Photos and review by Jennie Book
@jenniebookphotography

John Lydon’s been a frontman for fifty years. He’s been Johnny Rotten, he’s played with Afrika Bambaataa, and he’s had a major club hit with Leftfield. In his personal life he’s suffered, and he’s been a saint. He is also a very, very good singer and entertainer, and it’s three days after the Public Image Limited show San Francisco at the Fillmore, and since I think it’s a miracle that I haven’t been taken out by any of his flu/pneumonia snot rocket germs, I’m happy to report that the show was great. If you don’t have tickets for a forthcoming date, go get them now. I’ll write about the night’s opener Plague Vendor while you do.

Apparently Plague Vendor’s frontman Brandon Blaine is being compared to Iggy Pop, but I’m thinking more Yungblud minus the low-hipped leathers because of his energy and dynamism. Anybody in the crowd who didn’t show up in time for Plague Vendor really missed out because it was a whole show on its own. SoundcheckSF has covered them a few times before and we’ll be there again for any headlining events, which are guaranteed to be soon. The energy and fun they have onstage, going out into the crowd, encouraging the 50 year olds to mosh, yelling into the mic “What the fuck is a 401(k)?!”– it was all super fun and dynamic with great tracks. Don’t miss them.

Now that you have your PiL tickets, here’s what to expect: a really great night of music. Lydon is a real rock n roller. His voice is excellent, like really great, and he’s a face-pulling master, and he doesn’t mind making eye contact with a camera which is super fun. Over the course of the evening of September 12, we got about 12 songs including “World Destruction,” (first time played since 1989 on this tour?) “Open Up” (the Leftfield banger), “Rise,” and “Chant.”

The band is great, super tight and accomplished, and they sound really good. He’s got longtime collaborators on guitar and bass in Lu Edmonds and Scott Firth, plus awesome and tireless drummer Mark Roberts who joined the band last year. At one point there was an electrics snafu, so Lydon entertained the crowd effortlessly while the crew got instruments back up, and seemed super comfortable, a witty natural. Before “Shoom,” Lydon said, “My dad was a savage cruel cunt when I was growing up. But if he hadn’t been then I’d be like the lot of you!” And to announce the encore, he said “I need three minutes for a Marlboro cigarette. Make as much noise as LA could not.” The fans enjoyed the dig, and lots of clamoring commenced.

The night felt good, with a great song selection and a great crowd and energy, and it was only getting back home to edit photos and in reading about Lydon’s recent history that it started to look in the photos like he was experiencing a little grief and catharsis. His rock n roll expressions are intense, and in some of the photos it looks like that intensity might’ve turned to tears if he’d been in the shower instead of on stage. But mostly he was just as punk as ever. Apart from making and performing music, he’s written two autobiographies, the last one in 2014, and I’m voting for a whole new book when this tour is over.

Public Image Limited continues their This Is Not The Last Tour through the end of October in part of the US, then picks up again in more cities in February. Don’t wait, though. You’ll want to fill your eyes, ears, and brains with the tour’s great setlist as soon as possible. Check out pilofficial.com for all the info.