SEX PISTOLS – FESTIVAL HALL – MELBOURNE – 05.04.2025
Review: Craig Eriksson. Photos: Jason Rosewarne
Last night we experienced the mighty Sex Pistols, a band that brought the world’s attention to the punk rock music scene in the 70s and whose influence still remains significant to this day. On this tour, without original frontman Johnny Rotten, the explosive Sex Pistols performed their iconic 1977 album Never Mind The Bollocks, Here’s The Sex Pistols album in its entirety. It’s been 29 years since the Sex Pistols last played in Melbourne and that was also at this same historic venue, which is Festival Hall in West Melbourne.
As we made our way to Festival Hall, there were punks with mohawks, spiked and studded jackets, distressed jeans, tattoos and body piercings wandering the local streets of West Melbourne, gathering together to enjoy a few beverages on their way to the venue to see the Pistols.
The Sex Pistols are a punk rock band from London that formed 50 years ago back in 1975. The original line-up consisted of vocalist Johnny Rotten (born John Lydon), guitarist Steve Jones, drummer Paul Cook and bassist Glen Matlock. In early 1977, Matlock was replaced by Sid Vicious (born John Richie) and amazingly the Sex Pistols initial career lasted just two and a half years. They disbanded in January 1978. In February 1979, Sid Vicious died of a heroin overdose following the arrest for the ‘alleged murder’ of stabbing his girlfriend, Nancy Spungen.
Rotten, Jones, Cook and Matlock later reunited in 1996 for their Filthy Lucre Tour and they played at Festival Hall on Saturday 19 October 1996. I checked out the set list of the 1996 Filthy Lucre Show at Festival Hall show and it was almost identical to tonight’s 2025 set, with the only addition back then being Stepping Stone, Did You No Wrong and Submission. This time the 2025 set included Silly Thing and My Way.
I was a young impressionable kid back when Sex Pistols exploded onto the music scene in 1977. They were a young bunch of wild punk rockers, brash, crude, provocative, political anarchists, anti-conformists, speaking out about social injustice and the monarchy. They gained notoriety for their provocative lyrics, profanity on live TV and the album ‘Never Mind The Bollocks, Here’s The Sex Pistols.’ They were extremely controversial, known for their filthy wild behaviour and outrageous stage antics, which put them on the map and gained them widespread attention. Songs like God Save the Queen in 1977 caused an uproar at the time as it expressed negative views of the monarchy with the opening lines: “God Save the Queen / The fascist regime / They made you a moron”. This song was banned by TV and radio at the time. At school, the rebellious kids idolised Johnny Rotten and Syd Vicious and wore Sex Pistols tee displaying the Never Mind The Bollocks (NMTB) album.
We arrived early to watch Melbourne punk rockers, Civic perform a short set. The last time we saw Civic was in 2024 supporting Radio Birdman at The Croxton. Civic frontman Jim McCullough owned the stage and with a great band, warmed up the crowd ready for the Sex Pistols.
The 2025 iteration of the Sex Pistols features three of the original members, Steve, Paul and Glen alongside vocalist Frank Carter.
Band Members:
Steve Jones – Lead Guitar / backing vocals
Paul Cook – Drums
Glen Matlock – Bassists / backing vocals
Frank Carter – lead vocals
Frank Carter is an English musician best known for his part in the musical groups – Gallows, Pure Love and Frank Carter and the Rattlesnakes. Caked in tattoos, ferocious live presence and confrontational attitude, Carter has the perfect venom to be the frontman of the Sex Pistols.
This was a sold out show and Festival Hall was packed, festering with punks featuring unique and wonderful fashions and piercings. The vibe was electric and buzzing with anticipation. Sex Pistols emerged on stage with Frank Carter opening with HOLIDAYS IN THE SUN. This was the fourth single and lead track from the 1977 NMTB album. I watched an old video clip of this song where Sid Vicious got head-butted by an overzealous fan and received a bloody nose. Instead of wiping up the mess, he played on letting the blood run down him during the rest of the show, spitting blood on the crowd and tearing open a previous self-inflicted arm wound with a smashed beer bottle.
The moshpit of punks went crazy to this song and this continued for the majority of the evening. SEVENTEEN followed which is an anti-hippie song with lyrics like: “We don’t care about long hair, I don’t wear flares”. NEW YORK was next with its quirky lyrics: “An imitation from New York, You’re made in Japan, From cheese and chalk.” You realise by now that Frank Carter was the perfect choice as the frontman for this latest iteration of the Sex Pistols. Cheeky, brash, crude, charismatic and loads of attitude. Crowd favourite PRETTY VACANT almost blew the roof off Festival Hall and was one of my favourite songs of the evening. I’ve seen so many bands over the years influenced by the Sex Pistols who have covered this song, including The Screaming Jets.
Frank Carter went into the crowd for BODIES and as he made his way into the middle of the floor, he laughed and said “Someone just grabbed my dick!” Carter asked everyone to run a circle pit around him and the crowd went fckn’ apeshit. Crazed punks lost their shit in this song and were running the circle around Carter, throwing cans and shoes into the air, it was wild. When Carter made his way back on stage, he said to the band “I think I just lost my virginity” (laughed) and then said he had forgotten he was in Australia and said “you’re all a bunch of mad c*nts”.
SILLY THING originally appeared on the 1979 soundtrack album of the film The Great Rock ‘n’ Roll Swindle. This is a catchy song and anthem-like sing along. It was back to the NMTB album for LIAR. The crowd were body slamming each other, crowd surfing and loving every minute of it. If you closed your eyes, you would have thought it was Johnny Rotten singing. Carter nails this song. Carter then says I want everyone to sing the next song with me and if you don’t know the lyrics, then I don’t know why you’re fckn here (laughs). They launch into GOD SAVE THE QUEEN and everyone sung with gusto, which sounded incredible.
Sex Pistols then performed a cover of The Stooges NO FUN, which is a favourite punk song of mine and clearly most fans in attendance too. It was a killer song and highlighted that the lads (Steve, Paul, Glen) still have it in them to put on a great rock ‘n’ roll show. It was also a nice nod and a wink to the American garage punk pioneers. For anyone under the illusion that Sex Pistols invented punk rock, it’s notable that The Stooges had released three albums (including the legendary Raw Power) and disbanded for the first time before the Pistols had even formed.
We had bassist Glen Matlock directly in front of us and he is one very smooth, cool cat and for a 68-year old, holds his age well. Paul ‘Cookie’ Cook looks like he’s been frozen in time with his youthful look and energy behind the skins. Co-founding guitarist Steve Jones is a punk rock icon and played a pivotal role in shaping Sex Pistol’s sound and image. Jones is known for his rebellious attitude and chugging riffs. Jones was wearing a Sex Pistols God Save The Queen tee and was very laidback and cheeky. We just loved the raw energy, sound and exhilarating vibe they create smashing out fast-paced, short songs, with hard-edged melodies and stripped-down instrumentation.
SATELLITE with its heavy riffs and anthem-like lyrics had fans pumping their fists in the air shouting back at Carter: “I love You”. The fast-paced, high energy NO FEELINGS had everyone jumping about singing: No feelings, No feelings, No feelings, For anybody else.” The lyrics are hilarious and the song is about self love. PROBLEMS continued with the high punk energy and I found myself jumping about and body slamming others around me without even realising. They finished with E.M.I. which mocks the record label for terminating their contract. EMI initially signed them up in 1977 wanting to cash in on their success but dumped them only 3-months as EMI thought Sex Pistols antics would be too damaging to the label’s reputation.
Sex Pistols came out for a two-song encore with Carter singing a punk rock rendition of Frank Sinatra’s MY WAY, which back in the day was Sid Vicious’ signature tune. Carter has a great voice and with the opening bars of the song, would have made Frank Sinatra stand up and be proud. Then as the song continues, it breaks into the Johnny Rotten-sounding version of this old classic, full of brash vocals and Sex Pistols energy. Attitude at its best! The show fittingly concluded with ANARCHY IN THE UK and was the pinnacle of the show.
Sex Pistols only played for around 80 minutes, smashing out a 15-song high energy, powerful set which seemed to be a bit too short for fans, but it was still well worth seeing them and being part of rock ’n’ roll history and as we walked out after the show, fans were saturated from sweat and grinning like crazed cats from what they had just been a part of – a wild punk rock ’n’ roll show at its absolute finest.
SET LIST:
Holidays in the Sun
Seventeen
New York
Pretty Vacant
Bodies
Silly Thing
Liar
God Save The Queen
No Fun (The Stooges cover)
Satellite
No Feelings
Problems
E.M.I.
Encore:
My Way
Anarchy In The U.K.
