As co-frontman, Carl Barât, once said to Libertines legend, Pete Doherty, in the early days of their friendship, 'it's either to the top of the world, or the bottom of a canal,' and, if last night was anything to go by, after two decades of creating sensational music, the band needn't worry about the latter. 2002 didn't feel so far away yesterday, as fans were welcomed aboard the good ship Albion to set sail to the mythical paradise of Arcadia at the band's 20th Anniversary: Up the Bracket gig at Manchester’s outdoor pavilion, Castlefield Bowl.
In typical Manchester fashion, the heavens opened as the support act, Sports Team, took to the stage. The alternative rock band from London geared up the crowd with their wildly pretentious lyrics, which the six-piece band of Cambridge graduates eloquently pull off, masking the terms between obscenely uplifting instrumentals and lively tempos. On a floor full of two-pinter plastic cups, a sea of ponchos and raincoats embraced the British weather and the poetically flamboyant band, before fleeing to the bar to prepare for an evening of timeless post-punk revival.
With influence from worshipped 19th-century writers and distinguished 80s rock bands, the quartet coolly sauntered onto the stage and got stuck in with their choppy tune, Vertigo, the first track off their debut album. The common theme of flying pints proceeded, as fans struggled to control their enthusiasm (and hand movements) after seeing the Boys in the Band in the flesh. As anticipated, the appearance of iconic frontman, Pete Doherty, hit the headlines, but seemingly, for all the right reasons; the rockstar, once known for his audacious antics, is visibly embracing his purified lifestyle, whilst, nonetheless, continuing to live up to his name as a prodigy in the world of reckless rock.
Whilst making their way through their beloved Up the Bracket album, the once regular feuds between Barât and Doherty seemed to be dead and buried, as the band brothers shared a mic and revelled in tearing up the stage alongside bassist John Hassall, and drummer, Gary Powell. After an hour of dynamic rock and roll and punchy wordplay, as the night seemed to be coming to a premature end, the band slammed into a string of timeless bangers; Doherty teased the lyrics to Babyshambles tune, Albion, before ending the evening with well-known classics, What Became of the Likely Lads, Can't Stand Me Now, and Don't Look Back Into the Sun. These meteoric tracks caused a commotion amongst fans, with overzealous crowd surfers being escorted away from the chaos.
Doherty has revealed that their fourth studio album should be finished by the end of the year, which suggests there are plenty more tours on the horizon. The welcomed news concretes that The Libertines are an ageless band, with a flock of loyal followers, who, after two decades, are just as eager to hear their fourth album as they were their first. The Good Old Days were relived and recreated last night, and although the people of Manchester may have left in plastic ponchos dripping with beer and bad weather, we left on a high, all aboard the good ship Albion.
