The Sex Pistols @ Birmingham Academy – 11th June 2008
It’s been 32 years since Johnny Rotten and co brought the filth and the fury to a Birmingham stage so, when tickets for tonight’s gig went on sale, all 3000 sold out in around 60 minutes. Tonight there’s little sign of either filth or fury but, at the age of 52, Mr Rotten still knows how to deliver his sarcastic one-liners like nobody else and the rest of the Sex Pistols are also on fine form.
Coming on to the strains of “There’ll Always Be An England” gives the crowd a chance to prove they’re in fine voice before the band even grace the Academy stage. A simple set-up of drum riser and a couple of amps draped in English flags means all the focus is on the band members themselves, but when those band members are as legendary as these, that’s all you really need anyway. The trademark punk outfits have all but vanished save for Steve Jones t-shirt. These days Glen Matlock looks more like he could be playing bass for the Bee Gees in his all-white get-up, whereas John Lydon goes more for the pyjama look. Vivienne Westwood would be devastated!
Kicking off with the anthemic “Pretty Vacant” sets the tone nicely and the superb sound quality breathes added life into the song. “Hello Birmingham” sneers Lydon. “Hello Villains. Hello Zulus. Hello Wolves.” His menacing grin makes you wonder where he’s going with the football references but instead the band plough into “Lazy Sod” and, as “No Feelings” belts out of the PA, the audience once again becomes a swirling sea of bodies, many of whom yell the chorus back towards the stage as if the song was written just for them.
“We are doing the best we can for old men” Lydon says with a knowing glint in his eye before leading the crowd in a singalong of “Grandad We Love You”! “Here’s another Sex Pistols song guaranteed to kill the geriatrics” leads us into “Liar” and the famously grumpy singer looks to be having a great time back in the limelight. “Holidays In the Sun” is introduced with the line “There’s only one thing better than the English abroad, and that’s the English at home” and the 31 year old song sounds as sarcastic and nasty as ever.
It’s easy to forget that this is a band with remarkably few songs given their history. After an all-too-brief set they return predictably to hammer out the real classics with which the Sex Pistols and even punk rock itself are associated. “Would you like to sing along with Johnny?” begs the singer. A roar of agreement and the band deliver a storming rendition of “God Save The Queen” quickly followed with “EMI”. They leave the stage for a second time but everyone knows this is not the end as there are still classics to be aired.
“Bodies” namechecks the “girl from Birmingham” and the set finally closes with the almighty “Anarchy In the UK”.
They may be in their fifties and far removed from the snotty punks of 1976 but the Sex Pistols still know how to work their crowd and put on a solid 80 minutes of entertainment. Plenty of comedy, a genuine rapport with their audience and a sackful of punk rock anthems mean nobody goes home without a smile on their face. And at around £40 a ticket the Great Rock n Roll Swindle is almost justified.
Words – Steve Gerrard