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Since the majority of Devon’s dedicated music venues closed in the last 15 years, only the medium-sized Plymouth Arena remains alongside a few independent bars catering to the city’s entire music scene. In February one such venue, electronic and rave music hotspot The Depo, won BBC Radio 1 Dance’s Grassroots Venue of the Year, marking an important stage in the South West’s industry’s recovery.

Plymouth City Council have worked hard with booking agents and promoters to take advantage of the Devon coast’s mild climate and natural beauty to introduce several new entertainment ventures. Football ground Home Park has welcomed shows from the likes of Muse, Kaiser Chiefs and Elton John, while the scenic seaside patch at the Hoe has hosted multiple day-festivals over the years, with its 2025 Summer Sessions headlined by Snow Patrol, The Corrs and Pendulum.

The Summer Sessions have been cancelled for 2026 due to promoters Cuffe and Taylor scaling back their operations, but the vacuum created by its absence has opened up a new opportunity. Discovery Festival was founded with its first event last July in Dundee’s Slessor Gardens with appearances from The Human League and Tom Jones, but it has now expanded to Plymouth and Darlington. Holding three nights of live music in each city, they’ve gradually dripped out the lineup for each evening, and it’s a stroll down memory lane for many of us.

The full lineup for this year’s Discovery Festival Plymouth

The Friday is a trip of ‘90s boy-band royalty, with Five and Blue joined by The Wanted, sure to satisfy anyone with a fondness for cheesy pop music. Saturday night boasts an eclectic mix of acts with electronic pioneers Orchestral Manoeuvrers in the Dark playing after jazz-funk-pop tinkerers Level 42, ‘Kids In America’ singer Kim Wilde and more.

The bill for the Sunday was announced this Monday, capping the weekend off in style with a roster of rock and indie, old and new. Opening with recent breakthroughs Swim School, SOFY and Kid Kapichi, the afternoon moves back in time to 2000’s indie rock with Maxïmo Park. Co-headlining the day are Welsh rock legends Feeder, whose hit ‘Buck Rogers’ and its line “get a house in Devon” is fondly and loudly sung in bars across the county. The night is closed out by Pete Doherty and his group The Libertines, with a set of their indie rock anthems.

This blockbuster weekend of music comes to Plymouth’s Central Park from Friday 12th to Sunday the 14th of June. You can find tickets for the first-ever Discovery Plymouth dates, as well as the festival’s sister events in Dundee and Darlington here. Official tourist board website Visit Plymouth have also provided a map to the site in Central Park, as well as information on other entertainment around the city.

Waterhouse is currently touring the UK and Europe in support of her second studio album ‘Memoir Of A Sparklemuffin’, released earlier this year. The record has marked a new chapter in her music career, blending her cinematic alternative-pop style with diaristic songwriting. Her live shows have included material from the new album alongside fan favourites and carefully chosen covers. MXDWN’s earlier coverage of Waterhouse announcing her tour can be read here.

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Midway through her London set, Waterhouse introduced Barât to the stage, drawing loud cheers from the audience. The two shared vocal duties on ‘Can’t Stand Me Now’ with Barât also providing guitar. The single, which originally featured on The Libertines’ self-titled 2004 album, remains one of the band’s most recognisable tracks and a defining song of the mid-2000s indie era.

The collaboration was met with an enthusiastic response, with fans capturing the moment across social media. After the duet, Waterhouse continued her set with a mix of originals and covers, including her regular live rendition of Oasis’ ‘Don’t Look Back In Anger’.

pic.twitter.com/EheThIRVY6

— BarryEvans666 (@BEvans66695144) August 24, 2025

Last night’s appearance adds to the ongoing excitement around Waterhouse’s current tour. Following a second sold-out night at the O2 Forum Kentish Town this evening (August 26), she will head to Belfast’s Ulster Hall on Thursday (August 28). Additional European dates are scheduled for early September, with stops in Dublin, Paris, Amsterdam, and Berlin.

For Barât, the guest spot comes ahead of The Libertines’ own busy schedule. The band have currently just completed a run of live shows celebrating the release of their long-awaited new album ‘All Quiet on the Eastern Esplanade’. In case you missed it, MXDWN’s recent coverage of the band’s penultimate gig can be read here.

The show was announced earlier in the week via social media, with tickets priced at just £22.50 and made available on a first-come, first-served basis. The 250-capacity venue Bush Hall offered fans the chance to see the iconic indie band in a setting far more personal than the festival stages and arenas they have been recently playing.

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Opening the night with a burst of energy, the band launched into a run of classics: ‘Up The Bracket, The Delaney’, ‘What Became Of The Likely Lads’, and ‘Boys In The Band’. The momentum continued as they dipped into deeper cuts and fan favourites including ‘Night of the Hunter’, ‘What Katie Did’, ‘Shiver’, and ‘Merry Old England’.

Later, the band delivered raucous renditions of ‘Death on the Stairs’, ‘Music When the Lights Go Out’, and ‘The Good Old Days’, before closing out the 16-song set with a trio of defining hits: ‘Time for Heroes’, ‘Can’t Stand Me Now’, and the rousing ‘Don’t Look Back Into the Sun’.

The performance not only celebrated their recent album but served as a nod to their early roots – a reminder of the raw energy and chemistry that made The Libertines one of Britain’s most beloved bands of the 2000s indie rock explosion.

The warm-up gig precedes the band’s much-anticipated Gunnersbury Park show, which will take place on Saturday, August 9, 2025. The concert marks the final date of their ‘All Quiet On The Eastern Esplanade’ tour, which celebrates the release of their fourth album. Joining The Libertines at Gunnersbury will be a handpicked support line-up that includes Supergrass, Soft Play, Hak Baker, Real Farmer, and Lambrini Girls.

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In a press statement teasing the London concert, the band shared: “The old white mansion in Gunnersbury Park is in one of our favourite films, ‘The Lavender Hill Mob’, so we thought we’d bring the Eastern Esplanade mob and some spiky guitars to that Arcadian glade in West London for a good ol’ homecoming knees up.”

“Look forward to seeing you there, along with our friends Supergrass, Soft Play, Hak Baker, Lambrini Girls and Real Farmer. Love Peter, Carl, Gary and John X”

In case you missed it, MXDWN’s earlier coverage of The Libertines’ Gunnersbury Park announcement is available here.

The unexpected appointment was revealed during a recent appearance on BBC Radio 2’s ‘Tracks of My Years’. Doherty admitted he was initially sceptical about his qualifications for the role, stating with characteristic humour: “I didn’t really feel I was equipped. But I had already cashed the cheque, so I’m going to have to do something”.

GRASSMONSTER SAYS: Pete Doherty, troubadour and eternal enfant terrible, now lectures at a French university.

Teaching “fame and social media” while sidestepping academia himself – an ironic masterstroke or a lesson in misplaced faith?

Let the seminars begin. #PeteDoherty…

— ®©Grassmonster (@grassmonster) January 13, 2025

“I’ve got a year and a half to write four 45-minute essays, so I might have to get myself a phone. I’ll do my best to educate and entertain. But I’ll be strict with the coursework. Anyone listening who thinks it’s going to be a breeze doesn’t know Professor Doherty.” The musician added.

Doherty, who famously dropped out of an English Literature degree at Queen Mary, University of London, is no stranger to academia despite his unconventional path. His sharp wit and literary prowess have always been evident in his songwriting, which often draws on romantic poetry and vivid storytelling. The course, which focuses on fame, celebrity culture, and social media, aligns with Doherty’s personal experiences navigating the pitfalls of public life. Having spent decades in the spotlight, Doherty is uniquely positioned to offer candid insights into the pressures of modern fame and its impact on mental health and creativity.

How did I not know that Pete Doherty was born in the same year as me + studied English literature at Queen Mary in MY year! So this means this beautiful soul on my wall was likely walking past me in halls?! Maybe even sat in my lecture hall with me?! Wow @BBCRadio2 interviewpic.twitter.com/XDs4jUzmv2
— Jo Burford (@JoBurford_) January 15, 2025

Despite his current commitments with The Libertines, including a recent tour, Doherty is expected to juggle his music career with his teaching duties. The musician has moved to Normandy in 2020. The university’s program allows for flexibility, with guest lectures and workshops likely to form the core of his involvement.

Doherty also spoke about his interest in returning to formal education, noting: “I’d love to do that. I think about that quite a lot”. While his teaching role might be temporary, it marks a fascinating convergence of his musical and intellectual pursuits.

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The band commented: “The old white mansion in Gunnersbury Park is in one of our favourite films, The Lavender Hill Mob, so we thought we’d bring the Eastern Esplanade mob and some spiky guitars to that Arcadian glade in West London for a good ol’ homecoming knees up.”

“Look forward to seeing you there, along with our friends Supergrass, Soft Play, Hak Baker, Lambrini Girls and Real Farmer. Love Peter, Carl, Gary and John X”

The ‘Don’t Look Back into the Sun’ rockers have recently performed 3 nights in a row at Camden’s Roundhouse and will continue touring until April 2025, including shows in France, Germany, and even Australia. Aside from Gunnersbury Park, the Libs will also headline in Margate on July 5 with a support act from Soft Play, and in Halifax on August 8.

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The setlist for Gunnersbury Park is yet unknown but so far their sets included hits such as: ‘What Became of the Ladylike Lads‘, ‘Vertigo‘, and ‘Don’t Look Back into the Sun‘. 

Last year, Gunnersbury Park hosted PJ Harvey, Peggy Gou, and KoRn.

Supergrass said: “We are so pleased to be involved in the Gunnersbury Park gig with The Libertines and all the other great bands playing on the night. Gunnersbury Park is a really amazing venue to see bands perform.”

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“We first played with The Libertines 22 years ago back in 2002 when we took the fledgling band on tour with us. Wow… time flies when you’re having fun. See you there!”

Tickets for The Libertines at Gunnersbury Park went on sale on November 8 and are currently priced at around £62.

The Libertines are a British rock band formed in London in 1997 by frontmen Pete Doherty and Carl Barât. The band gained a cult following in the early 2000s, becoming a key part of the UK indie music scene with albums like ‘Up the Bracket‘ (2002) and ‘The Libertines‘ (2004). Despite their success, the band faced internal tensions, largely due to Doherty’s well-publicized struggles with substance abuse. These conflicts led to a hiatus in 2004.

Frontman Peter Doherty, Carl Barât (vocals/guitar), John Hassell (bass) and Gary Powell (drums) have established perhaps their most evolutionary sound yet, and are now a world away from precarious nights out and run-ins with the law.

A tale of two ideas, Carl and Peter co-wrote ‘Shiver’ together. Speaking on the making of the single, Carl commented: “Peter had a song and I had a song and we mashed them up and did it collaboratively.”

“I would probably find it difficult to work out who did what because we were both there the whole time through its creation. It should really be called ‘The Last Dream Of Every Dying Soldier’, but everyone liked the title ‘Shiver’,” Peter added.

Directed by Alex Brown, the ‘Shiver’ music video is a ‘Bergmanesque seaside funeral of a pearly king’, captured in a moody, cinematic black and white. The video stars all four members alongside a cast of eccentric characters who appear on the sleeve artwork, a strange yet endearing caricature of cockney and seaside culture, as well as the crossover between old school and modern day working-class Britain. The video was shot in Cliftonville, Margate and at The Libertines’ hotel The Albion Rooms, and is the third instalment in a series of Margate-themed videos, following on from their first single ‘Run, Run, Run‘ and ‘Night Of The Hunter‘.

Produced by Grammy-nominated producer Dimitri Tikovoï and recorded at The Albion Rooms in Margate, the album was created in just four weeks between February and March 2023 and finalised over seven days at La Ferme de Gestein Studios in Normandy.

Additional production and mixing were also finalised by Dan Grech-Marguerat, known for his work with Lana Del Rey, Liam Gallagher and Sir Paul McCartney. The band will be putting on a series of intimate gigs around the UK over the coming weeks, and will also be recording a session at BBC Maida Vale Studios later this month for broadcast on Radio 2’s ‘Piano Room’ in February.

‘All Quiet On The Eastern Esplanade’ is out on March 8 2024 and is available to preorder here. The album will be available on CD, deluxe CD, 12” vinyl in limited edition coloured variants, deluxe double vinyl cassette and digital download.

Having already performed this week at Stockton Arc and Liverpool’s Cavern Club, you can still catch The Libertines in all of their glory on the dates below.

January

25/01/2024 – Milton Keynes – MK11
27/01 – Cardiff – Clwb Ifor Bach
28/01 – Derby – Hairy Dog
29/01 – Lincoln – Drill Hall

February

11/02 – Falmouth – Pavilions
12/02 – Southampton – Engine Room
14/02 – Stoke – Underground
15/02 – Leeds – The Wardrobe
16/02 – Glasgow – Oran Mor

Doherty, the frontman of indie rock band The Libertines, had become notorious for his struggles with substances and his run-ins with the law during the late 2000s and 2010s. Now attempting sobriety, he has reflected on his chaotic past with Louis Theroux.

A real pleasure to catch up with @louistheroux

Catch up now on @BBCiPlayer #louistherouxinterviews pic.twitter.com/FmOnG2VdV6

— Peter Doherty (@petedoherty) November 16, 2023

When questioned on his health, Doherty shared, “You are looking at a very sick man. I’ve battered it, haven’t I, I’ve fucking caned it. [The] heroin and the crack… I surrendered to that, and then it was cocaine and the smoking and the alcohol, and now it’s cheese and the saucisson, and the sugar in the tea.”

He continued, “It’s all gotta go. They told me a little while ago if you don’t change your diet then you’re gonna have diabetes and cholesterol problems. Death’s lurking, you know what I mean? That’s why I carry that stick.”

Doherty also shared that he doesn’t believe he will be able to see his daughter, Billie-May (born in June of this year) grow up. When Theroux suggested living another 25 years to see his daughter start a family of her own, Doherty responded, “That’s a stretch though, isn’t it.”

Theroux also asked Doherty what advice he would give to someone interested in dabbling in drugs, to which Doherty replied, “My life in using was so chaotic and the consequences of [it]… You’ll be in prison and you’ll fuck your body up and you’ll be skint and you’ll lose your family and you’ll lose everything you love. Is it really that good? That’s beyond curiosity, that’s a right mess. I still get tingles thinking about it, but I’m able to talk to you rather than running off and scoring.”

Doherty also delves into other highly publicised aspects of his life throughout the interview, including his relationship with supermodel Kate Moss and his feud with former Libertines bandmate Carl Barat. Barat revealed that Doherty’s addictions caused a rift in the band, leading to The Libertines performing without Doherty.

Discussing Pete Doherty following the interview, Theroux shared, “I was surprised by how funny he was, I was surprised that (maybe I shouldn’t haven’t been) his recovery still seemed precarious, and I would say that maybe I was sort of surprised by his level of openness.”

Theroux continued, “I suppose everyone curates a persona that they present in public and I’m sure he does as well, but his curatorial choice seemed to be that he’ll speak about anything. Occasionally he deflects a bit, but I never felt that he was especially unwilling to talk about stuff, so it’s a very soul-bearing interview.”

Watch Louis Theroux Interviews: Pete Doherty here.

All Quiet On The Eastern Esplanade is a follow up to 2015’s Anthems For A Doomed Youth, representing a long 8 year wait for the band to release a new full length album. The lead single ‘Run, Run, Run’ is sonically a throwback to classic Libertines tracks from their breakout albums in the noughties, however lyrically speaks of the dangers of grabbing towards that past. Frontman Carl Barat spoke about the track, as he said: “It’s about being trapped, and trying to escape your dismal life, a bit like the man in Bukowski’s Post Office, the worst thing for The Libertines would be to get stuck in a ‘Run-run-run’ rut – constantly trying to relive our past.”

The new album consists of 11 tracks and was produced by Dimitri Tikovoï, who has previously worked with the likes of Charli XCX. The band recorded the album at The Albion Rooms in Margate in only four weeks across February and March earlier this year. The band then finished up the album at La Ferme de Gestein Studios in Normandy, France. The new album was mixed by Dan Grech-Marguerat, who has worked with likes of Paul McCartney and Liam Gallagher.

As previously reported, the band had begun working on the album in Jamaica before heading back to Margate to create and bring the album to it complete form. Co-frontman Pete Doherty spoke of the sessions, as he said: “We really came together as a band for a moment of rare peace and unity, with all the members contributing.”

Talking further about the new album, Pete Doherty said: “I feel like we’ve completed a cycle of some kind as a band, and finally now we can add these songs to the setlist, because we’ve got some bangers in there. Now we’ve opened the hotel and used the studio ourselves and it’s all worked out – more Libertines records? I should hope so!”

Carl Barat also added: “Our first record was born out of panic, and disbelief that we were actually allowed to be in a studio; the second was born of total strife and misery; the third was born of complexity; this one feels like we were all actually in the same place, at the same speed, and we really connected.”

The album shares a name with an anti-war novel from Erich Maria Remarque and the album artwork is a tribute to Margate, representing the location of which the album was recorded. All Quiet On The Eastern Esplanade will be available on CD, Deluxe, 12” Vinyl, Deluxe Double Vinyl and Cassette on March 8^th, and will also be available for digital download and on streaming services.

Tracklist:

1. ‘Run Run Run’
2. ‘Mustang’
3. ‘Have A Friend’
4. ‘Merry Old England’
5. ‘Man With The Melody’
6. ‘Oh Shit’
7. ‘Night Of The Hunter’
8. ‘Baron’s Claw’
9. ‘Shiver’
10. ‘Be Young’
11. ‘Songs They Never Play On The Radio’

Speaking in an interview with Oliver Spencer, the drummer detailed some of the band’s process in recording the album and exactly when it should be available.

In the interview he said: “We’ve just recorded our latest album. I think we do one every 10 years or so. Yes. So expect the next one to come from the grave! The album comes out in January [2024].”

The timeline adds up considering it was reported that the band was recording in Jamaica some time last year (2022). In an interview, guitarist Pete Doherty said: “We have just been in Jamaica, me and Carl, and we’ve got a new album on the way.”

Drummer Powell has previously spoken a lot about the next Libertines album, as he has said: “The good thing is everybody’s been writing. Obviously, we’re not going to try and reinvent the wheel… but I think we can push the boat out a little more while still bringing something that has the same emotional integrity and dynamism that the audience craves when they come to a Libertines show.”

About the next album, Doherty during a performance at Glastonbury told the crowd: “There are lots of things on the table – some really good, strong and melodic rock’n’roll songs.”

Frontman Carl Barat has also previously spoken about the next album, as he said: “Sonically, we want to do something we haven’t done before… I think we’ll be looking to do something with a different energy than before. But we’re not at that stage yet.”

The band started work on the new album in 2019, as the band expressed interest in taking the album into many different musical directions with Pete Doherty likening the album’s potential sonic diversity to Sardinstra by The Clash – he said: “Carl wants to do a ‘Sandinista’ thing with all these mad ideas that we’ve got, so we’ll have all these freestyle things and folky things, then there’s the more traditional Doherty/Barat songs,”

One new song has been detailed by the band; a track named ‘Shiver’ which the band seem particularly fond of. About the song, Doherty said the track has “got a real sentimental hark back”, which must mean a stylistic return to old-school Libertines tracks. Co-frontman Barat was in agreement, claiming “Yeah, ‘Shiver’’s great. I was listening to that last night, actually.”

At the 19th Zurich Film Festival’s Sounds section, musician Peter Doherty will present the World Premiere of PETER DOHERTY: STRANGER IN MY OWN SKIN. In addition to this highlight, the Sounds section offers even more music film screenings: https://t.co/48VgjSWH37 pic.twitter.com/qYRRxVusfd

— Zurich Film Festival (@zurichfilmfest) August 29, 2023

Stranger In My Own Skin will be presented by Doherty and feature a live performance during the Zurich Film Festival which runs from the 28th of September through to the 8th of October. The film will document the singer’s rise to fame with the band The Libertines but also feature the drug addictions that plagued Doherty’s career, causing lengthy absences away from the band and legal troubles.

The film will debut at the festival as part of the Sounds section, launching last year, and examines subject matter with a musical theme or soundtrack. Stranger In My Own Skin will premier alongside various other films centred around music, including a biopic on Anita Pallenberg, Catching Fire-The Story Of Anita Pallenberg.

Speaking about the premier of the documentary, Zurich Film Festival artistic director Christian Jungen said, “the biopic chronicles the British rock star who, after reaching the pinnacle of his career, sinks into the depths of a serious drug addiction. His wife, director and musician Katia deVidas, followed the wild life of The Libertines frontman at close quarters for over 10 years. We’re looking forward to welcoming them both to Zurich.”

The documentary follows the 2022 release of Doherty’s memoir A Likely Lad, chronicling the musician’s frank and honest experiences with the turbulent aspects of his career. The memoir offers an intimate look at Doherty’s self-destructive behaviours, addictions and stint in prison due to the burglary of fellow Libertines musician Carl Barat’s house.

Doherty formed The Libertines with Barat in the late 1990s in London and gained world-wide success in 2002 with the release of their debut album, Up The Bracket. Doherty himself quickly rose to prominence within the band, with scores of critics praising the frontman for his song-writing abilities. Continuing addiction to drugs caused much friction within the band and led the other members to remove Doherty on more than one occasion.

Although the band officially went on hiatus in 2004, while Doherty sought treatment for his addiction, The Libertines reformed at various times throughout the years, remaining active and releasing an album (their last to date), Anthems For Doomed Youth in 2015.

In between his time with The Libertines, Doherty also formed the band Babyshambles, releasing three studio records and Pete Doherty And The Puta Madres-formed by Doherty and members of his touring band. The band has released a single eponymous studio album in April of 2019.

Doherty will be performing a handful of shows in France this autumn. Tickets can be found here. You can purchase his book here.

Pete Doherty Tour:

30/09/2023 – Theatre Alexandre Dumas – Saint-Germain–en-Laye, France
17/10 – Olympia – Arcachon, France
21/10 – Grande Salle, Chateau Rouge – Annemasse, France
22/10 – La Cooperative de Mai – Clermont-Ferrand, France
23/10 – La radiant-Bellevue – Caluire et Cuire, France
25/10 – 6MIC – Aix-en-Provence, France
26/10 – La Belle Electrique – Grenoble, France
27/10 – Le Bikini – Ramonville St Agne, France