Babyshambles @ Brixton Academy

Anniversaries are a time for celebration. A time to reflect and look back with happy memories. To meander down memory lane and hold fond memories of yesteryear. 

Tonight was no different, almost a year to the day, in the very same venue I witness my first Babyshambles gig. That was a night I'll never forget! Walking into a packed academy proudly wearing my QPR shirt, I was greeted by a chorus of " You R's " A fitting entrance for a king you might say! That night Sir Pete and the band played to their strengths and it was an amazing gig. Tonight's performance was a totally different kettle of fish altogether! 

This was due to a number of reasons - with the impending arrival of Babyshambles second album (which I have it on very good authority is to be released early next year) I was awaiting with much relish the airing of new material. And I and the rest of Brixton Academy were not to be disappointed. Much, if not all, of the new tracks sounded extremely promising. Couldn't quite grasp the track titles (as per) but they sounded pretty good. I wait patiently for the second coming! 

The gig opened with a stomper of a tune - Pipedown. This was blasted out from every conceivable angle. Every word sung by the fans (the old throat was a tad sore when I got home later that evening - strepsils at the ready!) And if that wasn't good enough it was immediately followed by Killamangiro! All through out the proceedings Pete tried to interact with the fans - but again I couldn't quite grasp what was being said. He slinked around the stage, bending down occasionally to touch a hand (the hand of the messiah will give you immortality!) Other than that it was businesses as usual. On a number of occasions Pete was having persistent problems with his guitar strap. Technicians were flying all over the joint trying to sort out the problem. This didn't seem to bother Pete in the slightest and he just carried on as normal! Then the band played a song which I never thought I would every hear live. Time For Heroes was fired out from the stage and lit up every inch of the Carling Academy Brixton! It was magic! Like seeing the sun rise in the early morning! Pure genius! During the evening another Libertines favorite was aired - What Katie Did - altogether now /shoop shoop shoop der lang der lang/ What you gonna do Katie/ your a sweet, sweet girl/ but it's a cruel, cruel world! Bloody marvelous that one! 

One of the best moments of the gig was on La Belle et La Bete. The opening track from Down In Albion. The small, blonde, petite figure of Kate Moss appeared on stage to join Pete for the chorus. This one moment brought an already unstable venue, to it's knees! That was a surprise I don't think anyone expect, least of all me. She has a pretty good voice does our Kate! Nice! As Pete often did throughout the night, he walk up to the crowd, at the front of the venue, which must have resembled squashed rabbits underneath a juggernault - on the safety barrier, someone threw onstage a QPR scarf! Pete was chuffed with this. Hold it up above his head, the crowd cheered! He wrapped it around his neck and started chanting " WE ARE QPR, SAY WE ARE" This was my calling card! And off I went, joining in with gusto!

As the gig wound down - if that was every possible with a Babyshambles gig - the band finished with Fuck Forever - the now anthemic signature tune! This was a fitting end to a brilliant performance. Though the band were quite ready to hand in the towel just yet. After a short break, they came back on for an encore. One of the songs that they finally finished with was a reggae version of I Get Along. How mad was a that - a reggae version of a Libertines tub-thumper! The crowd fell about with that one! A few more numbers were played but (as per) I didn't really know them - probably more new stuff off the next album! And then that was that! The band acknowledged the crowd and disappeared amid a sea of cheers!

Babyshambles are with out a shadow of a doubt, showing the world and his dog that they are one hell of a class act. Live and on the record! With the second album on the cards things look pretty damn exciting. For Pete, his solo album is almost finished and his impending marriage to Kate Moss - which I'm lead to believe will (possibly) be held at Loftus Road! Thing look very rosy indeed.