Babyshambles @ Glasgow O2 Academy: Pete the Doting Dad but Shambles Still Ensues

It would be more than fair to say that Pete Doherty is one of the most chaotic musical artists of this century. There was a time when turning up for Libertines and Babyshambles felt like Russian Roulette, with rumours often circulating within the audience that he wasn’t going to show. On some occasions riots even ensued, with fans often finding out at the last minute that, yes, there would be no gig with these being attributed to Doherty’s spiralling drug use.  

This couldn’t be any further removed from the Pete Doherty we see tonight, not only is he now sober but prior to the band taking to the stage he is already front and centre with his young daughter (who is kitted out in ear defenders) enjoying the atmosphere and looking every bit the doting father. 

Babyshambles released their debut album, Down In Albion, 20 years ago last month. It was the perfect appetiser for hardcore Libertines fans and the hype at the time was further enhanced due to the involvement of Mick Jones as producer. The first single spawned from that record was ‘Killamangiro’ and that is the opening track tonight, much to the delight of the sold-out Academy crowd. 

Fan favourite ‘Delivery’ follows as does a tsunami of flying pints from the crowd. It’s not just beverages that are airborne, with jackets, hats and even an umbrella taking flight amongst the raucous audience. For the vast majority of the gig there is an image of original Babyshambles guitarist Patrick Walden adorning the backing screen. Walden, who passed away earlier this year, also had a chequered past and it hits home when I hear someone in the crowd state ‘that could have been Pete that ended up like that’. 

The unpredictable nature of Babyshambles gigs is evident tonight with Doherty tailing off mid-song during ‘Back From The Dead’ and ‘Albion’ to tell anecdotes. All the while the band burst into impromptu covers in between tracks with Neil Young’s ‘The Needle and the Damage Done’, The Beatles ‘Day Tripper’ and The Stone Roses ‘Waterfall’ all being played, albeit in short bursts only. Even the Babyshambles track ‘There She Goes’ splices into a cover of The La’s track of the same name.  

New track ‘Dandy Hooligan’ goes down a treat with the crowd, a ska/reggae infused number that is the first piece of new material from the band in twelve years. This sets up a thrilling finale of ‘Pipedown’ and ‘Fuck Forever’ with the mosh pit even more frenzied than before. 

It is unclear if any further new Babyshambles material will follow ‘Dandy Hooligan’ but Pete Doherty shows no signs of slowing down with solo shows and Libertines gigs lined up for 2026. Shows like tonight only go to enhance the legacy he has created in the last 20 plus years. 

Babyshambles’ Down In Albion reissue is out now via Rough Trade

Images credit: Marc Bean

Babyshambles, O2 Academy Glasgow, Thursday 4th December 2025 setlist:

Killamangiro

Delivery

I Wish 

Sedative

Beg, Steal or Borrow/ Arcady / Waterfall

There She Goes

La Belle et la Bête

Back From The Dead

Unstookie Titled

Carry On Up The Morning

A Day Out in New Brighton

8 Dead Boys

Baddie’s Boogie

A Rebours

Albion

Encore

Dandy Hooligan

Pipedown

Fuck Forever