The Damned

I went to see The Damned at the Melkweg this week. Which was a slightly surreal experience.

I've seen them twice before. Both times in 1976. First time on their own. The second time along with The Sex Pistols and The Clash. On both occasions they  were dead good. And the first punk band I ever saw.

Watching the audience stream in, a couple of things occurred to me.

I wondered what the older audience members had looked like back in the 1970s. How many of those bald heads once sprouted mohicans? Or had they been part-time punks, dressing up at the weekend? Was that what I was? I cropped my hair short but I never had the classic punk look.

Seeing some surprisingly young punters, I realised not only had they not been born last time I saw The Damned, their parents might not have been, either. A  sobering thought.

Something I often do when comparing two periods of the past, is to move the dates to the present. Here I was doing the opposite. What was 48 years before 1976? 1928. What music was popular then?  George Formby? Odd to think how music has changed less in the last 50 years.

It's been a couple of years since I was last in the Melkweg. To see Lee Scratch Perry. That was with Lucas and Andrew, too. Just as today. I used to go pretty often in the 1990s. When I had more time and energy.

We kicked off with a few beers in the Waterhole, which is just around the corner from the Melkweg. Where it's only 5.50 euros a pint. Along with De Balie, it's the only decent pub around the Leidseplein.

To maintain the beer theme, I'll  let you know what I was drinking. La Chouffe. Not had it in a while. It's much less common than it once was.In  the Melkweg, the beer selection is much worse thna it used to be. Just Grolsch Pils and Weizen on draught. I went for the latter. It was really bad. All diacetyl. Pretty much undrinkable. Though I did manage to force it down.

The Damned were surprisingly good. Very tight and full of energy. Pretty much as they had been 48 years ago. Very sprightly considering they're around the same age as me.

The Damned playing at the Melkweg, November 2024.

I wasn't feeling quite as sprightly. Having had my arm put in plaster a few hours earlier. I'd been walking around with a broken wrist for 10 days. So much for it not being broken if you can move your fingers. I should have known better. I've been told that you can't walk on a broken ankle. I know from personal experience, that isn't true.

Very pleased that they played New Rose. The first punk record I bought back in 1976.