This weekend marked The Libertines’ triumphant return to the Manchester Academy after a two-year absence from performing in the city, coinciding with the release of their new album, All Quiet On The Eastern Esplanade. Frontmen Pete Doherty and Carl Barât led the charge, accompanied by John Hassall on bass and Gary Powell on drums.
Review and Photos by Ruby Brown
Kicking off the gig with some of their punchier tracks, such as What A Waster and Run Run Run, Pete quipped, “Was this supposed to be an acoustic set?” This spontaneous change in the setlist, while unexpected, was embraced by the crowd and felt like a refreshing return to form for the band, rather than just another routine promotional gig.
For the first half of the set, Carl took the reins, with Pete occasionally appearing subdued and struggling to keep pace with some of their older hits. However, the tempo and energy of the two frontmen were revitalised as the band delved into their newer material.
Alternating between crowd favourites like What Katie Did and the iconic duet Can’t Stand Me Now, which saw Pete and Carl interlocked at the mic, the atmosphere erupted with lively mosh pits and chanting. Despite the performance coming merely a day after the release of their new album, it was exciting to see fans embracing tracks like Shiver and Merry Old England, drawn in by their fresh sound and potentially darker lyrical content compared to the band’s previous releases.
In typical Libertines fashion, the set took a political turn as it drew to a close, with Pete leading chants of “F*ck the Tories” and Gary delivering an electrifying drum solo. Amidst the fervour, Gary took a moment to thank the crowd and voice support for Palestine.
The crowd were still raring to go 45 minutes into the hour long set. Before returning to deliver the encore, which consisted of The Good Old Days and Don’t Look Back Into The Sun, Pete left the crowd with some everlasting words of wisdom: “Drink full-fat milk, don’t vote Tory…”, which evoked cheers of support and laughter from the room, respectively.
As the band gathered for their final bow, it was evident that they had rediscovered their groove and were genuinely relishing being reunited onstage. While there were concerns about the performance veering off any planned course – which it did – the show delivered exactly what one would expect from a Libertines concert: a perfect blend of chaos, heart, and boisterous vitality.
The Libertines played at Manchester Academy on 6 April 2024.