Live Review: Frank Carter & Sex Pistols - Manchester
Support: The Kairos
24th September 2024
Words: Matthew Williams
Photos: Tim Finch
The last time I saw Frank Carter he had a bandage around his head stood outside the back of The Sugarmill in Stoke, as a fan has pushed him over whilst on stage with his band Gallows. So to see him front one of this country’s most iconic bands, was a bit surreal.
The Manchester Academy was absolutely rammed, full of people wearing bright coloured DM’s, bondage trousers, tattoos, piercings and mohicans. As a newly 50-year-old person, I felt very young stood in my position near the back, but it was great to see lots of young people milling about, brought by their parents, who were telling them tales of their own anarchic youth.
On a hiding to nothing, four piece The Kairos, took to the stage at 8pm prompt to a few cheers and whistles, and started with “Suspend”, quickly followed by the excellent “Thick of It”. “We are The Kairos from Liverpool, let’s keep it moving Manchester” as they hit us with “Better Late Than Never”
They engaged with the crowd really well, and kept the set moving at quite a pace, even though I would have preferred a heavier more punk type band as a support. “Thanks for coming out on a school night, you naughty bastards” as the songs started getting more applause, with “P.O.P.” and new song “Punchline Fistfight” both going down well. With typical scouse wit, “always great to get a good reception in Manchester, no bottles please” they end with “Lazy Latherigc”. Decent applause, and job done, off they trot, as the crowd waits for the main event.
Being born in 1974, I never had the joy of seeing the original Sex Pistols, so I was really excited about seeing this latest reincarnation of the band. Yes, we all know about their recent troubles with a certain Mr Lydon, but what would long time fan Frank Carter bring to the mix? With the music pumping out, the four emerge to huge applause with the packed-out crowd chanting No Future. We all clap along to the kick drum of Paul Cook and off we go.
The crowd goes mental as the opening bars of “Holidays in the Sun” begin. The crowd singing in harmony with the words Berlin Wall repeatedly, with Carter pacing the stage and jumping off the drum rise, I bet he can’t believe what he’s doing, just as much as we can’t believe what we are watching!!! Headlong straight into “Seventeen” with Matlock and Jones on back up vocals perfectly with “I’m a lazy sod”.
Carter is clearly enjoying himself, one bloke next to me commented that he “sounds like Lydon in parts but acts differently”. He encourages the crowd to “sing with me Manchester” as “New York” is played, but with the original words “ya poor little faggot” replaced with “ya fucking little loser”. “How we feeling Manchester? It’s an absolute pleasure to be here and playing with the greatest punk band of all time. Put your hands together for The Sex Pistols” as the threesome milk the applause before playing crowd favourite “Pretty Vacant” as Carter dives into the crowd.
Still surrounded by a fanatical mob of delighted punks, my favourite Pistols song is next, “Bodies”, during most of which, you still can’t see Carter, until he emerges being lofted high above the crowd like some victorious gladiator by the crowd. The electric atmosphere continues, as Frank finally gets back to the stage for “Silly Thing”.
“Now, I’ll trade my mic pack for this Apple watch” says a bemused Carter as they other three are pissing themselves at what’s happened following Frank’s jaunt into the crowd. With more prowling of the stage, “Liar” is next followed by the anthemic “God Save the Queen” with Queen being substituted for King a few times. But what a song, wow!!!
At this moment, a crying child of about 3 or 4 years old wearing ear defenders is taken past me by her mum. I didn’t have that down on my bingo card for tonight!! “Submission” heralds a few crowd surfers to make their way over the top, which gets a “not bad at all Manchester” from Carter.
“Now, usually when I’m in Manchester, I get people to do a circle pit, but after the last effort, I’m not so sure. Have you got it now?” jokes Carter and he jumps into the crowd again and gets his wish as he sings “Satellite”, great fun to watch. He stays there for “No Feelings” but as the crowd gets more mental, crowd surfers more prominent, he’s totally submerged, and the words are muffled as his mic is probably nowhere near him.
With the intro to The Stooges “No Fun” Glen Matlock is having a little dance to himself, and Steve Jones just hits that riff perfectly, as Carter gets back on stage. He introduces the band one by one, “the hammer from Hammersmith – Steve Jones”, “the sweetheart on the drums – Paul Cook” and “on the bass, the one and only – Glen Matlock” all met with vigorous applause and noise from the appreciative crowd. “Don’t forget our Frankie baby” shouts Jones.
With “Problems” followed by the epic “E.M.I.” they know what the crowd want and deliver a crowd-pleasing performance. Carter brings a new energy to the band, probably why he was chosen/asked to be the frontman, and it allows Cook, Jones and Matlock to just get on with doing what they do best and treat us to songs from one of the most iconic albums of all times.
“If it’s alright with you, I’d like to do this My Way” as they begin the two-song encore with a cover of Claude Francois’s song. It is hilarious but Frank makes the song his own. “One last time, put your hands together for The Sex Pistols” the sound is deafening as the opening notes of their most iconic song begin. It’s one that defined a generation and has been past down from one generation to the next, and is still as relevant today as it was then. All you can hear is the crowd singing along to “Anarchy in the UK”. With its iconic riffs, thunderous bass and smashing drums, it was the perfect send off for the raucous and appreciative crowd, and ended a truly amazing night with Frank Carter and The Sex Pistols.
Photo Credits: Tim Finch Photography
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