Pete Doherty @ Academy 1, Manchester

at Review

0/5
Venue:
Gig: Pete Doherty @ Academy 1, Manchester
Gig date: 17th May 2008
Posted on 22nd May 2008 by bigcheese

WHILE tonight isn’t exactly the welcome-at-the-prison-gates, freedom gig it’s being billed as (having been a free man again for over a week now), this rare solo excursion this far up north for the redtop-mainstay and sometime Babyshambles man Pete Doherty still holds the promise of being something special and intoxicating. The lank figure of Doherty- fully suited up with trademark trilby-it would seem still has a cult-like command over his followers, apparent from the volume swell that greets the haphazard striking of the first few chords of opener ‘East Of Eden’, which despite only appearing as a B-side begins the evenings many communal sing-alongs. Followed with a stumbling run of early Libertines glories ‘Up The Bracket’, ‘Last Post On The Bugle’, and ‘What a Waster’- each is a shining example as to why most here first fell for the notorious frontman's poetic charms. Though Doherty’s habit of indiscriminately slowing and changing passages rarely for the better (his inner meter has never been one to set your watch to anyway!), whilst stumbling and mumbling away his more heartfelt sentiments, soon begins to irritate. Even for someone famous and celebrated for such sloppy vocal and six-string deliveries - much to the annoyance of the few producers whose job it’s been to rein in such quirks- tonight it feels far too contrived, with much loved numbers ‘What Katie Did’, ‘La Belle Et Al Bête’, and an abandoned run-through of ‘Albion’ suffering most. Soaring versions of ‘Time For Heroes’- still heralded by many as his greatest moment- and ‘Can’t Stand Me Now’ have the room in full voice, but even for the most die-hard there are plenty of moments of frustration felt tonight. If it’s true that Doherty has turned a corner in his personal life maybe it’s about time his performances caught up too. Mike Caulfield

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