When Pete Doherty left The Libertines to form Babyshambles his spiralling descent into smack hell made him front-page tabloid fodder which was heartbreaking to see as he was a talented poet and songwriter. Keeping a dignified silence throughout the media circus was his former band mate and best friend Carl Barat who from the ashes of the Libertines formed Dirty
Pretty Things. After an afternoon acoustic performance at Preston's Action Records DPT's are warmed up and ready to play a sweaty full set at the sold out 53 Degrees.

An Earl Hickley lookalike gets a shout out from a cheeky fan of the US sitcom and it can only be a sign of good karma fro the coolest band in town. There's no dramatic intro music or the house lights being dimmed, just the band casually walking on stage nonchalantly. Of course when the crowd realize this pandemonium starts. Wolf whistles are abound the venue at half naked drummer Gary Powell who's flexing his six pack, Anthony Rossomando on lead guitar is no stranger to working with Barat as he took over Doherty's duties at the latter days of the Libertines. The only newcomer in the band is Didz Hammond on bass who until recently was the face, if not the vocals, of the Cooper Temple Clause.

Although "Deadwood" is a great opener, full of bite and bile, full on rock histrionics and a great vocal delivery from Carl Barat, a lot of Dirty Pretty Thing's material comes across as Libertines B-sides. That said the band play brilliantly, bouncing off each other in enthusiastic one up man ship, moving around, swapping micx and playing up to the crowd like the shows offs they are. "Gentry Cove" and "Bloodthirsty B*stards" are average at best, downright lazy at worst, but there are still many stand out moments to saviour like the thrashy punk fused, barely two minute "You F*cking Love It" which through a simple chorus and scuzzy guitar solo is as raw and raucous as f**k.

With sweat dripping off the moshers in the pit, Dirty Pretty Things play their debut single "Bang Bang You're Dead" which is easily their greatest achievement to date. A rollicking pop gem which see the dancing dandies of the Albion get even more worked up before the band return for more action. At this point all four musicians have whipped off their tops and it's
becoming rather homoerotic and to their show the band take a step into the past with The Libertines "I Get Along" finishing a patchy set.

Dirty Pretty Things have a long way to go before they eclipse the erratic brilliance of The Libertines

Nicholas Paul Godkin