BABYSHAMBLES @ BRIXTON CARLING ACADEMY

What's the connection between Babyshambles and Queens Park Rangers FC? (other than Pete Doherty) The answer is ME!!!!!!!! I love QPR and I love Babyshambles. Tonight was the night I had been waiting for, the last night of Babyshambles current Pipe Down tour. In honor of this momentous occasional I wore to the gig my QPR shirt which has, printed on the back, BABYSHAMBLES! And boy was I popular! At least a dozen people walked up to me and saying hello mate, or You R's or good to see the hoops mate! It was ace! One bloke said that even though he was a season ticket holder at Loftus Road, he would not have worn his Rangers top to the gig "You're a braver man then me" were his exact words. Dude if your reading this, I understand what you saying, but know this! I'm not brave at all, I'm just f*cking mad!!!!!! (evil laughter in the background ah ha ha ha ha!!! I'll wear my QPR shirt anyway!!!)

To the gig itself! Babyshambles were professional, clinical, decisive, dynamic and wholly awesome! The band put the finishing touches to eventful and creative tour. All through the gigs and venues that they played in 'Shambles gathered all their energy and placed it into delivery a high octane vehicle which merciful charged its way through everything in it's path, leaving everyone in it's wakes in a complete frenzy shouting for more! This can only be describe as a resounding success for the band and Pete Doherty in particular. The new album is out on November 14th, so make a note in your diaries!! The whole gig was extremely quick and full of power and aggression. Doherty moved across the stage with a sense of purpose and direction. The songs list was rattled through at an alarming rate. Each song was just as raucous as the last. Most song from the highly anticipated debut album Down In Albion were performed. Add to the mix an ace showing of b-side favorite The Man Who Came To Stay and I was in totally awe. (the throat starting to feel a little worse for wear!) Tracks such as A Rebours, Sticks and Stones were raucous and direct. Before the set I spoke to a number of 'Shambles fans who held the same views about Pete Doherty that I have. "We need someone like Pete Doherty, a rock star who behaves badly, takes drugs, get wasted on beer, who breaks all the rules! Who the f*ck wants a artist to have that Mr Nice Guy attitude, never-hurt-a-fly personality". Amem to that!

The track set was fast and furious. Songs were fired at you like a machine-gun malfunctioning. Doherty never interacted with the crowd, which I suppose is what he wanted, just to perform and allow the crowd to see the band as a solid unit. Though the crowd surfers were in force at the front of the venue, scores of bodies were being passed to the front security guys who lead them to safety. Towards the end of the gig one guy somehow, and don't asked me how 'cause I don't know, managed to bypass Security and get on to the stage. He immediately went straight to Pete Doherty and then seemed, to everyone around, to have a small play-fight on stage. Doherty was all the while trying to fend off this guy, many people (myself included) seem concerned that Doherty may turn on this idiot and thump him one, but give credit where credit is due, Doherty refrained and this guy was eventually escorted off stage by security.

The best track of the night, for me anyway, was F*ck Forever during the encore. The whole venue just shook like a leave blowing in the wind. Every word was sung. The venue lighting frequently turn on and lit up the entire academy, at which point the crowd went loopy! Doherty himself indulged in a bit of crowd diving, jumping into the heart of the crowd at the front of the stage, temporarily disappearing from site, then suddenly reappearing, albeit with the help of two or three security guys. The Wolf Man then made an appearance towards the finale, howling away in front of the microphone stand. Doherty accompanied the track on guitar much to the delight of the crowd! (we had to wait some time for the encore as the band took an eternity to re-emerge from back stage, rumors started to spread that the band had left!)

What a night, what a gig, Babyshambles are by far my favorite band and I can't wait for the debut album to be released. Nov 14th is well and truly noted in my diary so that I can get myself a copy and listen to it for ever more. Pete Doherty is the one person in music today who truly lives like a rock star and has the personality, the edge and the attitude to maintain his level of consistency from which each and every 'Shambles fan can take heed from. Only wish that one day I could spot him down Loftus Road. It's possible, so you never know!

(the best rumor of the night was that some guy told me that Babyshambles are due to play a gig at Loftus Road sometime in the next fortnight!!! If this turns out to be true - Holy F*ck!!!!!!!!) (For those that don't know, Loftas Road is QPR's home/Holy ground - Ed)