On This Day,13 June 2002, The Libertines

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Images are subject to copyright

On This Day,13 June 2002, rock band The Libertines played Cardiff’s Barfly.

Formed in London in 1997 by frontmen Carl Barât (vocals/guitar) and Pete Doherty (vocals/guitar). The band, centred on the songwriting partnership of Barât and Doherty, has also included John Hassall (bass) and Gary Powell (drums) for most of its recording career. The band was part of the garage rock revival and spearheaded the movement in the UK.

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The band gained some notoriety in the early 2000s, due to Doherty's use of illegal drugs and conflicts between Barât and Doherty. Although their mainstream success was initially limited, their profile soon grew, culminating in a No. 2 single and No. 1 album on the UK Charts. In December 2004, their self-titled second album was voted the second best album of the year by NME magazine. The first two of their full-length LPs were produced by Mick Jones, of the British punk band The Clash.

The band released their first album Up The Bracket the following October which reached #35 in the UK Albums Chart. The album was part of a resurgence for the British indie/alternative scene[citation needed] and received widespread praise from critics and has quickly become considered one of the greatest albums of the 2000s.

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