So, as I’m sure you all know, I’m a huge Pete Doherty fan. I’m not ashamed. He helped usher in a whole new scene, most of which is shit now, but he’s maintained his position as King of the Degenerates for almost 10 years now which, by god, is a miracle. The fact that he’s been able to smoke so much damn crack and heroin and write songs like he writes…. Ah, I dunno, anyway. So we showed up in London to see him and to be honest, I was almost sick with worry that this show which was 5 years in the making wouldn’t happen or would be shit and put me off him forever….
So we took our places to the very left of the stage in the large Roundhouse, filled to the brim with some of the most disgusting whores, drunken lads, teenagers, and even kids to see what P.Doh could bring us. When I saw him backstage smoking a cigarette all I could do was point in wonder. I couldn’t believe I was seeing a man who shaped a large portion of my musical life. So he takes the stage complete with Drew on Bass, Adam on Drums, someone on Guitar, a 4 piece “orchestra” (similar in vein to Adam Green’s gospel chorus of two people), and two ballet dancers. This kind of put me off just because I think Pete needs to be seen like, at Jazz After Dark at 4am just him and a guitar but then he started playing and it was a swoon fest for me. He was dressed in a dapper suit and hat (of course) and just fucking owned the place.
He played a few off ‘Grace/Wastelands’ with the entire hoopla show and he played a bunch solo, just him on guitar. He also played MC having other people do most of the music and him just hopping around. At one point, he tried to jump on an amp and fell off – which btw, was AMAZING. He played songs that I never thought I’d hear and he sounded so good. ‘For Lovers’ was divine, ’32nd of December’ was enough to bring me to my knees. ‘A’rebours’ almost had me in tears and I couldn’t believe he played ‘Palace of Bone’. I’ve loved that song since the shitty version I have when Babyshambles played Tin Pan Alley in like 2006 or something and I thought it was the biggest shame for ages that it wasn’t recorded, and while I’m disappointed it ended up on the solo album, it’s too good of a song to sit on my computer in sadness. He was coherent and witty and sweet – dedicating the gig to the memory of two of his fans who had passed away. To be honest, it might have been the gig of the year, for me at least. I couldn’t believe I was hearing the songs that meant so much to me for so long – like, when I first got Down in Albion, I listened to it to go to sleep (good idea, it’s really low key and mellow) for a good 8 months. He was just completely fantastic and I’d travel all the way with a hideous hangover again just to see him spit into a mic, or whatever. A+.
Setlist:
Last of the English Roses
A Little Death Around The Eyes
For Lovers
32nd of December
A’Rebours
Lady Don’t Fall Backwards
Music When The Lights Go Out
The Man Who Would Be King
What A Waster
I Am The Rain
Arcady
1939 Returning
Palace of Bone
Sheepskin Tearaway
Back From The Dead
New Love Grows on Trees
*Note: he did play longer and for more, but unfortuantely since I live in Brighton and had to get the last train, we had to peace out early but…. just fucking unbelieveable.
Tags: peter doherty
