★★★★☆
Since its inception in 2003, charity HOPING [Hope and Optimism for Palestinians in the Next Generation] has worked with high profile artists to raise awareness for young refugees; hosting its first event - a sold-out concert at Brixton Academy - in 2004.
14 years later and the event - and importance of its cause - remains, perhaps stronger than ever, with this year's event hosting just as impressive a range of musicians - and poets - as it has in previous years: Patti Smith, The Libertines, Thurston Moore and... Eric Cantona?
Smith, a long-standing supporter of the cause, gave moving poetry readings (even in her quietest moments she possesses a crackling energy): "We tore this place apart in 1976," she grins, to shrieks of approval. "I'll let someone else do it this time."
The poems precede an electrifying rendition of her protest song "People Have The Power", roaring: "People have the power to redeem the work of fools!" "Some say this song is stupid and old-fashioned," the 71-year-old told the clamouring audience as her longtime band struck up the introduction. "Well, f**k them. There's nothing stupid about young people gathering together and making change."
Thurston Moore brought on a ballet dancer for a hypnotic performance between him and his drummer; the way he plays guitar is primal, prehistoric even. He claws at the strings, drags the neck across the floor, and draws the most tortured sounds from it - keening whines and anguished squaws - like a musical sadist, evoking the pain and suffering of the children pictured on a large screen behind him.
Most poets would be intimidated following two such performances, but then not everyone is Eric Cantona - as host John Bishop points out during his introduction. Cantona makes two appearances, one to read a poem in English - Palestinian poem 'Enemy of the Sun', recited from memory - and the second in French which is, understandably, more powerful and confidently-read.
By the time The Libertines swagger onto the stage the crowd are frenzied, practically moshing before the music has even begun, with the band taking Smith's earlier invitation about "tearing the place up" to heart and offering a respectful nod to her own performance before they begin.
Pete Doherty is as chaotic and staggering as ever, but he and Carl Barat compliment one another perfectly, with the latter seeming to calm Doherty down in his wilder moments, or persuading him to commit to the acoustic guitar intro on "Music When The Lights Go Out"; kicking him in the backside when he messes it up on purpose.
One song in and most male fans in the centre have torn their shirts off; a shoe lands on the stage, then another, four songs in. Doherty hurls his mic stand into the crowd, then the mic itself (twice), and finally his guitar, causing a violent scrum as one fan refuses to let go. Somewhat unfathomably, the band finish just five minutes after the curfew - drummer Gary Powell roars 'goodnight' - and the brilliant, vibrant evening comes to a close.
