The Damned in San Diego

The Damned are an English punk-rock band formed in London in 1976. “New Rose” was the first single released by a British punk band, while Damned Damned Damned became the first full-length album by a British punk group. Machine Gun Etiquette and The Black Album extended their sound into psychedelia and gothic rock, and their catalogue also includes “Neat Neat Neat,” “Love Song,” “Smash It Up” and a cover of “Eloise.” The Damned played the 100 Club Punk Special in 1976 and joined the Sex Pistols’ Anarchy Tour later that year, though many dates were cancelled. In 1977 they became the first British punk band to tour the United States, including performances at CBGB in New York. They marked their 40th anniversary at the Royal Albert Hall in 2016, and in 2022 Dave Vanian, Brian James, Captain Sensible and Rat Scabies reunited for a run of UK concerts.

The Courettes are a Danish-Brazilian garage-rock duo formed in Aalborg in 2014 by guitarist and singer Flavia Couri and drummer and singer Martin Couri. Their music draws on 1960s girl-group pop, fuzz guitar and Wall of Sound production. Albums including Here Are the Courettes, We Are the Courettes and Back in Mono feature songs such as “Want You! Like a Cigarette,” “R.I.N.G.O.” and “Hop the Twig.” In 2022, The Courettes played SXSW in Austin during the touring cycle for Back in Mono. The same period took the duo through clubs across the UK and continental Europe. The stage lineup is Flavia Couri on guitar and vocals and Martin Couri on drums and vocals, preserving the two-person format at the centre of their records. Their festival appearances have included Reeperbahn Festival in Hamburg and Azkena Rock Festival in Vitoria-Gasteiz.