I’m wondering how hot it must be for Dave, still in the coffin, as Pinch declares among his long list of thanks –“Dave Vanian, without whom all of this would not have happened”. In directing, Martin Gooch relies on customary forms of the concert film: cameras capture a long shot of the stage in full, along with close-ups of Captain Sensible stage right, Paul Gray on bass and Monty Oxymoron on keys stage left, and Pinch on drums up above. Yet Gooch scatters traces of the classic horror genre throughout — the film, like The Damned, is never just one thing. There are very few bands out there who can manage to play Halloween-themed shows yet still avoid the novelty tag and play music any other time of the year. Arguably there are just three that come to mind: The Misfits, The Cramps, and, of course, The Damned. A huge gantry has been erected on the stage tonight, designed to look like the pillared entrance to a cavernous tomb. A sweeping staircase rises up one side to where Pinch, the band’s drummer, will take his position this evening for the last time. First to appear is Monty Oxymoron to play the slow, haunting, piano introduction Beauty of the Beast.

The Damned Release "Grimly Fiendish" From Upcoming Album A Night Of A Thousand Vampires". The Spill Magazine . Retrieved 20 June 2023. Alan is wearing hooded cape. His first Damned gig was at The Barrowlands in 1988. He and Lorna, his gothic vampiress have just arrived from Glasgow. Adrian and Lara from York are dressed as The Count and Bride of Dracula. They first saw the band in Belfast in 1987. Starting over 25 years ago, Carl and Sarah from Newcastle have seen the band “Over fifty times”. While the fanged Ann and Tina just down from Wakefield, say they love “All of them”, when I ask for their favourite Damned album.

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a b c d Golden, Audrey (26 October 2022). "The Damned: A Night Of A Thousand Vampires – film review". Louder Than War . Retrieved 20 June 2023. As musicians The Damned are now possibly at their peak, and this is shown by two fine renditions of classic songs, The Doors’ People Are Strange and Bauhaus’ Bela Lugosi’s Dead which creeps out in a medley in the middle of Neat Neat Neat.

a b c d Marwood, Lance (8 November 2022). "The Damned – "A Night of a Thousand Vampires – Live in London" [Blu-ray Review]". V13.net . Retrieved 20 June 2023. We are delighted by a fluid blend of music, performance and cinematic imagery. There is the gothic violin duel, the ventriloquist dummy singing on Dave’s knee, before jumping off and running away, the murder of the man from Guinness. Quite literally, our cup runneth over with blood, gore and gags. Daley, Dom (4 November 2019). "The Damned – London Palladium Night Of 1000 Vampires – 28/10/19". RPM Online . Retrieved 20 June 2023. And then it dawns on me that I have the answer to my earlier question about Philippa, the art director and the other two thousand who have travelled from far and wide. It’s so clear, He is The Fanatic, and they are His Followers. a b Purdie, Iain (30 October 2022). "DVD Review: A Night of A Thousand Vampires – Live in London (The Damned)". The Moshville Times . Retrieved 20 June 2023.After the interval, what appears to be Vanian still in his Lugosi outfit comes on, but is murdered by a Nosferatu character who turns out to be the real Dave. He has only gone and shaved his head half way through the show! The second set leans slightly towards the earlier material with Neat Neat Neat and New Rose. And of course there’s a generous splattering of Machine Gun Etiquette over both halves. Thank you,” shouts Sensible as the audience cheer. “And thank you Pinch”. He turns to the drummer up on the gantry, now standing, waving, fangs gleaming. “Twenty years of chaos that bloke’s had to endure”. He has decided that this will be his final show as one of The Damned. He descends the stairway to take the mic and say his farewells and thank yous to a warm, cheering standing ovation. Creatively, it seems the band are also at their zenith. Sensible, much loved for his gobby banter, appears almost deferential this evening which allows Vanian to truly shine. The frontman long ago perfected his Vampire stage persona. And tonight, as he elegantly ascends and descends the gantry, cape flying, eyes flaming, his sharpened teeth bared, we see the full repertoire of his well-practiced movie mannerisms in all their glory. Songs performed on the night but not included on the album and in the film are " New Rose", " Smash It Up", " Nasty", and " Shadow of Love". [15] Concert film [ edit ] Despite winning the case, the company declared bankruptcy and she was not paid. She did however grant rights for successful theatrical runs in England and the US. And it was with Bela Lugosi in the title role that the play premiered in New York in 1927. It would be Lugosi and his characteristic Hungarian accent that would set the gold standard for vampires with his 1931 film performance for the next three decades.