If there was ever a band that epitomised the British punk-rock movement, the Sex Pistols would be it. As a genre-defining band that has gone through more iterations than one can count, it was perhaps a surprise to see that the Hordern Pavillion was not packed for their performance, with most of the seats in the arena covered up and the mosh pit not feeling as cramped as it usually does. With Frank Carter taking the lead, the band had a different feel to it, with no Johnny Rotten grit but a whole lot of punk fun nonetheless. 

The band kicked off their show with a tribute to Clem Burke, the legendary Blondie drummer who passed away the day before. 

“Tonight is for Clem and it’s for friendship,” Carter said. 

Performing the entirety of their debut album “Never Mind the Bollocks”, the countercultural impact of the band’s musical was immediately evident from the top of the set. With “Holiday in the Sun” commencing proceedings, the band gave a nod to their anti-establishment roots, much to the delight of the crowd. 

The energy in the room kicked up a notch as the band performed “Pretty Vacant”, with Carter in full voice as the audience sang back the lyrics to the band. The edge of the vocals and the instrumentals cut through the crowd, creating a fantastic atmosphere among those in attendance. 

As the night progressed, it seemed that the band got slightly frustrated with the relatively sparse attendance on a rainy Sydney night, making frequent comparisons to the crowd in Adelaide which fell a bit flat among the Sydneysiders. However, once Carter jumped into the crowd, the energy lifted again, with the crowd forming a wild circle pit which slithered around the singer as he belted out “Bodies.”

The rest of the band had opportunities to show off their musicality throughout the set, with a high point coming when they performed “God Save The Queen”, which lifted the energy in the room once again, with Carter’s slightly more lyrical voice giving the song a fresh intensity. The show as a whole perhaps did not have the carefree abandon of the Johnny Rotten era, but the structure meant that the show felt more considered, with Carter’s artistry meaning that everything flowed nicely. 

The band closed out their set with a cover of “My Way” and one of their biggest hits, “Anarchy in the UK.” “My Way” started as a significant change of pace from the rest of the set, with Carter crooning the song in a style not dissimilar to Robbie Williams before launching into a full band punk-rock version which had the crowd back on their feet again. It was a clever arrangement, and it worked well in the Hordern Pavillion. The band finished off with the whole crowd behind them, chanting the lyrics to “Anarchy in the UK” football crowd style in a poignant end to the night. 

Some may say this is not the Sex Pistols as they know them, but the band did a great job of evoking nostalgia whilst showing great musicality in a cohesive and entertaining set. Whilst the sparsity of the crowd meant that there was not a full rocking atmosphere, those in attendance still had a fantastic time at what was an exciting gig. Who knows if the band will be back in Australia again, but if it was the last time, the band made sure they left no stone unturned. 

Rating: ★★★★

Sex Pistols – Hordern Pavillion – 8 April 2025