Nobody divides public opinion quite like Pete Doherty. Adoring Libertines fans have long since
placed him on a stratospheric pedestal as a tortured genius, some sort of
modern day prophet/poet, misunderstood and afflicted. And to the non-believers he will always be a cautionary
tale; a disgusting mess perhaps culpable for the tragic demise of national
treasure Amy Winehouse. Whichever camp
you sit in there’s no denying that the unpredictable frontman is pure box
office and from the early soundcheck adorned in just a towel and turban, the
entertainment factor is never in doubt.
It’s been a busy year for the eccentric ringmaster, still
legally exiled from living in a London postcode
Pete has enjoyed a bohemian renaissance with new room-mate Macauley Culkin in Paris
Doherty sheds his jacket to reveal an ill-fitting white
shirt, in truth he looks awkward and anxious without a guitar, wafting his
microphone around like a sozzled Ian Brown.
No longer the firebrand of ten years ago for sure but the mixed crowd of
smashed hipsters and less animated voyeurs are at least treated to some
reasonably tight work on new tracks ‘Farmer’s Daughter’ and lyrically amusing
‘Penguins.’ Then, a turning point. Potty Pete puts down two pints to the crowd’s
delight and accidentally switches his microphone off. Further shrieking sound issues result in a
stand being hurled into the crowd and the tottering singer swings the mic round
repeatedly scraping the floor. The band
are now ragged throughout ‘Fuck Forever’, all eyes on the stricken frontman,
his vocals reduced to incoherent mumbling.
Taking a trip on the stage he’s unceremoniously dragged to his feet and
the group exit the stage.
“Can anyone play drums?” –they’re back on minus drummer
Jamie Morrison and Drew McConnell. A
reluctant roadie is drafted in and the remaining crew stand left of stage
mouths aghast at what follows. Playing
the first thing that pops into his head and abandoning it almost as quickly
Doherty covers in part, ‘Ask’ (Smiths), ‘Waterfall’ (Stone Roses) and
‘Cigarettes & Alcohol’ replacing the former for crack cocaine. Stumbling around the stage he smashes the
drumkit with the mic and grabs a trilby from the audience concluding that “If
only you’d have given me the hat at the beginning everything would have turned
out fine.” More nonsense ensues before
the venue cut the sound and Doherty collapses to be dragged off by hands and
feet by the long-suffering crew. Quoted
as saying recently “I’ll need to cut my hand off to beat crack” it may well be
too late for him to save his legacy, whether you consider tonight as horrific
or triumphantly crazy, it’s one to remember.
Babyshambles - 'Albion'
Setlist: Coming Soon
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