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Islington Tribune - by PETER GRUNER
Published: 31 August 2007

Dirty Pretty Things got inmates rocking at Pentonville during a storming hour-long charirty gig

Jailhouse chapel rocks to the sound of bands with message

Dirty Pretty Things star at Pentonville gig warning inmates of suicide risks

FORGET Johnny Cash performing at San Quentin prison, the scene in Pentonville’s Victorian chapel on Bank Holiday Monday was more reminiscent of the TV sitcom Porridge.
Prison officers stood at the back with watchful and wary expressions while inmates cheered and laughed as two of Britain’s biggest bands played a blistering hour-long gig in aid of charity.
For the first time in its 150-year history, the normally sombre chapel was the venue for a rock concert for 180 inmates, who listened with rapt attention to the raucous sounds of Indie bands Dirty Pretty Things and The Enemy.
The inmates particularly enjoyed remarks by DPT frontman Carl Barât, who confided that the last time he was in a jail was to visit former bandmate Pete Doherty at Wandsworth prison.
“I didn’t really see as much there as I have here,” he said.
Prison governor Nick Leader explained that the concert was staged to raise awareness of the issue of young men committing suicide.
He told the audience that part of the problem was that men don’t consider it macho to talk about how “desperate or scared they are”.
At Pentonville, prisoners are seven times more likely to take their lives than the average person.
The concert, in aid of anti-suicide charity Campaign against Living Miserably (Calm), was the brainchild of Dan Fulvio, deputy news editor at celebrity magazine Heat. His 22-year-old brother Steven killed himself on Christmas Eve last year.
Mr Fulvio said: “The gig was a fantastic event, and I could tell the prisoners were really enjoying themselves. There was no room to dance but I could see them all bopping in their seats.”
A prisoner offered a St Christopher medallion to him after hearing of Steven’s tragic death.
But prison rules meant that he was unable to accept the gift. “The offer of the St Christopher was for me the most touching part of the day,” said Mr Fulvio, who praised Mr Leader for allowing the gig to be staged.
A second gig is to be held at Camden club Koko on September 8 to raise money that will allow Calm to run a helpline. Calvin Harris, The Rakes and Boy Kill Boy are billed to appear.
Tickets are £15 from www.ticketweb.co.uk.

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