The Libertines w/ Trampolene @ O2 Academy Brixton - December 19, 2019

Couldn't resist this show once I saw a second date was added in London with different openers, which included a fave of mine, Trampolene.

 

This was my second time seeing each band, and as I'm typing this up way after the fact, I'm re-checking out whenyoung (the other opener) and trying to remember if I actually saw much of their set. I have a song of theirs "The Others" in my favourite Spotify songs - a kind of Cranberries meets Glasvegas sound (they're Irish). Relistening, I recognize it well, but was I that interested on the day? Perhaps we chose that moment to get drinks if they were slotted between the other two bands which I wouldn't have wanted to miss any of. Anyways, I listed it on my setlist.fm tally, so must have caught some of it, but obviously not memorable for me. (A shame, because the more I listen to their stuff, the more I like them. Some research shows, the band may be on permanent hiatus as the couple behind the band have moved back to Ireland and opened a restaurant.)

 

The singer of Trampolene, Jack Jones, has performed with The Libertines and particularly Pete Doherty many, many times (he was in the Puta Madres). They seem to have an almost brotherly or mentor/mentee relationship. The adoration is plain. So, I'm pretty sure they would have got onstage together, probably Jack joining The Libertines for one track, maybe during the encore. But I can't find any footage, so perhaps I'm projecting from something else I've watched online.

 

Following a couple of other solo performers (Luke Wright, then Ed Cosens), Welsh band Trampolene are a lot of fun live, and Jack Jones is an endearing and charismatic performer. I was completely won over seeing them at Dingwalls with a crowd of adoring fans about a year before this. It was lovely to see them again, but if you're not familiar with any of their stuff, not sure this performance would have won you over. Funny how sometimes a band can hit so different on different occasions.

 

I saw The Libertines at the 2015 Reading Festival, and while I was happy to have at last seen them, I'm never fully convinced this is the best way to see any band for the first time. So, of course, I was hoping for a much more memorable show at the Brixton Academy. And while it was great to hear some well-loved songs like "What Became of the Likely Lads" which I was shocked to not hear at Reading, it never quite had the vibe I somehow expected from a Libertines show. I wanted to be blown away, but I wasn't.

 

Perhaps, I (fittingly?) drank too much. Or perhaps the band were more subdued than they might have been. I had a look at a review chatting about how poorly the crowd received the spoken word poems of Luke Wright, who also made an appearance right before the Libertines came on. The article speculated that the band limited crowd interaction and chat, perhaps to punish us. Maybe it was end of tour fatigue, or the fact this was night two in the same venue. Maybe the Libertines are just one of those bands who can only create magic sporadically and unreliably. I have no doubt of that magic, and for some they might be a favourite concert memory, but I can't say they're one of mine based solely on the two shows I've seen. Maybe, I'll get another chance down the road.

 

Setlist:

The Delaney
Heart of the Matter
Horrorshow
Barbarians
Fame and Fortune
Boys in the Band
You're My Waterloo
The Saga
Last Post on the Bugle
Can't Stand Me Now
The Ha Ha Wall
Dead for Love
Gunga Din
Up the Bracket
What Became of the Likely Lads
Death on the Stairs
Time for Heroes
Encore:
Music When the Lights Go Out
What Katie Did
The Good Old Days
What a Waster
Don't Look Back Into the Sun

 

Reading Festival - August 30/15

After pouring over the line-up, Janey and I decided to just go to the Reading Fest on Sunday. I live close by which was great for a real bed and shower at the end of a long and tiring day.

We arrived pretty early in the day and managed to just catch the last song by The Skints, enough to peak my interest. We saw all of the Single Mothers set, which was a high point for me. I love discovering a new band. It's what festivals are made for, if you ask me. These guys are from Ontario and the singer is manic. Great performance. We caught bits of Frank Iero, Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes, Jamie T, The Gaslight Anthem, and COASTS all of which failed to interest me much.

On the main stage, I did enjoy seeing The Cribs finally. One show was cancelled and then I bailed on another club gig years ago, and still regret it. I will hopefully remedy that one day. The Maccabees were pretty damn good. I really like some of their stuff, and they managed to sound good in the sonically unforgiving festival environment. Frank Turner gave a good acoustic set in one of the tents, albeit with a crowd I would not expect him to draw. The girls we were squished in next to were busier taking selfies and chatting than appreciating the music. I did not deliver any throat-punches, nor could I enjoy imagining it as both the girls and the fantasy were a distraction from really enjoying Frank's set.

The highlight of the day was Against Me! by far. Not a big surprise. Laura Jane Grace was still rocking her Gender is Over shirt and Inge Johansson was as bouncy as ever. Laura introduced some of the songs with some banter and they did their best to bring a pretty passive audience to life. It's a bit disheartening to see such a great club band have to perform to a mildly responding crowd, but the scope of a huge festival can do that to many but the biggest names in music. I enjoyed myself anyways, but it's the least favourite show I've seen of theirs. They just shine so damn hard in a small venue.

Finally, the closer of the day was The Libertines. They were a little more low key than I expected, but the crowd still loved them. I did see enough to want to see them in a much smaller venue if the opportunity comes up. It was fun hearing some favourites done live, like Can't Stand Me Now, and Boys in the Band. We didn't make the encore as we were just too exhaused by that point and headed out listening to the final songs get fainter and fainter.

Festivals are a mixed bag and not my favourite way to see live music. I've only been to a handful over the years and it takes a lot to get me to one. I'm glad I made the effort to see a Reading date but that might be it for me. We'll see.

Against Me! Setlist:
True Trans Soul Rebel
Pints of Guinness Make You Strong
Unconditional Love
Walking Is Still Honest
Cliche Guevara
White People for Peace
FuckMyLife666
Transgender Dysphoria Blues
Dead Friend
White Crosses
Spanish Moss
Thrash Unreal
Black Me Out
I Was a Teenage Anarchist