We need John Lydon and his warbling, fiery shrieks.
We need musicians who don't mess around, shoe gaze and generally act disinterested when plunked in front of an audience. We need that engagement that's what makes the experience memorable. And the aging ragers that turned out to the Opera House to see Public Image Ltd. (PiL) responded in kind when Lydon and company left it all on the stage Sunday night.
Lydon, perhaps better known to some as Johnny Rotten of Sex Pistols fame, has fronted PiL, in and on-again, off-again sort of way, since 1978, turning out a series of quality albums backed by an always-frenetic live show. Their latest album What the World Needs Now… was released this past September and includes a number of solid jams that were peppered throughout the 90-minute set including the hard-charging single “Double Trouble,” and the immense and angry “Corporate.”
PiL also includes Lu Edmonds, Scott Firth and Bruce Smith, and the band were suitably tight and in control throughout the evening, and clearly staying out of Lydon’s way.
Lydon is a controversial and polarizing figure, and so it always will be. And when he speaks, he gets himself into trouble. Perhaps that’s why he doesn’s say much these days. But he clearly loves what he does, and shows no signs of slowing down any time soon. "We love it, that’s why we keep doing it,” he said to the crowd at the end of the show. That’s all anyone at the Opera House seemed to care about. And good for them.
Although pushing 60, and perhaps not quite as bouncy as he once was, Lydon used all that he had at his disposal last night despite tackling what seemed to be some sort of a cold virus. After most songs he was swigging what might have been tea followed by a booze chaser and then spitting it into a garbage bucket with some degree of flair.
The crowd was mostly above actual moshing age, but there was something of a pit in front of the stage with one solitary, bright green mohawk front and centre, hands were frequently raised to salute the singer, a bit of pogo-ing took place and one clearly in-the-know fan raised his middle fingers to the band on more than one occasion. There was even a bit of a stare-down and almost-fight over floor space between two 50-something Dads clearly tapping into some youthful douche bag tendencies.
Tunes off the new album provided some of the evenings most energetic and enjoyable portions, which is a testament to the vitality of the band that should have been hitting the casino circuit years ago. And songs off the band’s monumental debut album Public Image: First Issue, such as “Religion” still resonate.
By the time Lydon got to the "Anger is an energy" refrain from the 1983 tune “Rise,” the crowd had worked up a suitable froth and managed to fully embrace the ethos of the song, faulty hips be damned. And then it was over. Lydon had done his job.
