50 Years Later, the Sex Pistols Still Bring the Noise
It’s not easy to stand in for a lead singer, especially for a legendary band that has been around for decades, but Frank Carter made it look like a cakewalk during his stint as frontman for the Sex Pistols. He has managed to bring a new youthful punk energy while still staying true to the Pistols’ attitude and style, and he looks like he’s having the time of his life while doing it.
Friday night had a certain buzz and almost nervous energy to it as a Nor’easter barreled toward the East Coast and winds whipped around the iconic Fillmore in Philly. The weekend’s outdoor festivals had all just been canceled, including CBGB Fest, which was supposed to be the next stop on this tour. This was the last chance to get all that energy out before being forced to hunker down and watch Netflix. Unfortunately, the crowd was already acting like they were on their couches.
The audience was mostly made up of older, longtime punks. It was a sea of tight plaid pants, combat boots, ripped fishnets, and leather upon leather upon leather. There were even a couple of men with dyed orange mohawks. It was a living, breathing Google image search for “classic punk fashion,” which felt appropriate considering that when the Sex Pistols started, fashion was just as much a part of the movement as the music, thanks in part to their connection with Vivienne Westwood.
BAD NERVES
Opening the evening was one of my favorite bands, Bad Nerves. Hailing from Essex, England, this five-piece punk band is widely considered your favorite band’s favorite band. They have toured with Green Day, The Hives, and Nothing But Thieves, to name a few. Their brand of punk is melodic, catchy, and fast, and they gave it their all on Friday night, but unfortunately got very little in return from the crowd. I mean, even if you don’t know the music, at least cheer and smile, right?
Bad Nerves’ lead singer Bobby Nerves even shouted at one point, “Philly, what’s wrong tonight?” I tried to take some photos of the crowd, but they were completely expressionless.
Meanwhile, I was singing along to all the lyrics from behind my camera and left wishing their 30-Minute set had been twice as long. I freaking love these guys. When I first heard them, I thought they reminded me of the Ramones, The Clash, or even the Sex Pistols, so it was really fitting that they got to open for the legendary band.
SEX PISTOLS
When the Sex Pistols took the stage to a symphony version of “God Save the Queen,” the crowd did wake up a bit and seemed genuinely excited. By the time the first song, “Holidays in the Sun,” ended, a few things were evident: Paul “Cookie” Cook freaking cooks on the drums, Glen Matlock and Steve Jones can still shred, and Frank Carter is a breath of fresh air as frontman, carrying on the original sass and wit that the Sex Pistols were known for.
Carter immediately took command of the audience, and after the first couple of songs, he went into the crowd and told them that tomorrow’s New York show had been canceled. “You need to fuckin’ work with us, cuz we’ve got two fucking gigs of energy to get out!”
He then had them form a large circle pit around him, and for the entirety of “Pretty Vacant,” he sang from the middle of the pit while taking selfies with fans and singing along with them.
Afterward, Carter explained that now they understood what the vibe was and what was expected of them for the rest of the show. He joked that the crowd being a bit older—and not having universal healthcare—was the reason they were so timid to let loose. The crowd obliged, and the energy continued to build, with a modest mosh pit forming for the rest of the show. I even spotted one crowd surfer later in the set.
Carter did a great job of keeping the crowd engaged while carrying the energy of the show. From swinging the mic stand around with his appropriately colored pink and yellow microphone to jumping and leaping through the air, he is a natural frontman.
At one point between songs, he stopped and pointed at a woman holding up a sign. He told us all that the sign said, “My Husband Says Fuck Off.” He asked what her husband’s name was, and then had the entire crowd yell, “Fuck off, Leo!” back at her husband.
The setlist included most of the songs from Never Mind the Bollocks, Here’s the Sex Pistols, as well as their covers of “I’m Not Your Stepping Stone,” “No Fun,” and, of course, “My Way.” Carter started the song singing it in the traditional Paul Anka style, with a few giggles here and there, before bursting into the Sex Pistols’ version of the song.
Although the energy level of the crowd struggled a bit at the beginning, both bands gave enough energy to fill the room and then some. It was amazing to see these punk legends perform the music that started it all, and Frank Carter helped bridge the gap between the ’70s and now while still keeping that original Sex Pistols spirit alive.
By the end of the night, the crowd had let their guards down and the Fillmore was buzzing. It’s a testament to the Sex Pistols’ influence that these songs still hold so much weight and relevance in today’s world.