It's Punk Rock Week

A couple weeks ago, I finally upgraded to the Comcast DVR thing, which is already filling up with episodes of "The Backyardigans" for my 4-year-old.

First, let me say, The Backyardigans totally rock.

As for the DVR, it will come in handy the next few days because it's punk-rock week on "The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (12:35 a.m. on CBS).

Here's the schedule:

- Tuesday, Oct. 28: X

- Wednesday, Oct. 29: New York Dolls

- Friday, Oct. 31: The Damned

X and The Dolls both turned up in Pittsburgh this year -- X at the Rex and The Dolls at the Arts Festival -- and more than lived up to their great legacies.

I couldn't tell you the last time we saw The Damned here, but safe to say it's been a while. The Damned were the first British punk band to release a single ("New Rose" in 1976) and the first to tour the States (1977).

Once at the forefront of the goth movement, The Damned are about to release their first album in seven years. What's it like? Would you believe melodic ‘60s pop in the vein of the Byrds? It's true.

The band has some dates on the East Coast in the next few months: Washington, D.C. (Dec. 29), New York (Dec. 31), New Jersey (Jan. 2), Philadelphia (Jan. 3).