The Damned Bring 'Darkadelic' Classic, Noir Punk Back to LA

Dave Vanian of The Damned. (Photo: Nikki Phillips)

English punk icons The Damned just released their new album Darkadelic last month. This marks the first release from the band since 2018. The guys stopped at The Belasco in Los Angeles for a sold out show featuring The Dictators as their supporting act. Stepping into the room felt like a time warp to a vintage-aged industrial social club, filled with the most beautiful and genuine individuals amongst gothic culture. The atmosphere was relaxed and nostalgic, with a dark and moody aura that coincided perfectly with The Belasco’s original church character.

Half of the setlist contained songs from Darkadelic, while the other half were split evenly across older albums. We basked in the noir vibe, living out our gothest selves. The Damned performance was sentimental and seamless. Vocals, instrumentals and stage presence were as if we all were placed back decades ago. The crowd’s feedback and excitement buzzed throughout the venue for the entire duration of the show, leaving a lasting memory for everyone in attendance. The guys closed out the night with an impressive dual encore ultimately wrapping with “New Rose.”

The Damned will be playing Punk Rock Bowling and Music Festival in Las Vegas on May 28th, followed by a string of dates in New Zealand and Australia, which you can check out here. For future updates, you can sign up for their newsletter to know the latest.