GalleryDitch This MagazineMarch 23, 2024gallery, live, melbourne, Gallery, The Damned, The Hard Ons, Northcote Theatre

The Damned + Hard Ons @ Northcote Theatre 22-03-24

GalleryDitch This MagazineMarch 23, 2024gallery, live, melbourne, Gallery, The Damned, The Hard Ons, Northcote Theatre

photos: Lucas Hackett @lucas_packett_photography

Performing together for the first time since 1989 & notoriously referred to by Motorhead’s Lemmy as “the only real punk band”, The Damned play the historic Northcote Theatre on their final Australia tour.

Opening the night, are the ever present Hard Ons in their relatively new incarnation, which features the larger than life Tim Rogers on vocals. Smashing out a blistering 40 minute set of new/old tunes that had the band shirtless by the fourth song & entertained the arriving crowd no end.

Playing to a packed, sold out room The Damned launched into exceptional renditions of Ignite, Wait for the Blackout & History of the World (Part1), proceeding to play a a decent size set of songs mostly from the albums Machine Gun Etiquette, Strawberries, The Black Album & Damned Damned Damned.

This iteration of the band is one of the finest, which showed as the energy & chemistry between members Dave Vanian, Captain Sensible, Paul Gray & drummer Rat Scabies was intoxicating & contagious.

Even after two encores, including the fitting Curtain Call, it was still not enough & the punters were left wanting more. Such an privilege to see the greatest surviving British punk band, still firing on all cylinders, even after four decades, play a flawless show.