Review: The Libertines @ O2 Academy
By Aditi Hrisheekesh, Co-Deputy Music Editor
Bringing a lyrical juggernaut of the gritty heart of the 2000s to 2024 Bristol, the Libertines return, armed with a new album, All Quiet On The Eastern Esplanade – a fluorescently stained love letter to what has been and what has yet to come.
The crowd was a gloriously mixed bag – indie heads rocking vintage fashions, Doc Martens, mixed with others harking back to their youth. There was pint-flinging, security scuffles, and a pre-show buzz that was nothing short of electric.
Peter Xan set the tone, tearing into a punchy, punky set – loaded with fervour. Then, Dead Freights took to the stage, launching into heavy-hitting grunge. Self-described as ‘gothic poetry spat over Nirvana,’ they successfully fulfil this bold statement, with frontman Charlie James flinging himself around with reckless abandon – a sort that only new blood could bring.
There was something Franz Ferdinand-esque in their dissonant sound and strangling basslines making me want more – definitely a band to keep tabs on as they rise.
In a fun, slightly bizarre twist, Creed Bratton – yes, that Creed, from The Office (ironically, the American version) – took the mic and introduced our ragtag legends who swaggered on stage.
Pete Doherty and Carl Barat brought their usual well-oiled onstage chemistry – part camaraderie, part rivalry – with the iconic shared mic moments, steeped in the messy romanticism that shaped their image in the first place.
Opening with ‘Delaney,’ the show wasted no time in nodding to a messy past – a favourite from their debut album, Up The Bracket – yet their kinetic hit ‘Run Run Run’ from their newest album proves they’re still bringing the fire, conjuring the intoxication of youth.
The boys in the band did not disappoint, with a setlist ranging from upbeat to mellow, newer tracks from their latest album slotted in with nostalgia-stained classics. Doherty flings himself around the stage, shirtless, as the crowd unites in the classic ‘Don’t Look Back Into the Sun.’ Like chaos served on a deliciously nostalgic platter – indie rock is, without a doubt, alive in the flesh.
For me, this was round two with the Libertines – I’d caught them over the summer on Brighton Beach, where the sun and shoe-filling pebbles made for a different kind of scene. The prickly heat, suncream, and bucket hats are long gone and the weather is getting colder, the nights are getting longer. In the spirit of the final song, it is best not to look back into the sun – just keep chasing the next wild night.
Featured Image: Aditi HrisheekeshWhat is your favourite song by The Libertines?