Show Preview: The Damned – 45 Grave – at The El Rey Theater – Los Angeles, CA – May 26, 2013

Did you hear that sound? That was the sound of my heartbreaking because I can’t attend Punk Rock Bowling this year. Sadly, I will miss all the fun, music and debauchery that PRB has to offer. There’s always next year….Well the world is a funny place and things seem to have a way of working themselves out and fortunately for me and the other folks not in Vegas for PRB we are extremely fortunate that The Damned and 45 Grave will be at The El Rey on May 26th.


The Damned have been playing their stylish brand of Rock n Roll since 1976. The Damned incorporate many styles such as psychedelic, garage, punk and gothic in their music and combine that sound with crooner Dave Vanian and you have a band that has been hugely influential. The Damned were the first UK Punk band to release a single (1976’s “New Rose”), the first to release an album (1977’s “Damned, Damned, Damned), and in 1977 the first to tour the U.S.

Past members of The Damned have included Patricia Morison (who is not only married to Dave Vanian but has played with The Gun Club, The Bags, and Sister of Mercy), Rat Scabies and even Motorhead’s Lemmy Kilmister who played bass briefly for The Damned in 1979. Some other Rock luminaries that have contributed their talents to The Damned’s albums have been King Crimson’s Robert Fripp, The Clash’s Joe Strummer and Mick Jones, and Pink Floyd’s Nick Mason.

Today along with Dave Vanian, The Damned includes Captain Sensible, Monty Oxy Moron, Stu West and Pinch. “Damned, Damned, Damned” and “Machine Gun Etiquette” are classic albums that sound as great today as they did when they were released over 30 years ago. In 2009 the band I was in was lucky enough to be able to play several UK dates with The Damned which I will never forget. The Damned not only were nothing short of incredible onstage, offstage they proved themselves to be some the nicest guys you could ever meet. The Damned will not disappoint and those attending the May 26th show at The El Rey are in for a night to remember.

Los Angeles Punk Rock, Death Rock, Gothic Rock Pioneers 45 Grave are an evil force to be reckoned with. 45 Grave have been playing since 1979. Fronted by the electrifying Dinah Cancer, 45 Grave’s unique appearance and spooky sound has paved the way for an entire genre of Horror Punk bands. The Grammy Museum list 45 Grave along with Christian Death as "early proponents of American Gothic Rock." 45 Grave’s song “Evil” from their seminal 1983 debut album “Sleep in Safety” was regularly played on MTV (back when the channel still played music).

“Sleep in Safety” also includes the classic songs “Black Cross” and “Party Time”. A version of “Party Time” also appears on the soundtrack from the 1985 horror comedy film “Return of the Living Dead”. 45 Grave’s current lineup consists of Dinah Cancer, Frank Agnew who played with Orange County heroes The Adolescents, Tom Coyne and Brannden Blackwell.

In 2012 45 Grave released a new album “Pick Your Poison” on Frontier Records and have been playing locally as well as touring in support of its release. Having recently seen the current lineup of 45 Grave I can assure their fans that the band will rock and the lucky crowd is in for a treat.

For those that for whatever reason can not get to Punk Rock Bowling in Las Vegas this year (which is completely SOLD OUT) to see The Damned, this is a pretty good back up plan to have.

For more info and tickets click HERE

-Eric Lara-
OG Big Wheel Reporter

 

 

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