Thursday, 3 March 2016

On Stage: The Libertines



So is The Libertines reunion a money grabbing event or are they all in it for the love for the music and this band? Judging from the concerts they played and the more than decent new album I guess it's the latter. And when many British fans are most certainly heading to Paradiso for their show in Amsterdam I sure want to be there.

The Libertines at Paradiso Amsterdam, March 1 2016



When we arrive at the venue we bump into a huge line and it takes a while before we can get in. By the time we do, unfortunately support band Reverend and the Makers have already left the stage. About half an hour later The Libertines are greeted with loud cheers who take off with 'Barbarians' off their last album. You know things will get messy when they are playing and that's not just from the beer showers. They aren't always a very tight band, with out of tune guitars and off key vocals. Carl Barât and Pete Doherty sometimes take long breaks discussing about the next song or fooling around playing short pieces of whatever comes to mind.



But then all of a sudden they start playing one of those amazing tunes that all are engraved into the minds of the British fans who sing along to all of them. Even though Doherty and Barât's eyes reveal their heads are slowly getting intoxicated those moments show the class of this band. Songs like 'Can't Stand Me Now' and 'The Man Who Would Be King' are like anthems of a generation and still sound good despite all the monkeying around.



When they leave the stage Doherty is pointing out they will of course come back in a short moment. For the grand finale we get great versions of some of their best songs like 'Music When The Lights Go Out'. Both band and crowd give it all one more time and the whole place has turned into a drunken dancing party during last song 'Don't Look Back Into The Sun' where Doherty tosses his microphone stand into the crowd. It's a fitting end to a great show with a band that is both dirty and wonderful but never boring, and with a crowd that is simply brilliant.



All Pictures

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Setlist:
01. Barbarians
02. The Delaney
03. Heart of the Matter
04. Horrorshow
05. Fame and Fortune
06. Boys in the Band
07. The Milkman's Horse
08. What Katie Did
09. Anthem for Doomed Youth
10. The Man Who Would Be King
11. You're My Waterloo
12. Gunga Din
13. Can't Stand Me Now
14. Vertigo
15. Death on the Stairs
16. Time for Heroes
17. The Good Old Days
Encore:
18. Music When the Lights Go Out
19. Up the Bracket
20. What a Waster
21. Don't Look Back Into The Sun


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