On the 21st October, the O2 Academy in Bournemouth is set to host the conclusion of a tour that almost never started. Babyshambles’ current tour of the UK (or Albion, as lead singer Pete Doherty retro-romantically terms it) was almost pulled by their troubled front man hours before it was due to start on September 3rd. The NME quoted Doherty as declaring, minutes before the tour’s first outing at Brixton Jamm, that “up until about three hours ago I was gonna pull the whole [tour]to be honest.”
Having supposedly cleaned up his act after a casual staycation with Home Alone actor Macaulay Culkin in Paris (oh come on, we’ve all been there), Doherty’s current tour comes in support of Sequel to the Prequel, Babyshambles’ first album since 2007’s Shotter’s Nation.
Whilst it is difficult to write about Doherty without recalling stories of Camdenite excess or pictures of him supposedly encouraging a cat to smoke crack, on first listen the album was actually quite good. I for one am, perhaps with misplaced optimism, looking forward to seeing a proper rock n’ roll star turn up to the O2 in Bournemouth at the allotted time and coherently rattle through a nicely put together set-list of tunes from the new record and some of my favourites from Shotter’s and Albion.
Here’s hoping. Tickets are available here
