Let me set the scene…a quiet and cold Monday night in Southampton, the calm before the storm. Suddenly, the surrounding pubs begin to fill up with a scattering of purposefully dressed punters, itching to enter the lion’s den of chaotic poetry and chantable riffs. Waves of noise begin lapping back when approaching the venue, mostly resembling the unforgettable opening ‘oohhhhs’ of ‘Killamangiro’ a sign of the almost tribal sense of togetherness that only a band of this calibre can attain.
The Peter Doherty-fronted Babyshambles brought their distinctive sound to converted church venue Papillon in central Southampton this week, the first time in the city since 2009 when they headlined the O2 Guildhall.
In accordance with the mental health charity ‘Tonic Music’ and ‘So Young Live’, the affectionately named ‘Shambles’ entered the unusual early week slot as part of their upcoming reunion tour warmup; and what a warmup it was!
The packed-in, sold-out crowd rumbled as they waited for the band’s set. Most of the room were in unexplainable unity, excitement and positivity for the upcoming gig; however, a young man dressed as Paul Weller was kicked out mid-scrap before a single note had been played…this was going to be special.
Doherty twirled and arrived at the mic, with the unusual grace he possesses, giving a brief but sincere tribute to the late Patrick Walden, former lead guitarist.
Mick Whitnall began plucking away at the unforgettable intro to Pipedown, sending everyone into a frenzy. This was followed immediately by the thumping opening bassline from McConell on The Man Who Came to Stay. Almost everyone was singing word for word, especially during the next song, Delivery, which brought as much heterosexual male intimacy as a Champions League final win for the Saints would. Killamangiro followed up efficiently, prompting a man beside me to exclaim that the opening four tracks had tired him out too much to carry on, while his partner decided she needed to be even closer to the action as she moved to the passionate fray by the stage.
Doherty was on fine form, much like he has been the entire Libertines reunion. His signature pork pie hat and braces matched his whimsical and energetic performance that was technically proficient but full of the raw chaotic energy we’ve come to expect. It was a joy to watch him effortlessly slip between poised performance and deep, guttural shrieks, like a mad poetic British cowboy cruising through the townships of Albion.
The setlist continued to march on with a blistering confidence; each opening riff was met with a roar from the audience. It was at this point I truly began to admire the job of drummer Adam Ficek, for the set left little room for rest around the fast-paced songs. After a perfect run of Down in Albion bangers, the show reached new heights with
Sedative, from the 2006 EP The Blinding, is a song with a chorus as infectious as the bands’ onstage swagger.
The new single, Dandy Hooligan, was met with a mixed response of people who already loved the track and those who were about to! Sometimes new material is met with crickets when the early work is so beloved; however, the ska-pop rhythm is hard not to immediately appreciate.
A knockout encore set sent the crowd off happy, ending with the undeniable biggest hit, F**k Forever. I found myself jumping and singing along to the chorus with a group of sweaty but well-intentioned strangers, as we proceeded to flip our fingers off to the sky and proudly proclaim that ‘clever ain’t wise’.
The Shambles were preceded by three choice support acts. Liam C, Charles Bueller and Laurie Wright. All of which provided a suitable cocktail of energy, poetry and style. Each seemed to represent a different shade of Shambles, and they were very well chosen. Although all great, I was particularly impressed with the sound of Wright alongside his talented band, and not just because he told me my Burberry polo shirt was ‘very smart’.
We saw and admired the Babyshambles during their flash of popularity in the mid-00s, and although their ‘dirty road to fame’ may have been mired with controversy and tragedy, Monday night’s show in Southampton had a completely positive feeling. There has been far too much focus on the hedonistic lifestyle when it comes to press around the band if this warmup is anything to go by, their music will do all the talking on the upcoming tour…it’s as good as ever!
By Fergus Mclean
The Noise Exchange 
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