PETE Doherty and his band kept everybody waiting but it was well worth it.

He always manages to balance his concerts on a knife edge with that feeling that it could all come crashing down. But that only adds to the excitement.

It was the last gig on the UK tour and he seemed more fatigued than usual but he still had the audience in the palm of his hand and the band were razor sharp behind him.

Guitarist Mick Whitnall seems to have improved his musicianship greatly and Drew McConnell on bass with a new drummer drove the night along at top speed at times. The almost full O2 lapped up the songs from the new album Sequel to the Prequel and Doherty could do no wrong as he wore hats from the crowd and read out messages, asking people if they knew some of his old school friends from his Blandford days.

There was a worrying moment of dub reggae that thankfully did not last long and the echo on his microphone was a little strong at times.

But their early songs like Killamangiro and Pipedown were riotous and a rendition of The Ramones’ Blitzkrieg Bop was fantastic.