can't Be Happy Today, Plan 9 Channel 7, Wait For The Blackout, Drinking About My Baby, Hit Or Miss, Looking At You, Noise Noise Noise, Help, Melody Lee, New Rose, Neat Neat Neat. encore - Burglar.

Comments: Under 18's matinee gig. Support from All Over The Carpet and The Exploited. The actual set is known to have differed from the setlist - 'Smash It Up' having been played at some stage. Also confirmed as having been actually played -'Love Song' (opener), 'I Just Can't Be Happy Today', 'Noise Noise Noise'.

Friday 26 September 1980 - Cleopatra's, Huddersfield, England, UK

Set: unknown.

Comments: Support from The Exploited. Apparently Rat Scabies insisted on a tribute to John Bonham of Led Zeppelin, who had died the day before, and so 'Rock 'N Roll' was played.

Sunday 17 August 1980 - Gloucester Park, Basildon, England, UK

Comments: Basildon Rock Festival. An apparent gig by The School Bullies, with The Screaming Ab Dabs also on the bill. However, a fake band (originally named The Spurts) apparently played as the School Bullies, mimicking The Damned under their alias, during 1980. This band is known to have played on 17 August 1980... so it is probable that this was not actually a 'Damned' gig.

Wednesday 30 July 1980 - Newcastle Polytechnic, England, UK?

Set: unknown.

Saturday 26 July 1980 - Rock City Studios, Shepperton, England, UK

Set possibly: Love Song, Second Time Around, I Just Can't Be Happy Today, Melody Lee, New Rose, Help, Ballroom Blitz, Drinking About My Baby, Smash It Up, Plan 9 Channel 7, Neat Neat Neat, Two Pints of Lager and A Packet of Crisps please, Burglar, In A Rut.

Comments: Advertising for this show stated that all Flashman Society members were invited to be in the audience for this show which was to be recorded live. On production of membership cards, members and up to 2 friends would be admitted to Shepperton Studios. Support from The Ruts. Max Splodge guested... coming on to do '2 Pints of Lager and A Packet of Crisps Please' with The Damned. 'Neat Neat Neat' was stopped during trouble in the crowd and played again in full. For the closing number of 'In A Rut', everyone took to the stage. Note that 'Looking At You' is not included in the above provided set, but appears on the 'Live At Shepperton' recording, so there is obviously a discrepancy somewhere?

Thursday 24 July 1980 - Bellvue, Manchester, England, UK

Set included: Love Song, Melody Lee, Neat Neat Neat, Looking At You, Smash It Up, New Rose, Plan 9 Channel 7, I Just Can't Be Happy Today, Wait For The Blackout, Ballroom Blitz, Drinking About My Baby.

Comments: Support from The Ruts, The Irritators and Auntie Pus. A contributor to this site wrote - 'I was at the Belle Vue gig and remember it well because it was my first damned gig on my 16th birthday. The Ruts weren't introduced as Ruts DC even though Malcom Owen had died. I can't fully remember the exact set but they played [ extracted and included above ]. 'Drinking About My Baby' was with Captain Sensible taking over on drums. Happy Days'.

Wednesday 23 July 1980 - Top Rank, Sheffield, England, UK

Set: Love Song, Drinking About My Baby, Looking At You, Hit or Miss, Noise Noise Noise, Smash It Up, Melody Lee, Help, Stab Your Back, Neat Neat Neat, New Rose. encore 1 - Burglar, Pretty Vacant. encore 2 - Shakin' All Over, In A Rut.

Comments: Support from The Irritators and The Ruts. An excerpt of 'Summer Loving' followed 'In A Rut'. A contributor to this site wrote 'The Ruts joined the Damned on stage and they performed many songs together in an emotion charged performance as Malcolm Owen had died of a heroin overdose the week before the gig'. The set above is taken from an audio bootleg and is 'believed' to be from The Top Rank Sheffield on 23 July 1980, although there are a couple of points that bring this into question - a) After New Rose Captain Sensible thanks the Manchester audience (though he has often been known to whimsically thank other towns and cities), and b) After Summer Loving a member of The Ruts says "It's the last time we're playing together" but Manchester on the 24th, rather than Sheffield, was the end of this tour (however, it could just have been a general comment meaning 'on this tour it is the last time we're are playing together').

Tuesday 22 July 1980 - Unity Hall, Wakefield, England, UK

Set included: Pretty Vacant.

Comments: A clipping from the time shows a comment for this gig as being at Trotter's, Wakefield - however, no supporting evidence has come to light indicating a change of venue, and those in the know from the area are unfamiliar with Trotter's, it is therefore presumed to be an error. At least one contributor to this site has stated that the show was definitely at The Unity Hall. Support from The Ruts and The Irritators. The Ruts and The Damned played together at the end of the show.

Monday 21 July 1980 - Tiffany's, Glasgow, Scotland, UK

Set: unknown.

Comments: Intended support was from Billy Karloff & The Extremes, but they are known to have left the tour after the Derby gig. Presumably The Ruts, and (confirmed) The Irritators, supported, but there is also some information 'out there', to suggest that a band called Nightshift also supported.

Sunday 20 July 1980 - The Caird Hall, Dundee, Scotland, UK

Set included: Love Song.

Comments: Support from The Ruts and The Irritators. A contributor to this site wrote of The Irritators "The Irritators consisted of a teenage girl singer (no older than sixteen years of age) a male drummer and male guitarist. I can only remember there being 3 in the band so am unsure if the guitarist played bass or lead. The girl wore a revealing oufit made from white bin liner material and had an almost skinhead haircut into which a grid pattern had been cut. At the end of their set a female, who claimed to be the singers mother as well as band's manager, appeared on stage and berated the audience for shouting obscenities at her daughter. She then proceeded to rip off the young girls top and stormed off stage shouting "happy now!" at the audience. The girl stood topless for a few minutes then wandered off stage to wild applause. The only words I remember her speaking between songs were "yes! we are irritating bastards aren't we!" Of The Damned he wrote "The Damned played a great set and this gig is still one of the best I have ever been to. The Captain was on top form as usual and we even got a bonus penis flash from him at the end of the gig".

Saturday 19 July 1980 - The Nite Club, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK

Set: unknown.

Comments: There is information 'out there' that suggests that there was no support band - however, Gareth Ashton (drummer with The Irritators) has stated that The Irritators did play at the Edinburgh show. Gig known to have taken place. Apparently an afternoon matinee gig, that was supposedly secret, but was "packed out anyway".

Saturday 19 July 1980 - Cleopatra's, Huddersfield, England, UK

Comments: CANCELLED - Instead, 2 gigs (matinee & evening) arranged for 26 & 27 September.

Friday 18 July 1980 - Assembly Rooms, Derby, England, UK

Set included: Love Song, I Just Can't Be Happy Today, Noise Noise Noise, New Rose, Neat Neat Neat, Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde, Smash It Up (parts 1 & 2).

Comments: Support from Billy Karloff & The Extremes. The Irritators did not play a support slot on this night because their lead singer, Iris - girlfriend of Malcolm Owen, went to his funeral that day. A contributor to this site wrote "I went to see The Damned on 18 July 1980 at the assembly rooms, it was my first gig, I was 15 years old. The songs I remember were [ extracted and included above ]. The support, Billy Karloff, wore see through plastic macs" [Neil Hay of Billy Karloff & The Extremes wrote "We did indeed wear plastic macs owing to the extensive spitting that was a feature of all punk gigs at the time and we had also toured with The Revillo's previously so had some experience of this - we also had "Sou-wester" hats. The idea was to start off wearing our normal stage clothes and if the spitting started, we would put on the afore-mentioned macs and hats at the end of the song. Bizarrely, once we did this, the spitting stopped"]. Neil Hay also stated trouble kicked off this day - "Some things were said on the tour bus and there appeared to be an atmosphere between Dave and the Captain. We heard a bit of noise coming from their dressing room and Captain threw a wobbler about not having the correct beer. We watched their set from the side of the stage and Captain played 'Dr Jeckyl & Mr Hyde while lying on the floor, at which point Dave became angry and tried to throw a Hammond B3 into the audience. I don't remember it being a short set, but it may well have been under the circumstances. In the end some equipment was damaged and Rat came into our dressing room later to tell us The Damned were finished, Paul Gray told us he was devastated." Another contributor wrote "The gig caused much controversy and made the front page of the Derby Evening Telegraph the following Monday due to allegations of the Damned vomiting in the dressing room and making off with sections of the PA (amongst other stuff). In fact it saw the end of such acts at the venue for years." Billy Karloff & The Extremes met with their management after this show and took the advice to leave the tour.

Thursday 17 July 1980 - Top Rank, Birmingham, England, UK

Set: Love Song, Second Time Around, I Just Can't Be Happy Today [partially played], Drinking About My Baby, Looking At You, Hit Or Miss, Noise Noise Noise, Smash It Up (part 2 only), Melody Lee, Help, Neat Neat Neat, New Rose. encore - Wait For The Blackout, Ballroom Blitz.

Comments: Support from Billy Karloff & The Extremes and The Irritators. There are conflicting reports of what happened at this gig, with some suggestion that it was shorter than listed above, however, this set is taken from an audio bootleg of the show. What is clear is that there were technical problems during the early part of The Damned's set, and possibly an internal dispute between Captain Sensible & Dave Vanian, resulting in a) a long break between 'Love Song' and 'Second Time Around', b) 'I Just Can't Be Happy Today' being curtailed, and c) then another long break before 'Drinking About My Baby'. One contributor to this site said of the breaks "I vaguely recall Rat standing with a beer and a fag looking totally pissed off." This contributor also confirmed that Billy Karloff & The Extremes did play on this evening. It has been stated, from various sources, that Malcolm Owen, though no longer with The Ruts, was due to contibute some sort of support during this tour - but this obviiously didn't happen due to his untimely death. The fact that Malcolm was due to support is confirmed by this whimsical observation from one chap, "I have a clear memory of being in the queue and Malcolm's name being on the poster. The sex shop next door also had a vibrator in the window that looked like a cucumber, much to the amusement of the crowd in the queue. I remember that simply because i'd never seen one before!". He also wrote, "I have little memory of the support act and remember a woman appearing on stage and reading some poetry for Malcolm and wailing / crying". The woman referred to is assumed to be Iris of The Irritators, Malcolm Owen's girlfriend - whether The Irritators actually played or not remains a mystery. Additionally, the audio bootleg of this show reveals, following The Damned's performance, a woman making a short dedication to Malcolm in which she quotes his death the previous Monday and that he was due on stage this night - this is also assumed to be Iris.. In summary, there seems to have been alot of grief fuelled by alcohol abuse for this first date of the UK tour - Billy Karloff & The Extremes played, The Irritators may have played a set or there may just have been dedications, The Damned played (at least partially) 14 numbers but with some very long interludes between songs.

June 1980 - Stonehenge Free Festival, England, UK

Set: Unknown.

Comments: A contributor to this site wrote 'I was at Stonehenge in 1980 and the Damned definitely played. It was on a Tuesday I think... when most people had gone home'.

Sunday 25 May 1980 - Shrimpers Club, Southend, England, UK

Comments: Shrimpers Rock Contest final - (A fake band (originally named The Spurts) apparently played as the School Bullies, mimicking The Damned under their alias, during 1980. This band played (and won) this contest. Contest included - Slash Wildly and The Cut Throats, The School Bullies, Bastille, Janifacy Farm, The Youth, Outrageous Flesh, Screaming Abdabs.

Saturday 24 May 1980 - Russell Club, Manchester, England, UK

Set: unknown.

Comments: One-off gig - a personal farewell to the club due to imment closure. An article on the internet states 'The Damned played the same night as Adam and the Ants Invasion Tour at the Poly, so as to get more punters they charged a reduced rate for people who went to that show to come over to the Russell after, hence they went on at midnight, it was a bloody long night waiting so we went to the pub over the road. The Damned were good hosts and The Captain appeared in the middle of the dance floor wearing Furry jumper / large sombrero and letting off fire crackers'.

Tuesday 13 May 1980 - Bataclan, Paris, France

Set: unknown.

Thursday 1 May 1980 - Al Baccara, Lugo Di Romagna, Italy

Set: Love Song, Second Time Around, I Just Can't Be Happy Today, Plan 9 Channel 7, Noise Noise Noise, Melody Lee, Hey Joe excerpt, Looking At You, Born To Kill, Smash It Up, Help, Stab Your Back, Neat Neat Neat, New Rose. encore - Pretty Vacant, Ballroom Blitz, Walking On The Moon excerpt.

Wednesday 30 April 1980 - Orfeo, Milan, Italy

Set: Love Song, Second Time Around, I Just Can't Be Happy Today, Plan 9 Channel 7, Noise Noise Noise, Melody Lee, Looking At You, Born To Kill, Smash It Up, Help, Stab Your Back, Neat Neat Neat, New Rose. encore 1 - Pretty Vacant, Ballroom Blitz, Love Song. encore 2 - I Feel Alright.

Comments: Early research suggested this venue was 'The Palalido'. However, a contribution to this site said "the band did not play at Milan Palalido, but at Cinema / Teatro [Movie Theatre] 'Orfeo', close to Via Torino [Turin Road], 10 minutes by feet from the Duomo [Dome]'s Piazza".

Tuesday 29 April 1980 - Palasport, Udine, Italy

Set: unknown.

Monday 28 April 1980 - Palasport, Forli, Italy

Set: unknown.

Sunday 27 April 1980 - Tendastrisce, Rome, Italy

Set: unknown.

Saturday 26 April 1980 - Quasar, Perugia, Italy

Set: unknown.

Friday 25 April 1980 - Palasport, Firenze, Italy

Set: unknown.

Thursday 24 April 1980 - Palasport, Genova, Italy

Set: Love Song, Second Time Around, I Just Can't Be Happy Today, Plan 9 Channel 7, Noise Noise Noise, Melody Lee, Looking At You, Born To Kill, Smash It Up, Help, Stab Your Back, Neat Neat Neat, New Rose. encore - Pretty Vacant, Ballroom Blitz, I Feel Alright, Love Song.

Wednesday 23 April 1980 - Palasport, Cantu, Italy

Set: unknown.

Tuesday 22 April 1980 - Palasport, Turin, Italy

Set: Love Song, Second Time Around, I Just Can't Be Happy Today, Noise Noise Noise, Melody Lee, Looking At You, Born To Kill, Smash It Up, Help, Stab Your Back, Neat Neat Neat, New Rose. encore - Pretty Vacant, I Feel Alright.

Sunday 20 April 1980 - Paradiso, Amsterdam, Netherlands

Set: unknown.

Friday 18 April 1980 - Stokvishal, Arnhem, Netherlands

Set: unknown.

Thursday 17 April 1980 - Exit, Rotterdam, Netherlands

Set: Love Song, Second Time Around, I Just Can't Be Happy Today, Plan 9 Channel 7, Noise Noise Noise, Melody Lee, Looking At You, Born To Kill, Smash It Up, Help, Stab Your Back, Neat Neat Neat.

Wednesday 16 April 1980 - Tilburg, Netherlands

Set: Love Song, Second Time Around, I Just Can't Be Happy Today, Noise Noise Noise, Melody Lee, Looking At You, Born To Kill, Smash It Up, Stab You Back, Neat Neat Neat, New Rose. encore [but see comments] - Pretty Vacant, I Feel Alright, Love Song.

Comments: The 2nd playing of 'Love Song' may have been a 2nd encore - it is unclear on the tape that this set is sourced from.

Friday 1 March 1980 - Corn Exchange, Cambridge, England, UK

Comments: I tend to think this gig, supposedly with support from Victim, did not take place (I could be wrong). Whether it was a proposed date that was cancelled is another matter...). Information regarding the date was originally taken from one persons web list of gigs he attended (these are notorious for being filled with errors when individuals research shows they have been to years earlier). My reasoning for dismissing this gig as one that didn't take place is; a) Bass guitar duties around this period were handled by Algy Ward - however, he supposedly formed the band 'Tank' in February 1980, and is therefore presumed to have finished his Damned connection by the date of this show, b) there is no mention in Damned history of an interim bass guitarist between Algy Ward and Paul Gray... and Paul Gray's first shows with The Damned have always been stated as the April 1980 european tour dates, c) A member of Victim (Jo) kept a tour diary that supposedly listed all gigs that Victim played (52 shows) and there is no mention in it of any gigs in March 1980.

Friday 1 February 1980 - Victoria Hall, Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent, England, UK

Comments: The reference to this show that appears in a gig listing for Discharge (who supposedly supported on the night) is thought to be erroneous. The Clash were due to play Victoria Hall on this date but cancelled the show and it remains possible that The Damned filled the empty slot. However, no supporting evidence has come to light to indicate that The Damned played this show. Also, The Damned were without a bassist at this time, so it seem unlikely.

Monday 21 January 1980 - Croc's, Raleigh, England, UK

Comments: Supposed School Bullies gig. However, a fake band (originally named The Spurts) apparently played as the School Bullies, mimicking The Damned under their alias, during 1980. This band is believed to have played Croc's in early 1980... so it is unclear whether this was actually a 'Damned' gig.


The Damned Live Performances Index
The Damned - 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010
2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000
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


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