By Desh Kapur, Rock At Night Manchester

Venue: The Plaza, Northwich- February 16, 2019–Peter Doherty And The Puta Madres – Who’s Been Having You Over Tour? W/ Rubber Jaw

The Plaza, Northwich is a great venue, or will become a great venue in time. It’s a heritage-listed old Bingo Hall and I loved it. I personally think its just starting it’s journey to becoming a venue regularly used on the touring circuit in the UK. It lacked a little in the stage lighting department, but that will come with time and money.

Tonight it was sold out for iconic British rock and roller Peter Doherty (Libertines, Babyshambles) with his third and newest band The Puta Madres (I’ll let you look up the translation of that lol)

Opening the night was a young local band, and much to my embarrassment, I can’t remember their name, so very sorry about that. However, the band was very tight and played some catchy songs, but it was very much like Oasis, Beady Eye, Liam Gallagher–and to be honest I was looking for a bit more. I have seen so many of these types of bands over the last few years, and although this band were very good, it was oh, so generic, right down to the uniform.

But the next band was Rubber Jaw and they brought it all. A tight, original, three-piece band from Elmstead Market, with great vocals and a stage presence to match. Having just signed to Alan McGee’s new record label Creation 23, these are certainly a band to watch and in my humble opinion, have a great chance of going on to very big things, reminding me in parts of Radiohead and Foals. They rocked the house; check them out when you can.

Then, quick as a flash and running late, on strolled Peter Doherty with his band of Puta Madres, Miggles (bass), Miki Beavis (violin), Katia DeVidas (Piano/keyboards), Trampolene’s Jack Jones (lead guitar) and Rafa (drums) and it was on.

Clever and intelligent wordsmithery, catchy and infectious songs and the feeling that things could fall apart at any minute are the beauty of any Peter Doherty gig, be it The Libertines, Baby Shambles or The Puta Madres and tonight was no different and that’s why he is so loved by his fans; pure rock and roll, there are no rules!!

The music Peter Doherty is writing right now is an assemblage of his previous bands with the addition of violin and keyboard– and that is by no means a bad thing. Taking the audience from rock and roll to almost an Irish shanty, all were given an airing on the night, playing mostly tracks from their forthcoming album and the odd classic thrown in for good measure. Pete’s natural stage presence gave the whole gig a feeling of excitement and every quiet moment was filled with adulation from the on looking fans. And a rendition of Babyshambles classic,’ Fuck Forever’ to finish off the night brought the house down. Although he left the hard-core fans of The Libertines wanting more, anyone looking for a night with Peter Doherty left smiling and happy.