So what makes a 52-year-old grandfather want to stand in front of a baying crowd and be covered in spit for an hour and a half?
That’s what John Lydon – aka Johnny Rotten – endured until the searing heat of Birmingham’s Academy finally parched the throats of the front rows midway through last night’s show.
“Ello Villans! Ello Zulus! Ello Wolves!” he bellowed through pantomime sneer and hunchback gait. Wot no Baggies John?
It’s 32 years since the most controversial band ever last played Brum. Back then, less than 100 witnessed their show at the now-defunct Bogart’s before a legendary thrash at Wolverhampton’s Lafayette club.
Last night’s crowd looked old enough to remember those days, with the vast majority being 40-something blokes happily reliving their snotty youth; sometimes a bit too literally.
But Lydon, who’s been quick to walk off in the past, held back from complaining about the constant bombardment from plastic bottles and instead turned what’s left of his ire on the Government, George Bush, the sound man and finally the crowd itself, which wasn’t making enough noise for his liking.
Problem is John, they were probably knackered after the very first track – Pretty Vacant – was hammered out like a wall of noise and created a seething crush of bodies from front to back which barely eased all night.
Played out on a sparse black stage devoid of a single prop, the set was largely culled from their one – yes, one – studio album.
But what an album; from its iconic sleeve to its era-defining racket, the Sex Pistols will always be known as the most important band of the 1970s.
What’s interesting is that despite sound problems last night, they look a pretty tight unit.
Steve Jones is a man mountain still capable of executing an earthmoving growl from his guitar, while Paul Cook has barely changed at all.
Glen Matlock showed why he never quite fitted in and still looks like he belongs in Spandau Ballet, but believe it or not, these boys can actually play. And you don’t get to be this big without decent tunes; Holidays in the Sun, God Save the Queen and, of course, Anarchy in the UK were given the full shoutalong treatment as sweat dripped from the walls.
Once upon a time they were a social phenomenon. Nowadays they are simply a legendary rock band getting ready to headline 20 festivals across Europe over the next three months.
“I’m not your Rolling Stone!” bickered Lydon at one point.
Like it or not Johnny boy, it’s getting that way.
Review by Keith Harrison.
Agree with Keith? Post your own review using the form below.
14 Comments
A great gig & venue for once I did not feel like one of the oldest at a gig lol , next time lads play the Wulfrun
I wish they would sing rockin all over the world by the quo like the pistols used to
Great review..what a night!!
Never sweated so much at a gig before..great fun band were brilliant,loved every minute off it.
Long journey back to Scotland after it tho!!
ha ha
I went last nite to the gig in brum, and despite being a grandmother i was right in the thick of it feet away from the stage, a breath of fresh air to listen to some good music I felt 15 again which is how old I was last time I saw them play. BRILLIANT they were only trouble is I ache like hell today.
Keith did you believe they were for real
or have they lost their cheap appeal ?
Crutch
Brilliant gig….your reviewer’s ears aren’t very good though and the review lacks any real energy to reflect what happened last night. Surely he said I’m not your stepping stone ……….
Has to go down as one of the best gigs I have seen in many a year…….although The Jam @ Bingley Hall takes some beating
On the 11th of June, I was in the English City of Birmingham.
The Carling Academy Birmingham.
ohh yes Sex Pistols Live !
Amazing night, a much smaller venue then usual, which made the gig even better !
Danke Birmingham Leute ! Great Crowd !
I had the biggest smile when Dame Vera Lynn blasted out, kicking off the gig !
LOL the amount of beer that went in the air was like a beer monsoon. The heat in the place was uber Hot.
Und I mean Mental Hot !
Fantastic night, Thanks Birmingham.
the pistols gig was great seen them twice before back in 96. however your reviewer seem to like to exagerate a bit i saw no bottles being thrown the venue pour bottles out in to plastic glasses, yeah there were a few glasses thrown but even when hit on head with one they did not hurt,sound was better than normal in venue nice loud good bass sound(ps i should know as have worked as a sound enginer)we had a few fools spitting but not many. it was very hot however building lacks air con all in all amazing night roll on hammersmith in september….
only problem was some crowd should of shouted more bit subdude
fantastic gig!!! loud,frantic,tropical heat,the band were superb and the crowd amazing,waited 30 years to see the pistols and they did not disappoint,hope i dont have to wait another 30 years as my body wouldnt be able to take the battering then lol
I think we all wanted to shout for a 2nd encore, but it was so damn hot and we were all so knackered that we just could not find enough energy to ask for more. Fab gig tho, thoroughly enjoyed it. Can only critcise the floor, it was damn slippy. Should use rubber flooring like at Brixton and La Cigale in Paris. But hey, the music was awesome and ears were still throbbing the next day. It was packed to the rafters from front to back and I can’t imagine anyone ended up where they started. Jumping up and down then being shifted sideways backwards n forwards, just like the old days of 77 at the Laf. Hope they tour again next year. Can’t make anymore of the Combine Harvester unfortunately
Crutch,
Were they ever for real? Anyway, I thought you’d have been there . . . original line-up after all (!)
Mag,
Lydon changed the lyrics on the last chorus to make a point.
Gary,
Bottles/glasses=same thing really. Just that bottles goes better with the headline I bet
Top night.
Ever get the feeling you’ve been treated?
Typical ******** from a journalist that probably knows naff all about the Sex Pistols - but spent 90 seconds on Wikipedia researching them prior to the gig.
Fantastic Gig !!
I saw them at Finsbury Park in ‘96 and that was brilliant.
To see them at The Academy …
Lydon was SUPERB !!! So much energy for a 52 year old.
The songs STILL sound INCREDIBLE.
From back to front downstairs the crowd just was one bouncing mass of people from the opening ‘Pretty Vacant’ to the closing ‘Anarchy’.
A REAL CLASSIC GIG.