Doherty’s Double-Booking

Pete Doherty looks to have been double-booked to appear at Switzerland’s 7,000-capacity Rock Oz’Arenes and London’s Thames Magistrates’ Court. The Swiss festival lost out as the troubled Babyshambles frontman deemed it smarter to turn up at Bow and answer to seven drug charges.

The various offenses, which include possession of heroin, cocaine and cannabis, have accumulated since April.

Throughout the summer, the former Libertine has tried to juggle his diary to include getting arrested, appearing in court and playing European festivals.

It has resulted in a varied itinerary combining appearances at Ealing and Bethnal Green magistrates’ courts, police or prison cells in Whitechapel, Pentonville and Bethnal Green, a Potuguese rehab clinic and a couple of impromptu detentions at Barcelona and Stockholm airports.

He’s missed shows in Graz, Greenfield Festival, Ibiza (twice) and even the press conference announcing his book publishing deal. But despite being held by airport police in Spain and Sweden, he managed to make it to the Primavera and Hultsfred Festivals in time for Babyshambles’ set.

Among the acts with less punishing schedules that did manage to make it to Avenches for the 15th Festival Rock Oz’Arenes August 15-19 were Radiohead, Jamiroquai, Franz Ferdinand, Calexico, Ice-T and Body Count, and Sinik.

– John Gammon