大象传媒

Ah, now lads you've gone and made me break my promise not to mention The Libertines. Finishing with their former incarnation's classic 'I Get Along', Dirty Pretty Things leave us sweaty, tired and exhilarated. And this isn't our only treat of the evening.

Earlier, Dublin four-piece Humanzi (who later tell me that they will be returning to QUBSU in October/November for a show of their own) get the smaller crowd of early birds whipped up with their riotous blend of rock and roll. Bits of Primal Scream, Happy Mondays, New Order, Gang of Four even Queens of The Stone Age all thrown together, with a good stage presence and catchy tunes get us going.

New single 'Out On The Wire' is shamelessly dedicated to all the young ladies at the front, and 'Diet Pills and Magazines' is a glorious track worthy of Primal Scream in their 'Evil Heat' pomp - a wonderful riff, pounding drums and bass, and screeching vocals. 'Tremors' (the title track of their album) inhabits the same place with equal effect, while the Gary Numan-esque electronic elements of 'Fix The Cracks' and the rock fest of 'Get Your **** Together' hint that this work in progress could develop very nicely. Definitely one to file under the 'keep an eye on' category.

Swaggering onstage with the raucous 'You ****ing Love It', DPT blow the latercomers' cobwebs away before hitting us with new single 'Wondering' - an almost whimsical tale of modern life, sending the crowd into a minor frenzy. Rattling off 'Blood Thirsty ***', 'Deadwood' and 'The Enemy', the crowd are barely given a chance to take a breather, while 'Gin and Milk' and 'Last of the Small Town Playboys' continue in the same vein. Of course, their single 'Bang Bang You're Dead' gets the biggest reaction so far with its trumpet intro, marching drums and sing-along chorus.

But, it's the encore that's the real cherry on top. It includes 'B.U.R.M.A.' and 'If You Love A Woman', and then, because we're a great audience, we're treated to a cover of The Jam's 'In The City' (unfortunately without Mr Weller as they had in London), and finish on the Libertines' finest hour 'I Get Along.'

And so, I fail to not mention the shadow that has hung over this band. But this song, and their jovial reaction to a chant of "Libertines!" shows that they're comfortable with their heritage, and their performance and songs show that they've no need to fear this heritage, and the overall impression of a band comfortable and happy with each other.

Their stage set-up of three evenly placed microphones (none any further forward than the others), and a constant changing of vocalist and location, tell us that they are very much a band, not a front-man and backing group. It looks like fun, possibly even more fun that we've been having (if that is possible).

William Johnston
Photos by Stuart Bailie

Dirty Pretty Things, Humanzi, Mandela Hall, Belfast, 21.09.06