August 20, 2007 13:00

Dirty Pretty Things and The Enemy to play prison gig

The two bands will perform in Pentonville Prison

Dirty Pretty Things and The Enemy will play a gig at London's Pentonville Prison next week (August 27).

Dirty Pretty Things frontman Carl Barat will perform an acoustic set in the Pentonvile atrium, next to prisoners’ cells, before both his band and The Enemy perform a full electric set each in the prison’s 180-capacity chapel.

The show is an awareness-raiser for Wasted Youth, a campaign to reduce suicide among young men. The campaign focuses on suicide among prison inmates in the UK.

Wasted Youth had originally wanted Babyshambles frontman Pete Doherty to appear on the bill, but the Prison Service vetoed the booking after fears that his destructive lifestyle might undermine the message of the gig.

Ironically, Doherty was arrested in the early hours of this morning (August 20) for alleged drug possession.

Wasted Youth are also organising a further gig, scheduled for September 8 at London’s KOKO venue. Boy Kill Boy and The Rakes are the confirmed acts so far.