The Damned « Final Damnation 50 »

On 30 November 2026, The Damned bring Final Damnation 50 to Manchester Academy. Formed in London in 1976, the band lit the fuse of British punk with New Rose, the first punk single released in the UK, and followed with Damned Damned Damned, an early blueprint for the scene. Driven by Dave Vanian and Captain Sensible through ever-shifting line-ups, they pushed beyond breakneck punk into goth rock, post-punk and a darker, theatrical pop, building a catalogue that constantly bent their own rules.

This show digs through that evolution: the sharp rush of Machine Gun Etiquette, the shadowy romance of Phantasmagoria, and the stubborn pulse that carried them from London clubs to US stages. Vanian’s baritone anchors the mood swings, while Sensible’s riffs and melodies keep the songs biting and lean. Fifty years on, The Damned assemble a set that connects their raw beginnings to their moody mid-80s turn and beyond, stitching eras together without sanding off the edges. Final Damnation 50 is less a farewell than a clear line through their story, played with the urgency that made them stand out in the first place at Manchester Academy.