Those who follow long-serving punk bands of original generation aren’t usually too particular about their line-ups – one familiar face in the ranks should usually suffice to warrant the flow of sweet bile – but this rule doesn’t really work when it comes to THE DAMNED. Fans of this ensemble die to see the four founding fathers – singer Dave Vanian, drummer Rat Scabies, bassist Captain Sensible and guitarist Brian James get together again. There has been an occasional reunion over the years, yet during those meetups the punch of the classic quartet was diluted by the presence of later players – except, perhaps, for the show documented on the “Final Damnation” album in 1989 – and that seemed to be the last time the veterans shared the stage. Still, 2022 saw the gothic group return as a quadrumvirate for a series of performances – announced in 2020 before the pandemic forced the musicians to postpone the short trek.
Of course the five concerts – at London’s Eventim Apollo on October 28th and 29th, at Manchester’s O2 Apollo on November 3rd, at Glasgow’s O2 Academy on November 4th, and at Birmingham’s O2 Academy on November 5th – got preserved for posterity and made available as official bootlegs, the limited-run CDRs partially sold on the night of the show and still up for grabs, separately and as a box set. However, September 13th, 2024 is when some of those recordings will be released for the mass market, titled “AD 2022” and featuring material from the band’s two 1977 platters, “Damned Damned Damned” – in its entirety, although not delivered in familiar order – and “Music For Pleasure” which remain the sole studio LPs the foursome cut as a unit. While the vinyl version is meant to contain only the 21 track from Manchester, the CD variant is expanded to include a bonus disc from Birmingham and, most importantly, DVD capturing the November 3rd outing in glorious visuals. Historic!
AD 2022
CD 1 – O2 Apollo, Manchester – November 3rd, 2022:
1. I Feel Alright
2. You Take My Money
3. Help
4. Born To Kill
5. Stretcher Case
6. Feel The Pain
7. I Fall
8. Fan Club
9. Alone
10. Fish
11. 1 Of The 2
12. Problem Child
13. Neat Neat Neat
14. Stab Yor Back
15. Sick Of Being Sick
16. See Her Tonite
17. You Know
18. New Rose
19. Pills
20. The Last Time
21. So Messed Up
CD 2 – O2 Academy, Birmingham – November 5th, 2022:
1. I Feel Alright
2. You Take My Money
3. Help
4. Born To Kill
5. Stretcher Case
6. Feel The Pain
7. I Fall
8. Fan Club
9. Alone
10. Fish
11. 1 Of The 2
12. Problem Child
13. Neat Neat Neat
14. Stab Yor Back
15. Sick Of Being Sick
16. See Her Tonite
17. You Know
18. So Messed Up
19. New Rose
20. Pills
21. The Last Time
DVD – O2 Apollo, Manchester – November 3rd, 2022:
1-21 – as on CD1
