Live Review: ‘The Public Image Is Rotten’ – Public Image Ltd / Miles Hunt – Newcastle Academy, 12th June 2018

The Wonder Stuff frontman strolls on with his guitar, sits on a stool behind his mike and delivers a set of acoustic numbers that stretch back over a career spanning thirty odd years. With limited time there is, unfortunately, only enough minutes for nine songs but each of them is delivered with passion although obviously in a gentler, more laid back way than seen at a typical Wonder Stuff show. Miles Hunt sings from his heart about things that matter to him, including a rallying call against the right wing direction the UK seems to be heading with We Came Here To Work.

There’s a large back catalogue to choose from, tonight we’re treated to When The Currency Was Youth and the aforementioned We Came Here To Work from his recent album with Erica Nockalls, as well as a decent selection of his Wonder Stuff output, Can’t Shape Up, Good Deeds & Highs, Caught In My Shadow and Circlesquare are delivered, and with the exception of one sad git the crowd like it. This sad git, clearly not expecting an acoustic opener at a Public Image Ltd gig, decides to heckle Miles Hunt, he’s quickly dispatched with a cutting comment asking if he’s still fighting the punk rock wars.

Forty years ago Public Image Ltd broke new ground with their experimental post-punk and rewrote the rules of music, again. Four decades on and with a wealth of material to draw from Public Image Ltd, when on form, still make you feel you’re experiencing something special. Tonight they’re certainly on form and as expected we get a career spanning set that opens with the superbly catchy, addictively danceable, Warrior. Live Public Image Ltd deliver intense, vibrant and still relevant songs. The current, most stable line-up, of Lu Edmonds, Bruce Smith, Scott Firth and John Lydon pump out a perfectly crafted noise of deep, dark bass rhythms, tribal drums, scratchy guitars and wailing vocals.

John Lydon dominates front of stage with that unforgettably piercing stare and now familiar dancing shuffle. But it’s Lydon’s voice that really hits home. Whether howling his way through Death Disco or delivering a slightly less ear splitting cry of Public Image you are constantly reminded that Public Image Ltd are Public Image Ltd, they’ve never compromised and they’re not going to start now. Public Image Ltd do what they do and if you don’t like it you can fuck right off because they really don’t care. This is why they can be one of the most exciting live bands around and why every new release is fresh and innovative. Classics are belted out much to the approval of those here. Death Disco, Flowers Of Romance, Memories, This Is Not A Love Song and finally Rise, the perfect song to end a set covering all of the last four decades. 

Some things don’t change, John Lydon still swigs his brandy for medicinal purposes before spitting it back out and still clears out his nasal cavities between songs, tonight he’s not wearing glasses but still stands behind a song book. Public Image Ltd return for an encore, Lydon complete with Newcastle scarf, and they begin the unmistakeable chant of “Hello, Hello” and Public Image, surely one of the greatest songs to appear in the aftermath of punk, that makes the masses move before they finish with a truly immense Open Up. Public Image Ltd are a band that leave you realising just how good following your own convictions and not following a formula can be.

Set List: Warrior / Memories / The Body / Corporate / The Room I Am In / Death Disco / Cruel / I’m Not Satisfied / Flowers Of Romance / Fishing / This Is Not A Love Song / Rise.

Encores: Public Image / Open Up