VM UNITY ARENA - THE LIBERTINES // Gosforth Park, Newcastle Upon Tyne
VM UNITY ARNEA - THE LIBERTINES
// GOSFORTH PARK, NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE
DESPITE IT BEING FREEZING BALTIC DAY, ROCK LEGENDS ‘ THE LIBERTINES ‘ STILL MANAGE TO GIVE TWO BELTER PERFORMANCES TO TWO DIFFERENCE CROWDS AT VIRGIN MONEY UNITY ARENA, NEWCASTLE
★★★★★ (5/5)
THE LIBERTINES // VIRGIN MONEY UNITY ARENA AT GOSFORTH PARK, NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE - SATURDAY 29TH AUGUST 2020
PICTURE BY: | CALUM BUCHAN
Saturday felt like a typical North Eastern Autumn day and evening yet it was still last weekend of Summer. Despite the freezing Baltic temperatures and gusty winds, Newcastle crowd were in for a treat from British rock legends ‘ The Libertines ‘ for two belter performances in Afternoon and Evening.
Opening the proceedings for both shows were Scottish upcoming indie rockers ‘ The Snuts ‘ who’s early career has already started to break through over the past year. Frontman ‘ Jack Cochrane’ couldn’t look more comfortable and delight for kicking off both shows for ‘ The Libertines ‘. The set was full of funky and groove-led bangers which are very popular up in homeland Scotland. Set felt like for The Snuts and mainly Cochrane in particular that whole world had came to watch them especially in times like today. Highlights from both sets included singles ‘ Glasgow ‘, ‘ All Your Friends ‘ and ‘ Don’t Forget It Punk ‘ which sounded fantastic with amazing baselines and not so subtle references to heavy living.
Then moment arrives why everyone is here … we jump from the upcoming to rock legends from one of the greatest writing duo’s of the 00’s era. Appearing on stage dressed up like it’s winter outside (Pete Doherty appears wearing a trench coat and sporting a Robert Smith haircut), the Albion searchers hit the stage bang on 3pm and 9pm start time. Today shown it wasn’t just Carl Barat or Pete Doherty who defined ‘rock’ or the even prodigious drumming from talent legend ‘ Gary Powell ’. Today shown the ultimate rock star of the band falls to ‘ John Hassall ’ whose supporting vocals and bass playing were on point and showing the overall sense of enjoyment in the band which clearly steals the show showing his positively glowing star quality as bassist and singer.
Although for ‘ The Libertines ’ and their live show, for performing over twenty years together their sets showed two halves point in their career which showed a looking healthy and content approach and clearly at home headlining a large outdoor event approach. Their shows are clearly a better experience for them nowadays without the pains of their past. They played well, gave the fans all the belter hits and they didn’t even fall over on stage. They also gave fans several times throughout their set their iconic shot of Barrat and Doherty coming together at one mic to sing despite what’s going on in the world today.
