THE DAMNED/THE TOILET BOYS/THE BRIEFS
@The Back Room, Austin, TX
November 2, 2001
The punk rock explosion of the late 70s produced a ton of legendary bands. They created music that's stood the test of time, remaining exciting and relevant 25 years later. For all the great art that came out of that time period, however, there are precious few of the artists themselves still around. The volatile, I-want-change-and-I-want-it-now nature of punk encourages an early flameout, so most of the bands hung up their power chords and moved on long ago. Many of those that didn't now find themselves on a sort of punk rock oldies circuit, cranking out their hits (a relative term in this universe) for kids who weren't even born the first time around, everyone desperately pretending it's still 1977. An important exception to all this is the Damned. The first of the class of '77 to release an album and tour America, the Damned has defied the odds by sticking around well past its sell-by date. That the group has endured countless lineup changes, stylistic detours, legal battles and label woes is immaterial. With longtime bandleaders Dave Vanian and Captain Sensible firmly in charge, they're still around and still vital.

They proved it on an unusually warm autumn night at Austin's Back Room, normally the town's heavy metal haven. Invaded by Goths, old-school punks, older fans who had been kids when the band was new and broadminded rock 'n' roll fans of all ages, the club became ground zero for the resurrection of a band wrongfully dismissed by history as an anachronism. Touring in support of their terrific new punk/Goth/power pop album Grave Disorder, the Damned hit the stage in a cloud of fog with "Democracy?," the lead-off blast of melodic energy from the new record. Before the crowd had a chance to catch its breath, the quintet launched straight into their 25-year-old classic "New Rose," one of the greatest anthems to ever come from the original Britpunk movement. This set the stage for the remainder of the show, as the band played most of the gems from the new album, interspersed with their greatest hits. Clearly enjoying himself, Vanian looked stylish and vaguely sinister in his black satin Renaissance shirt, black leather gloves and pompadour. Gliding across the stage like a dancer, gesturing extravagantly and singing with flair, he looked like a vampire Elvis in a Hammer film, and he pulled it off with self-possessed elegance. By contrast, Captain Sensible was the freewheeling clown, offering a running commentary that poked fun at his bandmates, the crowd and anyone else that struck his fancy. He shut up, though, when it was time to make his Gibson SG squall. Backed by bassist Patricia Morrison, keyboardist Monty Oxy Moron and drummer Pinch, the longtime creative partners effortlessly balanced artistry and entertainment, peeling off classics like "Eloise" and "Waiting For the Blackout" with the same enthusiastic energy as stellar new material like "Song.com," "Absinthe" and Sensible's John Lennon pisstake "Would You Be So Hot (If You Weren't Dead?)."

After bringing down the house with a volcanic "Neat Neat Neat," complete with a long, spacey middle section, the band took a short break, returning with a five-song encore that kicked off with the Captain clad in nothing but a short skirt and a platinum pink wig to croon his 1982 solo hit "Happy Talk" (yes, the tune from South Pacific). The rest of the group returned for "Disco Man" and the titanic Disorder cut "She," Vanian's tribute to wife Morrison. The Damned ended the show with an appropriately slamming version of its '79 hit "Smash It Up" and left the stage to howling applause, acknowledged by a now-naked Captain spraying the crowd with bottled water. This was no mere nostalgia act, but an often-stunning performance by a veteran band that may very well be just now hitting its prime.

Opening the show was the Briefs, an NYC quartet in suits, spiked blond hair and skinny ties that played old-school punk like it was still 1979. They did what they did quite well, earning cheers from the crowd and a guest appearance by the Captain, who sang his version of Elton Morello's New Wave nugget "Jet Boy, Jet Girl." Giving the Damned a real run for its money, though, was the Toilet Boys. Their amphetaminized hard rock was exciting, if fairly run-of-the-mill. But with a cross-dressing, Debbie Harry-obsessed frontman, firebreathing, sparklers and glitter cannons, they knew how to put on a show. It was like Hedwig fronting Kiss. Both bands turned in fine sets and were the perfect warm-up for the debonair Damned. A capital night of rock 'n' roll entertainment. Michael Toland