COLUMBUS, OH- The Sex Pistols, the band synonymous with the birth of punk rock, are on the road celebrating 50 years of punk and revisiting their sole studio album, “Never Mind the Bollocks, Here’s the Sex Pistols.” The band made a stop at Newport Music Hall in Columbus, OH. The evening had been a long time coming: the tour had to be pushed back a year after Steve Jones broke his wrist. The tour, called “Anarchy in the UK,” features original band members Steve Jones, Paul Cook and Glen Matlock, the bassist before he was replaced by Sid Vicious, alongside current frontman Frank Carter.
For many, myself included, this was the first opportunity to hear these songs played live by original band members. I was too young for the band’s most infamous incarnation in 1977, and I wasn’t really attending concerts during the 2008 reunion. Though this tour is sans both Johnny Rotten and Sid Vicious, I enjoyed it immensely.
It’s hard to talk about the Sex Pistols without giving “Never Mind the Bollocks, Here’s the Sex Pistols” its due. Released in 1977, their only studio album left a mark that bands with decades of records are still chasing. One record was enough to make their point and give generations of listeners something to turn up loud. That’s a pretty remarkable accomplishment, whatever your feelings about the band.
The controversy, the clothes and the personalities are all part of the story. But none of that would have meant as much to me standing in Newport Music Hall if the songs didn’t hold up. They do. Behind the sneering and confrontation are hooks that stick with you, guitar parts you want turned up and choruses practically demanding that you shout along.
Hearing these songs live, I was struck by how little explanation any of it needed. Nobody had to convince the crowd that they mattered. Generations of fans were gathered in the same room, singing every word. Some may have seen an earlier incarnation; others were finally getting their chance, like I was. Whatever brought us there, the enthusiasm was shared.
The night opened with Bad Nerves. Taking the stage around 8:30, they delivered a blistering, high-velocity set of hook-laden garage punk that hit like a shot of adrenaline. Their frantic pacing and infectious melodies earned an enthusiastic response from the crowd, making them an appropriate warm-up for the chaos that followed.
Led by vocalist Bobby Nerves (Bobby Bird), the band paired a clean, bright vocal tone with rapid-fire instrumentation from guitarists William Phillipson and George Berry, bassist Jonathan Poulton and drummer Samuel Thompson. They played ferociously fast, distorted pop songs throughout their thirty-minute set, including “Baby Drummer,” “Don’t Stop,” “Network,” “USA,” “Radio Punk,” “Antidote” and more. The future of punk rock looks bright.
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Anticipation was high during the changeover. The stage now featured pink and orange amp cabinets and a pink drum kit, set before a backdrop of illustrated amps in the same colors, topped with banners reading “NOWHERE” and “BOREDOM.” The near-capacity crowd began chanting “SEX PISTOLS” before the band took the stage one by one. Warm greetings between the band and crowd brought the energy in the room to a boiling point. Generations of fans had gathered to see the current iteration of this iconic band. Naysayers and gatekeepers be damned, Frank Carter led the band well, making their songs his own.
They opened with “Holidays in the Sun,” “Seventeen” and “New York,” leading the way through a massive set that included their sole studio album in its entirety, plus a few covers for good measure. Jones, Matlock and Cook played their parts perfectly whilst occasionally interacting with each other. During “Pretty Vacant,” Carter left the stage and entered the crowd, encouraging everyone to join the pit with him in the middle of it. From jump, Carter proved he wasn’t acting as a guest or a fill-in. He made the show exciting.
“Bodies” followed as Carter climbed back onstage. The set felt fresh, probably much like it did during their first run, and the band seemed far more widely accepted than they were back then. The crowd sang along enthusiastically to every track. The first of three covers came next: “(I’m Not Your) Stepping Stone,” made famous by the Monkees. The other two, the Stooges’ “No Fun” and “My Way,” famously associated with Frank Sinatra, were mixed in for fun.
They ran through the rest of “Never Mind the Bollocks” with such energy: “Liar,” “God Save the Queen,” “No Feelings,” which featured an all-female pit, “EMI” and “Problems,” before ending the night with their most recognizable song, “Anarchy in the U.K.” Members of Bad Nerves came out to join in on the gang vocals.
I understand why fans have strong opinions about who should hold the microphone. Rotten’s voice is inseparable from the record for many people. But Jones, Cook and Matlock were right there, and Carter approached the songs with enough enthusiasm and commitment to keep me fully engaged. He made it easy to enjoy the band in front of me.
I couldn’t go back to 1977, and I wasn’t looking to pretend that I had. I wanted to hear these songs played with some fire by musicians who helped create them. For all the history attached to “Never Mind the Bollocks,” it was satisfying to hear that music sounding so alive in the present.
Just like that, the night was over, and I was left feeling satisfied. I got to see one of the most iconic bands in punk rock. The Sex Pistols deserve much respect. They stand strong for a new generation of punks while delivering for longtime fans who may never have had the opportunity to see and hear these songs live. Longtime fans should be satisfied with what they’re bringing. With Carter fronting the band, the Sex Pistols put on a fantastic show for the hundreds of fans gathered. They remain one of the greatest punk rock bands in the history of rock music.
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LIVE CLIPS
Sex Pistols and Frank Carter Ignite Newport Music Hall
