The Libertines at Manchester Arena review

Image: The Libertines 

Last year, Amy, the heart-breaking story of a talent tragically wasted, broke the UK box office record for the highest opening weekend of a British documentary film. Before her death in 2011, Amy Winehouse was one of the most revered heroines of British music.

Her second album Back To Black staked its claim as one of the most important albums of the 21st century. It was spawned from battles with addiction and shot her not only into the charts, but also right into the public eye. 

Her relationships with father Mitch and boyfriend Blake were widely scrutinised, as was her friendship with fellow musician Pete Doherty, in many ways her male equivalent.

Remarkably frank in their lyrics and hedonistic in their lifestyles, the pair both looked certain in losing their battles with addiction. While Amy sadly succumbed to alcohol poisoning, Pete checked himself into rehab last year to beat his heroin addiction. 

What followed was quite remarkable. Doherty’s band The Libertines signed a new record deal with Virgin EMI records and began recording Anthems For Doomed Youth at Karma Sound Studios near to where their lead singer completed his rehabilitation. 

The album followed a string of reunions and festival appearances, including a slot on the Pyramid Stage at last year’s Glastonbury. While it seemed the London four piece would take the enormous pay cheque and run, no one could have predicted them to release their first album in eleven years. 

A tour was announced and it felt like time had shifted back to the dawn of the British indie revival. 

Only this time, expectation had been increased as well as the size of the venues.

As they arrived at Manchester Arena, it was a far cry from Doherty and band mate Carl Barat’s old apartment, the Albion rooms, the place where they used to hold impromptu gigs.

With an impressive double billing of Reverend And the Makers and Blossoms as support acts, the Libertines were greeted by a fervent crowd. 

While it’s been some time since the band were in their heyday, support for them has only increased. A whole host of new fans have been won over by a band so starkly perfect for a teenage love affair.

While the gigs of some reformed bands are nothing but a nostalgia trip, here the new fans could enjoy material released at a time it could be most appreciated. 

These new songs worked well amongst their older counterparts and while they aren’t as raw and riotous as what spawned from Up The Bracket years, they are still unmistakably Libertines. 

True to their latest release it was ‘Barbarians’ that began proceedings, all scrappy guitars and rumbling drums that lead to a hollering chorus. 

While ‘Fame and Fortune’ took the sting out of a rip roaring opening encounter, normal service was resumed once Gary Powell took off his shirt and counted in his onlooking band mates before they launched into 'Boys In The Band'.

As with any Libertines gig, fans were treated to the sight of Pete and Carl gazing wildly into each other’s eyes whilst sharing the same microphone. It’s a bond that nobody but themselves will ever understand. 

What was new this time was seeing Carl Barat take his place behind a piano adoring the union jack to tinkle the ivories on Pete’s solo ‘You’re My Waterloo’. A song written in the early days, the band reimagined it for “Anthems…” and it proved to be a poignant halfway marker.

While he still well and truly has a little death around his eyes, it was a relief to know that it was a clean Pete Doherty who had taken to the stage. While there is some way still to go, it seems he is steady on the path to recovery.

Incessant radio play on independent music stations meant that ‘Gunga Din’ was met with full voice from the crowd, even those who were only there to relieve the good old days.

There was plenty of opportunity for that too as songs from both ‘Up The Bracket’ and The Libertines were rattled though in the closing encounters. 

By this point, it was almost like a greatest hits catalogue as the likes of ‘Time For Heroes’ and ‘Death On The Stairs’ caused mass hysteria from a sweat soaked crowd.

The encore began with Doherty returning to the stage with the union jack above his head, before playing the song that once described his existence; ‘What A Waster’.

It was this number that proved how much of a frighteningly exciting live prospect the Libertines remain to be and while they may be jaded from the antics of days gone by, they can still deliver with the same conviction.

As the lights came down on the rip roaring ‘Don’t Look Back Into The Sun’ and the four piece assembled onstage to take their bows, the crowd revelled in a moment that once seemed an impossibility.

Their age, arguments and addictions have not slowed them down one bit and the pale English charm of Doherty and Barat lives on. Their faith in love and music is certainly not lost, and Libertines fans can dare to dream that the end is much longer away than it once seemed.   

Read: The Libertines Anthems For Doomed Youth review