July 30, 2010
As a life-long fan of John Lydon, I nearly wet myself in excitement when I heard he was coming to Oxford! Public Image Limited, or PIL for short, were formed straight after The Sex Pistols became little more than a novelty act, with Lydon storming out in disgust over the exploitative publicity stunts churned out by Malcolm McLaren, their manager and mentor.
The years 1978 and 1979 were pretty much defined by the first two Public Image albums; the venomous punk/new wave of their eponymously titled debut, and the extraordinary dub/punk blackness of "Metal Box", arguably Lydon's greatest ever musical achievement. The incredible combination of Lydon's tortured, wailing sneers and Jah Wobble's impossibly heavy bass proved to be a winner; nearly thirty five years later these recordings are still inspiring countless young musicians, many of whom are well-established names.
Enough of the history lesson. Eschewing a support band in favour of a seventies dub reggae DJ set, Public Image are all about lack of compromise. Tonight's set is very, very uncompromising. They open with 'This Is Not A Love Song', their biggest hit single. I always considered this track one of their bouncier numbers, but the version played tonight is full of dread and malice. It's also incredibly compelling. Lu Edmunds proves to be a more than adequate replacement for Wobble on bass, whilst the drummer does an excellent job of providing hard, sinister rhythms as a backdrop to Lydon's menacing vocal mannerisms. Ever the performer, Lydon berates the crowd throughout, encourages them to beat up a security guard who he believes to have been "roughing people up", and brands the Pope a "Nazi" and a "paedophile". Anybody who thinks old age, reality shows and Butter adverts have softened this bloke should think again! Elsewhere, we get stunning versions of 'The Flowers Of Romance', 'Albatross', 'Public Image' and 'Rise', with the crowd moshing gleefully throughout.
The band certainly give value for money, playing for at least two and a half hours; by the end, when they conclude the show with a ferocious rendition of 'Open Up', the 1993 Leftfield single which Lydon sang lead vocals on, Lydon looks visibly moved at the rapturous applause laid upon him by the audience. It's a surprisingly poignant moment, and also a hugely heartening one.
Superb, one of the best gigs I have ever witnessed in Oxford. Further proof, if any were required in the first place, that Punk is FAR from dead.
The years 1978 and 1979 were pretty much defined by the first two Public Image albums; the venomous punk/new wave of their eponymously titled debut, and the extraordinary dub/punk blackness of "Metal Box", arguably Lydon's greatest ever musical achievement. The incredible combination of Lydon's tortured, wailing sneers and Jah Wobble's impossibly heavy bass proved to be a winner; nearly thirty five years later these recordings are still inspiring countless young musicians, many of whom are well-established names.
Enough of the history lesson. Eschewing a support band in favour of a seventies dub reggae DJ set, Public Image are all about lack of compromise. Tonight's set is very, very uncompromising. They open with 'This Is Not A Love Song', their biggest hit single. I always considered this track one of their bouncier numbers, but the version played tonight is full of dread and malice. It's also incredibly compelling. Lu Edmunds proves to be a more than adequate replacement for Wobble on bass, whilst the drummer does an excellent job of providing hard, sinister rhythms as a backdrop to Lydon's menacing vocal mannerisms. Ever the performer, Lydon berates the crowd throughout, encourages them to beat up a security guard who he believes to have been "roughing people up", and brands the Pope a "Nazi" and a "paedophile". Anybody who thinks old age, reality shows and Butter adverts have softened this bloke should think again! Elsewhere, we get stunning versions of 'The Flowers Of Romance', 'Albatross', 'Public Image' and 'Rise', with the crowd moshing gleefully throughout.
The band certainly give value for money, playing for at least two and a half hours; by the end, when they conclude the show with a ferocious rendition of 'Open Up', the 1993 Leftfield single which Lydon sang lead vocals on, Lydon looks visibly moved at the rapturous applause laid upon him by the audience. It's a surprisingly poignant moment, and also a hugely heartening one.
Superb, one of the best gigs I have ever witnessed in Oxford. Further proof, if any were required in the first place, that Punk is FAR from dead.