Photos by Frank Leppard
The Libertines performed an exclusive matinee gig for delighted fans at The Oval Bandstand and Lawns in Cliftonville yesterday (August 17).
The band, which owns the Albion Rooms hotel and Wasteland bar in Eastern Esplanade, followed the gig with an after-party at their venue.
The Libertines hotel and recording studio The Albion Rooms was bought by band members in 2017 and opened in two phases across 2019 and 2020.
Co-frontman Carl Barat also teamed up with chef and restaurateur, Gizzi Erskine; partner and Cruel Hearts Club’s’ front woman Edie Langley, and music industry insider Ronnie Traynor to open LOVE café in Margate last year. The Marine Gardens site will also house Justine’s music venue downstairs.
Fellow frontman Pete Doherty now lives in France with wife and Puta Madres bandmate, Katia de Vidas. Libertines band member Gary Powell is an ambassador for Stop Hate UK and bandmate Gary Hassall he lives in Denmark with wife Line Hassall Thomsen.
The Libertines are currently on a 20th anniversary tour for 2002 album Up the Bracket.
The Oval Bandstand and Lawns is managed by community organisation GRASS Cliftonville CIC.
The group, which is earmarked to receive a total of £500,000 from the £22million fund, plans to remove the old toilet block at the site and replace it with a pavilion with café, community room/s and public toilets.
