THE LIBERTINES // ROCHESTER CASTLE, KENT
Late summer sun and a host of bands, The Libertines deliver a blistering set at Rochester Castle!
★★★★★ (5/5)
THE LIBERTINES PERFORMING AT ROCHESTER CASTLE, KENT - 16.09.2021
PICTURE BY: | MICHAEL HUNDERTMARK
Set in the beautiful, idyllic grounds of Rochester Castle, originally built in 1127 AD by William of Corbeil, Archbishop of Canterbury with the encouragement by Henry 1, standing tall, placed on a strategic position on the River Medway. Today it’s a nice get away for some sun and musical fanfare for fans to arrive with easy access by train from London and other Medway towns, Rochester Castle concerts has been taken over from Medway council by promoters AGMP and was originally penned in the three day extravaganza to take place during the summer of 2020. Unfortunately the pandemic put a stop to all musical proceedings. The libertines mentioned in one of their earlier during the week online posts “how they were really looking forward to kick off the comeback*, on the Thursday night!
Today’s stellar line up also includes the local band ‘The Ovines’, ‘Chappaqua Wrestling’, Brighton based ‘Black Honey’ as well as the raucous ‘Sports Team’ and headliner ‘The Libertines’ with a vast array back catalogue of songs. The security is tight and the origination of the event is excellent right from the go!
The fans were greeted at the early start of the perfect late summers day with a build up with the Kent trio ‘The Ovines’’ performing, who released a self-titled EP in November 2019. They certainly got the earlier arrivals going with the stomping song, ‘Mind of Mine’! A reminiscent sound to SKA and Rock as well with punk influenced tunes with guitar riffs to a Miles Kane standard, lead singer announces “you can buy T-shirts for ten quid”!
‘Chappaqua Wrestling’ are a very much fun grungy sounding band to get the party started at Rochester Castle, felling much more at home on the big stage with their irresistible riffs, having released the single ‘The Rift’ and earlier and the tune, ‘Football’, back in 2019 look set to go on to bigger things in the future and are a band to look out for!
The more established Brighton based Black Honey, setting the scene to a fuller crowd, to what was yet to come when Sports Team hit the stage, The band have notably before toured with ‘Catfish and the Bottlemen’ and ‘Royal Blood Red Shoes’. Izzy B. Phillips greets everyone with some delicious riffs and rocky sounds, playing fan base favourite ‘Corrine’. Black Honey is going from strength to strength in recent times with the release of their second album and extensive tours up and down the country!
Sports team do certainly live up to their hype with their stage antics and big grunge sounds. The band set the bar for the Libertines with crowds already intoxicated with the close Proximity of pubs in Rochester close to the castle. The band have played months in basement bars and even on the roof top of Del a War Pavilion in Bexhill and reconnected with their fans at Reading Festival during the summer after the lockdown came to an end.
The diehard fan base is apparent with the excitement and moshing that was happening in the crowd with Sports Team being the most promising Indie band around at present. Lead singer Alex Rice even climbs upon the monitors for the alt Rock song’ Kutcher ‘whilst the entire front row becomes a swirling mosh pit. Taking a step further also calipering upon the metal stage structure as fans scream in joy!
With a vast catalogue of Songs spanning twenty years the evening comes to a close with ‘The Libertine’s playing with distinctly less unnecessary chatter from Pete Doherty on pronouncing “how is Kent? “, but the set is effortlessly played out with a roaring crowd starting with the song, “What a waster “! As an added nice touch The Libertines perform they furious guitar duos and trait, with both Doherty and Carl Barat both singing from one mic!
In spite of The Libertines Commercial success, the band’s music was often eclipsed by internal conflict and addiction, but tonight the happiness stems from being able to play again in front of a live audience after all these months. The band initially reformed again in 2014 to play in London’s Hyde Park and tonight there is no pause between songs and the entirety of the day did hit the spot for the crowds as the warms sun sets over Rochester Castle!
