On the site of a 1st Century Roman fort the current Cardiff Castle stands as both a Medieval fortification and a Victorian Gothic Revival mansion. Tonight’s event is hosted by Depot Live and more than 9,000 people are expected through the gates for a gig that could not be more apt for the venue; The Hollywood Vampires supported by The Damned.
Always fronted by Dave Vanian, The Damned quickly transformed themselves from a late 1970’s Punk band into a later 1970’s Gothic Rock band; helped, in no small way, by Vanian’s preponderance for vampire clothing both on, and off, stage.
The line-up tonight was Dave Vanian, Captain Sensible, Rat Scabies, Paul Gray and Monty Oxymoron who played songs mostly from the 1970’s & 80’s the one exception being Making Time from the 2026 album Not Like Everybody Else.
The band kick off in 1985 and Phantasmagoria, possibly my favourite album by them. The song is Street of Dreams which gets the very vocal crowd into the swing of things. We stick with the 1980’s for History of the World Pt1 taken from The Black Album (1980) followed by Stranger on the Town from Strawberries (1982).
Captain Sensible is being his usual self, mooching around his side of the stage playing guitar, pulling faces, pointing fingers while Paul Gray is actually a bit more sensible on bass. Next up is probably the bands’ best known song (alongside New Rose) which, first time around, never made it to an album but stayed as a single until Phantasmagoria was re-issued in 1986. The song was Eloise and many of the crowd could be heard singing along to this one. I think it was at this point that Dave Vanian discarded his hat and jacket and looked more like his usual self.
A cover came next in the form of White Rabbit, a version of the Jefferson Airplane recording, penned for release in 1980. This was ultimately not released in the UK, or many other places, because the band didn’t like the production. Copies released in Germany and France DID make it over to the UK however and it was well received. It eventually became known as ‘the lost single’. Tonight’s rendition was a cracker.
We move on through the 1980’s with Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (The Black Album), Ignite (Strawberries) and Is It a Dream (Phantasmagoria) before we get to the only 21st Century song on the night. This was Making Time taken from Not Like Everybody Else, released earlier this year. Getting to the end of the set we get Neat, Neat, Neat from the bands’ first album, Damned, Damned, Damned (1977) and then it’s the inevitable New Rose from the same album.
The set finishes with Smash it up from 1979. The band wave their goodbyes as Dave Vanian starts to sing the Vera Lynn classic, Wish me Luck as you Wave me Goodbye before also leaving the stage to be cleared for the Hollywood Vampires. The crowd loved The Damned and hopefully they’ll be able to stick around, the band not the crowd, for a good deal longer.
The stage is cleared of The Damned belongings and we’re set for the Hollywood Vampires to grace this Gothic castle.
The cheers ring around the venue as the band walk on, they increase greatly as Johnny Depp takes his place, and the roof (had there been one) raised as Alice Cooper comes on stage.
The band get into their stride pretty quickly and play a string of mostly Hollywood Vampires originals. The first 5 songs are I Want my Now from 2019’s Rise album, followed by Raise the Dead, My Dead Drunk Friends, I’m Eighteen (an Alice Cooper original) and then The Boogieman Surprise, also taken from Rise. From photographing just the first three songs, I got the feeling that many people there were ONLY there to see Johnny Depp in the flesh.
The rest of the set included no more Alice Cooper songs, just 3 Aerosmith songs and the rest being covers from a wide range of artists and bands.
Johnny Depp was let loose on lead vocals next for The Velvet Underground’s Venus in Furs. While Johnny may not be recognised as either an experienced guitarist, nor vocalist, he does a fair job at both on this track. Of course, the crowd love him to bits so he can do no wrong here!
Two more covers follow; People Who Died (Jim Carroll Band) and You Can’t Put Your Arms Around a Memory (Johnny Thunders) before the band return to home territory with Who’s Laughing Now from Rise.
Time for some Aerosmith! Livin’ on the Edge and Bright Light Fright were split by The Who’s Baba O’Riley (aka Teenage Wasteland to some).
Throughout the set so far, Alice has strode across the stage, come out to the crowd on the walk-out platform, interacted with all his band members, all of whom are doing what they do best – entertain. No chance of Alice losing his head tonight, Cheryl was backstage with no guillotine to hand.
I listen . . . can I hear the ‘do-do-do-do’ of the Twilight Zone and see the air shimmer? No, but we do travel far back in time, to a period just before any of tonight’s bands existed. The Hollywood Vampires set about playing Beck’s Bolero by Jeff Beck, written and released in 1966. The older members of the audience may have recognised this one; it’s a fabulous bit of guitar work by Joe Perry – and was he using JB’s guitar?
More covers follow including songs from The Doors (Roadhouse Blues), Killing Joke (The Death & Resurrection Show), David Bowie (Heroes) and AC/DC (Highway to Hell), voiced by Tommy Henriksen.
A crowd-inclusive song next with Walk this Way by who other than Aerosmith, plenty of audience participation here and, finally, we get to the set closer; Alice Cooper’s School’s Out segued with Pink Floyd’s Another Brick in the Wall.
So, we’re done for the night . . . or are we!
Do-do-do-do (shimmery air etc) and we head further back in time to 1951 and a cover of Tiny Bradshaw’s R&B hit, The Train Kept A-Rollin’. Not much singing here but plenty of old-school bopping going on in the crowd.
The next song is actually the last of the night and it’s another tribute to the late Jeff Beck, it’s Hi-Ho Silver Lining and, yes, the crowd did get involved again – loudly!
It’s time for almost 10,000 bodies to get out of the castle, fortunately for me I got there just ahead of them. A fabulous night of music, though I do look forward to more Hollywood Vampires originals in the years to come. Well done Depot Live and my thanks have to go to Sarah Rhodes who was endlessly helpful on the day.
Words & images: Reg Richardson (RockStarsRising & @rock_stars_rising)
