(December 19, 2009) FORMED 30 years ago, Public Image Limited has seemingly been held together with
a much stronger binding than just that of a few safety pins. Their first tour in
seventeen years marks an almighty comeback, morphing dub heavy bass lines with
elements of experimental disco and dance, not to mention the fragments of rock
hailing from the broken punk scene.
Indeed, John Lydon, the man once denounced by tabloid newspapers as “the worst
threat to our kids since Hitler” re-emerges tonight with his own little
cornerstone of history, and no, not once did the Queen feature.
The abrasive opening riff of “Public Image” allows a statement of signature
individuality to shine through – setting the world to rights all being well, but
it doesn’t stop here. “…I suggest you learn how to drink it,” sneers Lydon as a
member of the audience hurtles what looks like full pint of beer at him. “You
are what is wrong with this country…” he concludes – at this point, I couldn’t
agree more. Moments later and all angry energies are thankfully channeled into
“Careering,” now gliding along with its eerie focus and reverberating percussive
clasps. With a sure fire and sudden explosion into “This is Not a Love Song,”
we’re just scratching upon a rough surface and already the experience is living
up to everything you might have imagined.
How Lydon manages to maintain his unique, throaty high-pitched and almost
desperate wail is beyond me, but somehow he succeeds convincingly and without
fault – the highlights being many. There’s a harrowing trail through “Tie Me
to the Length of That,” plus the pure menace, anxiety and pain of “Death Disco.”
The tribal trance generated by “Flowers of Romance,” evens out the tempo before
the energetic pulse of “Warrior” sets the crowd into even more of a frenzy, if
that’s at all possible. Eventually, the powerful yet cynical chant of
“Religion” takes over, with a gloriously deafening bass line that shakes like an
earthquake on speed – believe me it hurts.
The encore arrives and the poptastic “Rise” has the audience chanting that
classic line – ‘anger is an energy,’ but the best is saved until last with
“Open Up,” a song originally recorded by ‘Leftfield’ in collaboration with John
Lydon. While most of the set blends rock, break beat, dub and techno in a
rather unique fashion, this track of course is the one that tops all.
Lydon is in fine voice, he’s a realist who is brutally honest, convincing, and
genuine, right down to the very last inch of power he forces from the depths
of his vocal chords. I could be wrong, but I’m probably right when I say it’s
been a damn fine show.
For more information about Public Image Ltd., visit their website here. [Purchase]
