Leeds: Chance encounter prompts gig with Libertines star Pete Doherty

Singer Pete Doherty with members of The Caymans

A chance encounter landed four aspiring superstars from Halifax a gig with rock star Pete Doherty.

Toby Walker, Alastair Bentley, Ewan Wilson-Youngman and Jacob Brown said they bumped into The Libertines co-frontman in Leeds last Thursday.

The quartet, who formed indie band The Caymans in 2023, were then invited to perform at his show at Leeds venue The Wardrobe that evening.

The teenagers now hope their impromptu support act will be their big break.

The Caymans, who all attend Calderdale College in Halifax, said they spotted Doherty in the street.

When they asked him for a photograph, the singer wanted to know about their own music and got them to showcase some of their songs.

Impressed with their music, Doherty asked them whether they would be interested in performing with him that evening.

Bass guitarist and vocalist Jacob said: "He was so personable, it didn't feel like you were speaking to someone who sold millions of records.

"It was just like you'd known him forever."

Indie band The Caymans were formed in Halifax in 2023

The band had just an hour to borrow instruments from the nearby Leeds Conservatoire before appearing on stage - an experience they described as "nerve-racking".

"It's quite heroic of Pete to let a smaller band come on and play in front of an audience that knows what they want," guitarist and vocalist Alastair said.

"I think it's quite good of him to do that."

Before Thursday's gig, The Caymans had not performed in front of an audience of more than 60 people.

They now hope this performance will be the start of many.

"It's the dream for all of us make music as a way of living and it's given us a taste of that and we just want more of it," Jacob added.