By Jack Walsh
The train for Halifax had never looked so busy; every pub was packed to the rafters. Buskers were on street corners playing the tune of Don’t Look Back Into The Sun with fellow locals and travellers singing along. What magic spell had gripped this town on this warm, sunny evening?
My guess? Indie giants The Libertines were in town and ready to turn The Piece Hall into an evening of indie-filled carnage. With the sun shining in the sky and beers flowing from every corner, I made my way into the venue.
After a last-minute adjustment to the line-up, Liverpool-based Zuzu took to the stage and opened the night with an acoustic set that felt very personal and unique.
A self-professed fan of many hometown musical heroes, not the least of which being The Beatles, Zuzu wrote her first song at the age of seven. By 18, she had signed a publishing deal. And now, she’s supporting The Libertines.
Her vocals projected through the crowd, every eye locked in, hanging on her every word, and as Zuzu left the stage, she received thunderous applause from the crowd. What a great start to the evening!
Before GANS joined the party, the crowd was welcomed with a surprise guest. None other than Pete Doherty of The Libertines himself, selling the second edition of his On Strap poetry and creative writing magazine. Originally priced at £20, with only 75 copies left, he lowered the price to £10 if you either had a Libertines tattoo or were an OAP. The crowd went wild for this. Not every day do you see the lead singer of a band selling his poetry to the crowd.
Then GANS appeared, and what an entrance they made. The pop-punk alternative duo, hailing from Birmingham, had everyone on their feet from start to finish. Their infectious beats and spitting lyrics sent shockwaves through the crowd. This was exactly my kind of music.
Their stage presence and witty charm had turned The Piece Hall into one giant dance pit. They ended their set by telling everyone to form one humongous circle pit as the drummer Euan Woodman joined and sang his heart out in the middle. I can’t wait to see these guys live again down the line.
During the interval, I interviewed a fan who was waiting in line for a beer. I asked when he started listening to The Libertines. He took one look at me and said, ‘Way before you were born, pal.’ We both laughed.
The time then hit 9pm, and The Piece Hall had never been so busy. All eyes were on the stage, waiting for the grand moment to arrive. Then the moment happened.
One by one, The Libertines walked on the stage with cheers from the crowd.
As the first couple of tracks played out, the crowd showed no signs of holding back on just how happy they were to see them. When What Katie Did made its appearance, the whole hall united in one voice. The band loved every second of it. Things quietened down when Shiver began, everyone soaking up the spectacle that was happening in front of their eyes. However, a huge roar from the crowd arrived when they began performing Music When the Lights Go Out.
A brief intermission occurred after the song had finished when the band were told to leave the stage. I used the time to interview more fans from the crowd, where I ran into Paul and Jackie from Huddersfield. I asked them how long they had been fans, and they said, ‘Well, our son was 14 when we started, and now he’s 40, so about that long.’ Pete used the break to return to the stage and remind everyone about his poetry magazine. ‘Cash only,’ he shouted. Everyone laughed.
When the band returned to the stage, a masterclass of drums echoed through, and the rest of the band watched on in awe as Gary Powell kicked off The Good Old Days.
Pete then lifted the crowd during Mustangs by getting the crowd to chant ‘Yorkshire’ repeatedly, something everyone welcomed with open arms. I could tell there were going to be a lot of strained voices on Saturday morning, especially when Run Run Run and Can’t Stand Me Now made their rounds. I must admit my voice was one of those… I love Can’t Stand Me Now.
For the encore, Pete spent time reminiscing about the last 28 years with fellow band members. The crowd stood and watched as stories unfolded, and laughs were had. One phrase I heard a lot from Friday night was ‘You’ll never find a band like The Libertines again.’ They are seriously a one-of-a-kind band, and every fan old and new appreciated this. As Time for Heroes and everyone’s favourite, Don’t Look Back Into the Sun, came and went, this phrase just rang truer.
This was the second time seeing The Libertines live, and I definitely hope it won’t be the last.
Unless otherwise stated, Photography & Text Copyright 2025 © Jack Walsh/ADRENALINE Magazine.
Kyle Horne 
Madi Briggs 
Alisha Lawton