November 29, 2004 15:17

BABYSHAMBLES SHOW INTERRUPTED

But Pete entertained audience with footie terrace anthems…

Photo Gallery: Babyshambles
Photo: Emilie Bailey

BABYSHAMBLES were forced to stop a show last night in the West Midlands after problems with the front barrier.

The gig at Coventry Colosseum had to be stopped halfway through the first song after the barrier gave way during a surge. A small number of the 600 strong audience sustained minor injuries.

The re-start was delayed for 20-minutes as venue staff restored order. During the intermission, Doherty, who briefly attended the Nicholas Chamberlaine Secondary School in nearby Bedworth as a teenager, demonstrated his local knowledge by treating the crowd to terrace anthems regularly sung at Coventry City FC including the infamous chant of 'Shit On The Villa' - a reference to Coventry’s West Midlands rivalry with Birmingham side Aston Villa.

After order was restored, the band embarked on a deliberately toned down set as a precaution, but further stoppages were still required throughout the show.

Rich Elms, promoter for The Colloseum told NME.COM: "Part of the barrier came loose and we had to stop the show. We had to delay the gig but no-one was hurt and the band came on later. It was touch and go at one point. The audience was a bit wound up because the band was a bit late. So when something happens you wonder how people are going to react to it. The band were really good about and Pete was cool. Everything went back to normal and Babyshambles played a full-set and an encore."

He added: "The barrier came loose again later in the show. But we just had to click it back into place. Pete spoke to the crowd to get them to move back. People did what he told them. Once everyone realised what was going on everyone was really good about it. We’re really proud of the crowd."

Doherty made more references to his attendant childhood school friends by dedicating a song to them before another chaotic surge to front accompanied the set’s finale.

The band embark on a full UK tour next month, starting December 11 at Belfast Limelight.