The Damned conjures evil spirits at the Gothic Theater

The Damned, riding a wave of success from a new album more than 40 years into the band's career, brought its energetic live show to Denver on Oct. 25.

The band was back in town for the second time in a year and half, playing the "appropriately named" Gothic Theater. Although the Damned are known for putting on great concerts, there was a new energy in the band less than a week before Halloween.

In 2017, bearded singer Dave Vanian's arm was in a sling, and guitarist Captain Sensible would soon be relegated to sitting on a toilet "throne" onstage after suffering an injury of his own. (The Damned at Summit Music Hall in Denver) This time, Vanian prowled the stage and hit every note, even inadvertently breaking his mic stand in two at one point. Sensible was his usual wisecracking self, singing only one song solo (there would be no "Happy Talk") but lending his able backing vocals to most of the rest.

Captain Sensible. All photos by Christopher Windle.

That one song was "Silly Kids Games," one in a series of "Black Album" tracks the band broke out. Perhaps the recent presence of "Black Album"-era bassist Paul Gray inspired the band to revisit the album. (Though Gray isn't on tour with the band in the U.S., the spot is open for him, with longtime road crew member John Priestly looking genuinely thrilled to be filling the role currently.)

The Damned played six tracks off "Black," including the smash "Wait for the Blackout," "Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde," and "History of the World, Part 1."

And oh, that new album. The band played three tracks from "Evil Spirits," produced by Tony Visconti thanks to a Pledge Music campaign. The band picked those tracks wisely, with "Standing on the Edge of Tomorrow," "We're So Nice," and "Devil in Disguise" fitting in nearly seamlessly with the older material. The latter track was especially well-received, the churning pit in the crowd none the wiser that the song wasn't one of those old hits.

Unlike most bands' live shows, there isn't a clear break in which to talk, grab a drink, or visit the restroom during a Damned concert. The crowd was held rapt by the opus "Curtain Call," which opened the first encore, before going bonkers as the band launched into one of its liveliest tracks, "Ignite."

For the second encore, the Damned once again showed its range, playing the goth gem "Street of Dreams" followed by the punk anthem "Smash It Up."

But the best part of the show was watching a band truly having a great time onstage.

The Damned always defy expectations: helping create one genre of music, then another. Releasing an album 42 years after its first and 10 years after its last and then having it promptly hit the U.K. top 10.

A Damned show is always great, but the band is really on fire at the moment. Catch the Damned on tour if you can; you won't regret it.

The Buttertones melt hearts on fall U.S. tour

The Buttertones won fans on tour in the Midwest last year and were back to melt hearts once again on a cold autumn evening at Omaha's Slowdown.

This year has been a bit of a whirlwind for the Buttertones, with the band playing South by Southwest, debuting at Coachella, putting out a new album, and seemingly touring nonstop.

Just more than a year had passed since the band's last stop in Omaha. (Review: The Buttertones prove they're the next big thing) On Oct. 1, the band played highlights from its deepest album yet without overlooking its past.

After an energetic set from opening band Wild Wing (which sounded a little like the Black Lips), the Buttertones' Richard Araiza set the tone for the night. He thanked the opening band, calling them "beautiful people," and then added that the audience were beautiful people, too. The crowd, of course, ate it up.

Photos by Christopher Windle.

It was a dreary Monday night, but Araiza and the band turned on the charm nonetheless. Guitarist Dakota Böttcher mentioned after the show that just a couple weeks before he'd been working on his car in sunny California, picking up a tan, and wasn't quite ready for the cold weather. Araiza was even wearing a sweater.

But the weather didn't get the band or the crowd down. The audience danced to songs like "Two-
Headed Shark," "Neon Cowboy," and "Sadie's a Sadist. 

With four timeless albums in its repertoire, the Buttertones managed to touch on some the best moments from each of them in the 18-song set.

"American Brunch" was well-represented. The band opened with "Life Coach" and sprinkled others throughout: "Dak's Back," "Baby Doll," and "Colorado." The band even went all the way back to the beginning with a rousing "Orpheus Under the Influence."

The Buttertones played the singles from and a couple of other songs off its fourth and latest album, "Midnight in a Moonless Dream," while breakout album "Gravedigging" dominated the setlist.

Araiza's voice sounded better than ever. He channeled the Cramps' Lux Interior on "Baby C4" and went deep for "You and Your Knife." London Guzman's saxophone and keyboards and Sean Redman's bass added a welcome new wave sheen to the track. On "Winks and Smiles," Araiza seemingly sang "zigzag my way through a Monday night," instead of "Saturday night." Nice touch.

A couple of additional track offs "Midnight in a Moonless Dream," like "Jungle" and "Darling, I Need Time But Don't Really Know Why," were missed. (New record reviews: Duran Duran, the Buttertones ...) But the Buttertones know it's good to keep the crowd wanting more.

The band showed off its multiple facets, with Böttcher singing lead on "Don't Cry Alone" and "I Ran Away," played back to back. The band closed things out with "Gravediggin'," but it turned out the crowd did still want more.

For the encore, the Buttertones asked for requests and happily obliged, playing one of the band's best, "Matador," and an electrifying version of "La Bamba," sung by drummer Modeste Cobian.

A fan shared her setlist, signed by Dak, for this snap.

After the show, the band wasn't selling its own merch this time, but mingled with the crowd nonetheless. Böttcher shared hugs and autographs with adoring female fans. Araiza took time for a chat, promising to be back in Omaha in a year.

There will be a lot for fans to look forward to in the next year as the band continues on its upward projectory. Maybe a new album? Only time will tell.

Gary Numan shares his musical vision at the Slowdown

Gary Numan told his musical story, from the apocalyptic world of his current work to the aliens and androids from his past, as he brought his Second Savage Tour to Omaha's Slowdown on Sept. 27.

The English synth-pop pioneer's most recent album, "Savage," imagines a world ravaged by climate change. The singer played several tracks off the album, including "My Name is Ruin," and from its predecessor, "Splinter (Songs from a Broken World)," opening song "Everything Comes Down to This" among them.

Photos two and three by Alexandra Andersen. 

The newer songs blended perfectly with the old. Numan played some of his biggest tracks, including "Metal" and "Down in the Park" early in the set, and the concert built from there. As Numan waved his arms like a mad conductor to the synth strains of the Tubeway Army classic, the crowd knew they were in for something good.

Backed by an energetic band and an incredible light show, Numan spun through his greatest moments, the giant hit "Cars" played about mid-set, "Me! I Disconnect from You," and "Are 'Friends' Electric?" to close out the main set. Electrifying, of course.

Photos one and three by Christopher Windle.

Though Numan is rightfully proud of his recent work, he knows he has to play his biggest songs for fans new and old, even if someone might only know them from TV commercials that have little to do with the song's subject matter.

One can tell that Numan's audience means a lot to him. When he spoke the words, "You see, it meant everything to me" from "Are 'Friends' Electric?," it seemed very much directed toward the crowd.

They were there for it all, the man, the machines, and the vision. And Numan delivered.

Photo by Alexandra Andersen.