Sex Pistols with Frank Carter - Gig Review 6th April @ Hindley Street Music Hall, Adel SA
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Sex Pistols with Frank Carter
Hindley Street Music Hall, Adelaide SA
April 6, 2025
Support: Civic
“It’s not every day you get to create a band like the Sex Pistols, and what it changed, on a musical level. I love that we’ve done something that was important.” –Guitarist Steve Jones, Sex Pistols.
The impact that this iconic London-based punk outfit had on the rock’n’roll universe, and to a greater degree, the world, is practically immeasurable. It’s rather difficult to fathom the reality that the quartet only really existed as a live performing and recording band for just over two years. However, as the distinguished guitarist and original member quoted above has emphasised, the Sex Pistols were an extreme rarity. A flawless reflection of rebelling against society’s unfair expectations, adversity and injustices. The four-piece created anthems for the disaffected, the youth, the desperate and those defying the system which embraced inequality. Their influence shaped where rock music could venture to in sound; the Sex Pistols even helped transform fashion, culture and most importantly, the energy of both the band and their devotees during their live performances. Blood, sweat, spit, violence, drug-use and the invention of “pogo-moshing” are credited behaviours and features of their showcases.
Their only album Never Mind The Bollocks Here’s The Sex Pistols was released on October 28th1977 and was described by Rolling Stone as: “The most exciting rock & roll record of the Seventies". On this night, Steve Jones, drummer Paul Cook and bassist Glen Matlock were celebrating that revolutionary full-length, as well as 50 years of their seminal band for the first time in nearly 30 years on Australian stages. John Lyndon (better known as Johnny Rotten) was not invited along for various (and rather obvious) reasons.
The man to fill these immense Doc Martens boots was to be the notorious and adored vocalist of Gallows, Pure Love and Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes: Frank Carter. The question is, could this version of Sex Pistols bring Anarchy to Adelaide?
Read on…
Melbourne’s post-punk dynamos Civic had the distinct honour of the supporting role for this demonstration, and they were beyond determined to ensure Adelaide knew exactly who they were. Realising that the rather varied age demographic of this capacity audience was probably unfamiliar with this four-piece, the Melburnians were driven to make “a point of being super-loud and in-your-face” as frontman Jim McCullough brilliantly describes Civic’s intent. Unquestionably, this is what the reckless proto-punks delivered.
“What’s garn on?” McCullough abruptly yet sparklingly addressed the crowd with this outstanding ‘Occa greeting; Civic then launched into a series of new songs in promotion of their forthcoming new third studio LP entitled Chrome Dipped. Fusing the sounds of Gold Class, Life and The Peep Tempel but with a throwback to the legends of the Australian garage-punk Radio Birdman and The Saints sounds almost too good to be true; however, it is what Civic remarkably execute. ‘Chrome Dipped’ journeyed into grungier-art rock explorations that bonded with its post-garage-punk DNA superbly. ‘End Of The Line’ was an illustrious blend of Midnight Oil punked up by High Vis and ‘Taken By Force’ was poetic in the track's rockin’ rawness.
Undeniably the Victorians succeeded in their mission of “warming up the audience” for this prestigious event. Jim McCullough stalked the stage with a vigour that was impossible to ignore; the vocalist himself put the whole scenario almost too perfectly: “15-year-old me would have lost my mind to the idea of supporting the Sex Pistols, 20 years later, I still am!” Assuredly Civic will be back on the road after their third record is released on May 30th, be sure to catch them in their element as a headliner, because it is only a matter of time until overseas calls the quartet back for who knows how long?
The anticipation was building to unbearable heights when the clock struck 10:10pm, 20 minutes after the advertised start time for the Sex Pistols. Whilst Hindley Street Music Hall’s staff were probably not too stressed about the idea of a riot, the restlessness was reaching its peak from a comprehensible tenacious tension.
Stomping, yelling, clapping and “come on” heckles were becoming more rigorous and constant. How punk rock is that?
Suddenly four British blokes emerged in black suits, to an eruption of cheers and applause. The next celebrated noise to be heard over the clapping and stomping, were those adrenaline-provoking drawn-out guitar riffs that could only lead into the single ‘Holidays In The Sun’. The uproar was above striking.
Frank Carter was instantaneously radiant; any concerns of whether he was the right man for the job were erased before that notion could be given another thought. “Thank you for waiting for us!” He yelled in genuine appreciation; the stage is more-than-familiar ground for the Hertfordshire Hedgehog, on this night he was going to make it his and the Sex Pistols’ home. ‘Seventeen’ brought about that anthemic chant from the band and crowd in punk rock unison with: “I’m A Lazy Sod!”. ‘New York’ incited the mosh-pit to escalate to that next echelon, with was dazzling with vivacity, but also concerning when considering the more mature spectators were getting amongst the chaos. ‘Pretty Vacant’ capitalised on all of this and Mr. Carter began to unleash his maniacal inner punk demon more-and-more.
‘Bodies’ released the Frank mosh monster officially, already off-stage and in the centre of the mosh pit, he demanded a circle pit; “I’m five-foot-seven with seven-foot-five energy!” he hilariously professed. A security guard was present to help, which Carter in his cheeky nature explained to him: “Unless you know the words, get out HAHA!”; The song was actually stopped for a moment, as an elderly eager mosh enthusiast almost collapsed from the astounding activity as spotted by the vivacious vocalist. After his safe removal, the song was restarted and the energy was raised exponentially. Bassist Glen Matlock and guitarist Steve Jones joined side-by-side on their platform, faultlessly executing the crazed compositions for both their fans and their fantastic frontman. For those who had the amazing fortune of witnessing Gallows in their earlier days, Frank was of that lunacy, his venomous bellow was divinely charismatic.
Carter ended up atop the sound desk for ‘Silly Thing’, one level up from the dancefloor. He stopped singing for a moment to yell at the hypnotised onlookers: “Come here, I wanna jump on you!” - Predictably, he launched himself onto his adoring spectators and consequently was crowd-surfed all the way back to the stage. Forget the Sunday roast, this Sunday night had become the Funday riot. ‘God Save The Queen’, the famed cover of The Stooges’ ‘No Fun’ and ‘Satellite’ triggered crowd surfers to join in the revelry. The vocalist then introduced each band member gracefully who were then able to showcase their talents they had shared with the world for 50 years with their own respected instrumental solos. In a rather sweet moment of thankfulness, the original members acknowledged how grateful they were to have Mr. Carter with them for these concert celebrations.
“Put your hands together for the greatest punk band in history!” the frenzied frontman yelled at the adoring audience. Then he demanded quiet so he could “sing his favourite punk song of all time” ‘No Feelings’.
‘Problems’ and ‘EMI’ electrified the entire venue to the point that it may have been possible for fuses to burnout; crowd surfers and a literal “punk choir” shouted along so eagerly that their voices exceeded the band’s volume. No bullocks, this was ravingly mad and beyond memorable.
A brief encore was taken; however, it understandably surpassed the idea of inevitable that more songs were to come. Upon return, Frank Carter implored the venue was lit up by mobile phones and made to look “beautiful” as he charmingly crooned through a cover of ‘My Way’ by Claude François.
There could be only one conclusion: ‘Anarchy In The U.K.’.
What do you think happened?
It finished with not the Sex Pistols administering the single profoundly but relinquishing those almighty words: “I WANT TO BE ANARCHY!” to the sold-out audience.
“…I love that we’ve done something that was important.” – Guitarist Steve Jones, Sex Pistols.
Ain’t that the truth?
Written by Will Oakeshott @teenwolfwill
You can catch the Sex Pistols with Frank Carter playing the following shows around Australia this April.
SEX PISTOLS (PAUL COOK, STEVE JONES, GLENMATLOCK) FEATURING FRANK CARTER
2025 AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND TOUR with CIVIC
Tuesday 8 April — Hordern Pavilion, Sydney
Wednesday 9 April — Fortitude Music Hall, Brisbane
Friday 11 April — Fremantle Prison
