The Libertines bring the noise to O2 Academy Leeds
The iconic British band kept the crowd entertained with old classics and fresh material.
Photo: Ed Cooke
The Libertines soundtracked the noughties with their raucous brand of garage rock, while gaining a reputation for their raw, rough-around-the-edges and exhilarating live shows. The band have had a rocky journey over the years, but they left the well documented controversies behind since their 2015 reformation and came to Leeds off the back of their fourth album release in April — a landmark that many didn’t think they would reach.
The stage was set with a life size recreation of The Albion Rooms; the band’s Margate based residential studio where they recorded their latest album, All Quiet on the Eastern Esplanade. The gothic building was impressively detailed, with gold balconies and large windows that the lighting shone through, making for an imposing stage setting.
The crowd had been kept entertained by support acts Zuzu and Real Farmer, before the familiar faces of frontmen Pete Doherty and Carl Barat, drummer Gary Powell and bassist John Hassall came out to the delight of the audience. They wasted no time getting into Up the Bracket, the second single from their debut album, and earned an enthusiastic response as everyone held up their fingers for the chorus: “You see these two cold fingers / These crooked fingers I show / You as a way to mean no”.
There was barely time for us to catch our breath before they dived into I have a Friend, a song they released this year that covers the heavy topic of war and conflict. It’s clear that this song means a lot to the band as they put their heart into it, with Pete singing passionately about the horror and injustice, while Carl played the fast, intricate guitar melody with spirit.
As the set continued, vintage Libertines songs like Vertigo and Boys in the Band featured alongside tracks from the new album, including Night of the Hunter and Merry Old England. Despite being written 20 years apart, the blend of the old and new material was seamless; the band have stuck to their winning formula of fast paced, gritty tunes and authentic storytelling, giving them an impressive back-catalogue to choose from.
It wasn’t all exuberance and high tempo though; there were some slower songs that were equally well received and showed a softer side to the band. The opening riff of Music When the Lights Go Out was met with a roar from the crowd and it made for one of the loudest moments of the evening as everyone sang in unison to the poignant opening lines of the ballad. Man with the Melody also proved to be a sweet moment as the whole band stood around playing together, with Gary switching from drums to piano to join the rest of them on stage. It’s the first Libertines track that Gary sings on and the only song that all four of them have a vocal part in, creating a special moment that showcased the chemistry between them.
Keeping us on our toes, the pace picked up again for the rest of the thrilling encore that included What a Waster, Last Post on the Bugle, Gunga Din — the only song to feature from the 2015 album Anthems for Doomed Youth — and crowd favourite Time for Heroes.
As the band said their thanks and goodbye’s, everyone knew what was coming next; it was only right that the set was concluded with the legendary Don’t Look Back into the Sun. Cups flew across the room as everyone belted out the anthem that had helped the band rise to fame, bringing a close to a gig that had entertained from start to finish.
The boys in the band proved that they are now at their peak, over 20 years after forming, and lived up to their label as one of the great rock bands of the modern era.
