7:53am Friday 12th March 2010
By Mark Stead
TICKETS have sold out in a record 90 minutes this morning for Pete Doherty's first gig in York with his band Babyshambles since 2004.
Demand to see one of the UK music scene’s most controversial and colourful figures at The Duchess on April Fool's Day has surpassed even the stampede for the Arctic Monkeys' York debut in July 2005 at Fibbers.
A delighted Duchess manager Tim Hornsby said: “This sort of show is what The Duchess was built for.”
Next month's show - open only to over-16s, incidentally - will be the third time the singer-songwriter, tabloid favourite and ex-boyfriend of supermodel Kate Moss has staged a gig in the city.
Tickets went on sale at the 400-capacity music bar at £18.50 today – Doherty’s 31st birthday and the day after he was banned from driving for a year and fined £500 after admitting allowing his manager to use his Daimler without insurance.
He has previously appeared in York in 2002, with his acclaimed former band The Libertines, and brought Babyshambles to the city in July 2004, performing both times at Fibbers.
"I found Pete to be charming and polite - very different from the publicity. And like all top best performers, saves the attitude for stage!" said Tim, who was manager of Fibbers at the time of both shows.
Yesterday’s motoring ban came after his manager, Andrew Boyd, was jailed for 12 months for a string of motoring offences committed while behind the wheel of the musician’s car, including dangerous driving.
Doherty, who lives in Wiltshire, had previously been banned from the road for 18 months in December after admitting careless and drink-driving following a concert.
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