The Wonder Stuff frontman strolls on with his guitar, sits
on a stool behind his mike and delivers a set of acoustic numbers that stretch
back over a career spanning 30 odd years. With limited time there is,
unfortunately, only enough minutes for nine songs but each of them is delivered
with passion although obviously in a gentler, more laid back way than seen at
Stuffies gigs. Miles Hunt sings from his heart about things that matter to him,
including a rallying call against the right wing direction the UK seems to be
heading with ‘We Came Here To Work’. There’s a large back catalogue to choose
from. Tonight we’re treated to ‘When The Currency Was Youth’ and ‘We Came Here
To Work’ from recent album with Erica Nockalls as well as a decent selection of
his Wonder Stuff output – ‘Can’t Shape Up’, ‘Good Deeds & Highs’, ‘Caught
In My Shadow’, ‘Circlesquare’ and with the exception of one sad git the crowd
like it. This sad git, clearly not expecting an acoustic opener at a PiL gig,
decides to heckle Hunt. He’s quickly dispatched with a cutting comment asking
if he’s still fighting the punk rock wars.
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| Miles Hunt |
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| Miles Hunt |
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| Miles Hunt |
40 years ago Public Image Ltd broke new ground with their
experimental post-punk and rewrote the rules of music, again. 40 years on and
with a wealth of material to draw from PiL, when on form, still make you feel
you’re experiencing something special. Tonight they’re certainly on form and as
expected we get a career spanning set that opens with the superbly catchy,
addictively danceable, ‘Warrior’. Live PiL deliver intense, vibrant and still
relevant songs. The current, most stable line-up, of Lu Edmonds, Bruce Smith,
Scott Firth and John Lydon pump out a perfectly crafted noise of deep, dark
bass rhythms, tribal drums, scratchy guitars and wailing vocals. Lydon
dominates front of stage with that unforgettably piercing stare and now
familiar dancing shuffle. But it’s Lydons voice that really hits home. Whether
howling his way through ‘Death Disco’ or delivering a slightly less ear
splitting cry of ‘Public Image’ you are constantly reminded that PiL are PiL.
They’ve never compromised and they’re not going to start now. PiL do what they
do and if you don’t like it you can fuck right off because they really don’t
care. This is why they can be one of the most exciting live bands around and why
every new release is fresh and innovative. Classics are belted out much to the
approval of those here. ‘Death disco’, ‘Flowers Of Romance’, ‘Memories’, ‘This
Is Not A Love Song’ and ‘Rise’ – the perfect song to end a set covering all of
the last four decades.
Some things don’t change. Lydon still swigs his brandy for
medicinal purposes before spitting it back out, still clears his nasal cavities
between songs. Tonight he’s not wearing glasses but still stands behind a song
book.
PiL return for an encore, Lydon complete with Newcastle
scarf, and begin the unmistakeable chant of “Hello, Hello” and ‘Public Image’,
surely one of the greatest songs to appear in the aftermath of punk, makes the
masses move. Finishing with a truly immense ‘Open Up’ PiL leave you realising
just how good following your own convictions and not following a formula can
be.
Set List: Warrior / memories / The Body / Corporate / The
Room I am In / Death Disco / Cruel / I’m Not Satisfied / Flowers Of romance /
Fishing / This Is Not A Love Song / Rise.
Encores: Public Image / Open Up/Shoom.
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| Public Image Ltd |
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| Public Image Ltd |
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| Public Image Ltd |
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| Public Image Ltd |
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| Public Image Ltd |
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| Public Image Ltd |
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| Public Image Ltd |
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