Jack’s surprise encounter with The Libertines

SHETLAND musician Jack Sandison and his group The Holy Ghosts enjoyed an unexpected surprise on Tuesday when their gig at a London blues club was politely gatecrashed by one of the UK’s most famous rock bands, The Libertines.

Jack and his bandmates had been due to headline the Blues Kitchen in Camden between 10pm and midnight.

But at the last minute the venue manager pulled him to the side and said: “We don’t usually do this, but we have had a last minute gig from a very big band. So would you mind going on at 9pm instead?”

The Lerwick-born singer said he “only clocked it was The Libertines when Pete [Doherty] tapped me on the shoulder outside. Totally random. Great night.”

He said the 300-capacity venue was “totally packed” in time for the Holy Ghosts’ set.

The Libertines – whose top 10 hits include ‘Don’t Look Back Into the Sun’ and ‘Cant’ Stand Me Now’ – recently reformed and are poised to release their first album since 2004, ‘Anthems For Doomed Youth’, later this summer.

Earlier this month the band headlined Scotland’s biggest music festival, T in the Park, and next month they top the bill at Reading and Leeds. The Blues Kitchen is the most intimate gig The Libertines have played in over a decade.

Jack said he and the band “ended up playing charades and drinking single malt with them after the gig”.

“They spent 10 minutes trying to figure out what hair product [was] used in [Holy Ghosts guitarist] Jon’s hair. Tears of squirrels, apparently.

“They took our vinyl and checked out the band – apologised for crashing our gig. Hopefully we will cross paths again.”

The Holy Ghosts are on the bill at a host of Scottish festivals this summer including Southern Fried and Belladrum. The band are also working on their second album.