Features

This gig sold out in under 48 hours of tickets going on sale as every past, present, and future Pete Doherty fan did what ever they could to get their hands on one. As I passed the Underground at half 6, an hour before doors opened, a cue for the last 100 tickets available on the door is already well established.

The Underground is a dark, damp and dingy room, which lives up to its name. The venue reeks of stale sweat, beer and the smell of desperation. What better venue for such an iconic star of self-destruction.

From the second the fans enter the venue the room is buzzing with anticipation, will he show up? Many have been let down by Pete’s no-shows in the past and I myself was sceptical. The crowd murmured amongst themselves, rumours of Libertine reunions pass through the dim lit room.

Then the DJ cuts out and a few hundred gasps of disbelief hit the air. He’s here.

A cockney-voiced “alwiiiight”

Pete strolls on stage with the confident swagger of a man in his element. Picks up his acoustic guitar and after a cockney-voiced “alwiiiight” goes straight into the Libertines classic, ‘What a waster’. The crowd goes wild and surges harder than you would ever expect at an acoustic gig.

The set is made up of Libertines, Babyshambles and Doherty solo songs all in equal measure. Pete moves between songs with little pause for applause, stopping only occasionally to light a cigarette donated by adoring fans in the front. Take a few puffs and then hand back to the sea of hands that extend into the darkness.

Given the chant one audience member screams “Up the potters” with which Pete baits the crowd by responding: “Potters? That’s Port Vale right?” Several minutes of Football chanting ensues including Pete’s own renditions of some QPR chants before getting back down to business.

Minor interruptions

The gig is far from perfect. The whole set seems unrehearsed as Pete stumbles around songs adding and subtracting guitar parts at will.

Add to this the minor interruptions of fans being flung on stage and occasional cigarette breaks it’s not your regular run of the mill gig.

However it’s these imperfections which adds to the intimacy of the performance and what we have come to expect from the shambolic live shows of both the Libertines and Babyshambles.

Die-hard fans

For die-hard fans of Pete Doherty, the night is a greatest hits gig, and after almost a two-hour set everyone went home satisfied.

Songs such as ‘Death on the stairs’ , ‘Don’t look back into the sun’, ‘Albion’ and ‘Kilamangiro’ all feature as well as many other well loved classics. However you can’t help feel that the songs sound a bit weak with out the rest of the band behind him.

I leave the gig pleased with the performance but hoping desperately that Pete and Carl can sort things out and reform what has to be one of the best bands of the noughties.

Scott Jenkinson (gig date: 12 February 2009)