This
is an angry one woman show, Viv Albertine, and
it wears thin after about 1 minute, I think its
unintentionally funny, the lyrics are juvenile
at best, basic and sounds like something she wrote
on the back of a bar mat or is pretty good at
making it up on spot, I just can't stress enough
right now just how bad it is. It's awful just
fucking awful, I'm not sure why she's got a guitar,
playing the same chord over again on most songs,
the crowd clap out of courtesy or that another
son is over, I seriously doubt any one is interested
in Billy Bragg in a frock. This has to be the
dullest act I've seen all year and possibly ever.
The only plus I can think of is that she has the
balls to get up there and just produce half an
hour of utter shit, but even that is not enough
to counter any of the bad points about this set
which is the whole thing, a total waste of half
an hour that I'm not going to get back!
 First up what the hell is captain sensible wearing,
he looks like big bird, but yes I understand the
irony of the name. The Damned open their set with
neat neat neat, it's a classic opening riff, I'll
be honest I've never listened to the damned before,
and I have to say I like what I hear, but I don't
think I will be buying any of their albums any
time soon, a best of maybe. The guitar work is
pretty awesome from big bird captain sensible,
have to say he's got a mighty sound and some tasty
riffs, and knows how to rip a decent solo. The
vocals are a bit on the plain side if I'm honest
there not bad just plain, and very punk. Their
playing songs from two of their albums tonight,
Damned, Damned, Damned and The Black Album ( it’s
a pop at The Beatles white album), neither album
I've really  heard of it, but the songs on them
are still raw for older albums but they do sound
rather polished, it's all very controlled anarchy,
I'm betting it was much better back in the day
in some dingy club coming out of a few amps and
the front man right in your face, sweating on
you with the drums blasting away at your ear drums!
There's an intermission after the Damned, Damned,
Damned has finished allowing people to go to the
bar and the band being given a rest. They come
back and play the black album it's a more mature
sound for the 80s punk and just as polished. I
have to say these two albums are enjoyable as
a live set, its full of energy, played really
tightly and well, and a chance to hear some of
the less known and played songs, that might be
better live than there album counterparts. Over
all it's an enjoyable night to say the least quite
fun watching some of the crowd dancing along to
the set.
Viv Albertine 0/5
The Damned 4/5
Review By Robert Lawrence |
