August 17, 2012 11:47

Pete Doherty plays first show since being thrown out of Thai rehab Pete Doherty Tickets

The Libertines man actually turns up onstage five minutes early

Photo Gallery: Pete Doherty
Photo: PA

Pete Doherty made his live comeback last night (August 16), his first UK show since being thrown out of rehab in Thailand.

The Libertines and Babyshambles man played Kingston Hippodrome, and surprised fans by taking to the stage five minutes earlier than his scheduled 10.45pm time slot.

Despite being renowned for both his poor time-keeping and often shambolic live shows, Doherty powered through a 60-minute, hit-heavy set. The show came on the same night as sometime bandmate Carl Barat made a live return of his own, making his debut with new band Eyes On Film.

Arriving to a packed-out venue that saw queues snaking around the corner, Doherty – dressed in a suit and white shirt – briefly strummed a few bars before breaking into Libertines classic 'Time For Heroes' to huge cheers. He then wandered to the side of the stage to be fitted up with a harmonica holder before launching into 'Arcady', taken from 2009 solo record 'Grace/Wastelands'.

Doherty then moved through a succession of hits from his back catalogue including 'Music When The Lights Go Out', 'What A Waster', 'Beg, Steal Or Borrow' and 'Up The Bracket', stopping briefly to thank the crowd for coming and exclaiming that the large venue was "like the Crystal Maze in here". Midway through the slot, the singer led the crowd in a full, singalong cover of The Beatles' 'She Loves You', and Babyshambles hit 'Fuck Forever' incited a small mosh pit.

Following a softly-sung rendition of solo track 'Sheepskin Tearaway' a member of the audience managed to break onto the stage, but was quickly escorted off by security, while the rest of the evening carried on smoothly without any problems from either the singer or the crowd. Doherty then closed with old ballad 'Merry Go Round' before donning a trilby and exiting to huge cheers.

Doherty was kicked out of rehab in Thailand for being a “disruptive influence” on other patients. Doherty had initially checked into the £7,200 a month facility for treatment for his ongoing heroin and crack cocaine addiction.

Since returning to the UK, he has announced that he and Carl Barat were to start work on new Libertines material. Speaking to online TV show Hernu & Harris Unhinged, he stated that “I spoke to Carl yesterday and he’s going to come out to Paris. Then maybe we'll go back out to Thailand together and do some writing.”

Pete Doherty played:

'Time For Heroes'
'Arcady'
'Music When The Lights Go Out'
'What A Waster'
'Lady Don't Fall Backwards'
'Last Of The English Roses'
'Untitled New Song'
'She Loves You'
'Beg, Steal Or Borrow'
'The Good Old Days'
'Down For The Outing'
'Up The Bracket'
'Sheepskin Tearaway'
'Can't Stand Me Now'
'The Boy Looked At Johnny'
'Fuck Forever'
'Merry Go Round'

Video: Backstage with Peter Doherty

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