The Damned Cover Bauhaus’ “Bela Lugosi’s Dead” During Their “Night of 1000 Vampires”

Last night at the Pallidum in London, The Damned played their sold-out concert event billed as “An Evening Of A Thousand Vampires”, a gig that also was their final performance with long-time drummer Pinch.

During the evening, while dressed as Max Shrek’s Nosferatu, crooning frontman Dave Vanian transitioned from The Damned*s rearranged punk classic “Neat Neat Neat” into a surprise cover of Bauhaus’ “Bela Lugosi’s Dead”, a song which in only a few days will be performed by the Peter Murphy fronted Northampton band for the first time in 13 years during reunion shows at the Hollywood Palladium on November 3rd, and 4th.

Watch The Damned perform Bela Lugosi’s Dead below:

It is important to note that this was not a typical performance from The Damned, that there was a six-piece string section on stage with The Damned during their set, and many of the songs were substantially re-arranged compared to their more familiar versions. In particular, “Curtain Call” received a special extra-long version, which contained a violin duel between Dave Vanian and Patricia Morrison*s Emily Vanian and another violinist.

“Bela Lugosi*s Dead” was not the only cover performed during the course of the evening, with The Door*s People Are Strange receiving a rendition during the set, possibly alluding to the Echo and The Bunnymen cover of the song for the 1987 vampire film, The Lost Boys.

See the full setlist here.