Pete Doherty’s solo show in Watford last Friday ended with a twist no one saw coming: a full Babyshambles reunion on stage.
During the encore at the Palace Theatre, Doherty was joined by bassist Drew McConnell and drummer Adam Ficek. It marked the first time the three have played together live since last August. It was also the second time in over a decade.
The surprise set included ‘Albion’ and ‘Fuck Forever’, pulled straight from Babyshambles’ messy, iconic 2005 debut Down in Albion. They also ran through a handful of Libertines tracks and closed with a cover of The Stone Roses’ ‘I Wanna Be Adored’.
It wasn’t officially billed as a Babyshambles show, but it might as well have been. The chemistry was still there: loose, chaotic, a bit sentimental. It felt like a reminder that while The Libertines have been Doherty’s focus since reforming in 2014, there’s unfinished business with his other band.
Ficek posted after the show: “4 out of 5 ain’t bad….wait for it….” Doherty himself previously told British magazine NME the reunion’s “on the cards.” He even furthered that there might be plans to get back in a room, revisit old material, and maybe even hit the stage again next year.
A new Babyshambles album? He’s not ruling it out. “I wrote a new song the other day that I think would really work as a ‘Shambles song,” he said. “Who knows? It’s a long way off yet.”
McConnell, who’s been playing with Liam Gallagher’s live band for the past decade, slipped comfortably back into the fold. Ficek, who drummed on the band’s first two records, kept things tight while still letting the chaos breathe.
No word yet on whether guitarist Mick Whitnall will rejoin, but he was spotted at a show last year—just not on stage.
Whether it leads to more or fizzles like so many Doherty projects before it, for now, Babyshambles is alive again. And at least for one night in Watford, that meant everything to a lot of people.
With the Libertines soon set to tour Australia in April, the performance leaves open the possibility of another reunion down under.
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