The Damned are celebrating the 40th anniversary of their debut single release, The Rose, with a massive UK and Irish tour which takes in 30 towns and cities, including York and Newcastle.

One of the most entertaining of the original punk bands, The Damned were the first British band to release a punk single (New Rose came on on October 22, 1976) and quickly gained a reputation as the band that would always deliver an accomplished live set, ever since they started playing live in tiny punk clubs that same year.

The band have already delivered a blistering three-hour set at a completely sold-out London Royal Albert Hall show this summer.

Always unforgettable, The Damned continue to wave the flag for originality, stick two fingers up to mediocrity and celebrate a DIY punk ethos in the face of plastic entertainment and scripted reality. Original members David Vanian and Captain Sensible never expected to still be doing it 40 years later, but here they are touring again – as their loyal following will attest, The Damned still sound as fresh and exciting as they did way back in 1976.

Tour dates: August 3, York Fibbers; November 19, Newcastle 02 Academy.

officialdamned.com