Concert Review - The Sex Pistols Auckland - 2nd April 2025

Presented By Live Nation

The Sex Pistols Ft. Frank Carter Live in Auckland - Photo Credit Megan Moss

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Review By: Sarah Kidd

Artist/Band: The Sex Pistols ft. Frank Carter Sup by The Bleeders

Venue/City: Auckland Town Hall, Auckland, New Zealand

Date of Event: Wednesday 2nd April 2025

Auckland Town Hall was home to an undulating sea of bodies last night as fans of all ages gathered together to witness the Sex Pistols in all their glory.

To kick start the night off however, some local boys who are legends in their own right amongst many, Tāmaki Makaurau’s own the Bleeders who first burst forth from West Auckland back in 2002.

Headed by Angelo Munro who cut his teeth in the hardcore punk scene at all ages gigs held at places such as Ellen Melville Centre, the Bleeders soon became the favourite of many a punk fan. Their first EP A Bleeding Heart released in 2003 still on the regular playlist of many a follower.

Last night they hit the stage to thunderous applause, the original members (bar Hadleigh Donald who was replaced by Aaron Goddard a few years ago) a little longer in the tooth, but still able to bring that rawness that so many remembered from the days of sweaty mosh pits at the Kings Arms.

Pummelling the crowd with tracks such as ‘The Kill’, ‘She Screamed She Loved Me’ and one of their earlier hits ‘It’s Black’ from their aforementioned EP, the Bleeders had the crowd eating out of their hand, a core group down front who lined the barrier screaming every word with relish, Angelo ever the magnetic front man soon jumping down to join them, mic held out as if to say this belongs as much to you as it does to us.

Dedicating ‘Out of Time’ from their album As Sweet as Sin to their friend Bryce (who was tragically killed in a car accident along with his partner Phillipa and their daughter back in 2005) and his whanau, the song was sung with reverence and love that radiated from all five members. Shifting gear into ‘So Lonely’ the mosh got a little harder as fists pumped the air and the chorus was bellowed in time with Munro; ‘All that Glitters’ and ‘A Bleeding Heart’ only upping the ante.

It was clear to see that since the release of their last EP Darkness Falls in 2019 and quite a few shows since then and now have only strengthened the bond between Munro, King, Stack, Clark and Goddard; their vivacity still taut like a steel wire.

As techs raced around preparing things, a multitude of bodies flooded into Town Hall, wriggling their way into the best vantage point they could for what was to come. It is not every day that you bear witness to three of the original members of one of the most culturally influential bands of the last half a century.

The Sex Pistols formed in London in 1975, John Lydon (aka Johnny Rotten), Paul Cook, Steve Jones and Glen Matlock the originators, before Matlock was replaced in seventy-seven by the infamous Sid Vicious (aka John Richie). Vicious may not exactly have been that musically talented but his visceral stage presence and proclivity for making headlines along with Rotten certainly put the Pistols on the map for decades to come.

Fast forward a couple of decades and Rotten was convinced by Matlock, Cook and Jones to embark on another round – The Filthy Lucre tour seeing the boys last in New Zealand in ninety-six. So, it was no wonder that people turned out in droves to see them again despite Rotten thumbing his nose at the whole idea. And honestly, those who stayed home due to the fact Lydon was not heading this tour missed out on something quite special.

For the Sex Pistols had an ace up their sleeves in the form of Frank Carter who at just forty years old seems like a wee babe in arms compared to the rest of the band. But the musician and tattooist known for performing with such acts as Gallows, Pure Love and of course Frank Carter and the Rattlesnakes brought the explosive, middle finger energy to the set that the songs called for.

Hitting the ground with ‘Holidays in the Sun’ the Auckland crowd were primed and ready, drinks held aloft they bounced in time and welcomed Carter on vocals with open arms. A simple set up was appreciated by those in attendance, as it allowed the majority present to have an excellent view of all four members as they rolled into ‘Seventeen’ and ‘New York’ which saw Carter discard his leather jacket, Matlock – ever the snazzy dresser – flashing the gorgeous electric blue of his safety pin embellished waistcoat whenever he turned his back to watch Cook on drums.

As Carter spoke to the masses about how the boys were last here almost three decades ago, Matlock took a moment to sweep back his hair with a comb pulled from his back pocket. Always the epitome of a true English gentleman, many in attendance would have been reminded in that moment of his stunning solo show at Auckland’s Tuning Fork back in 2017.

Carter in the meantime had at that point decided that crowd surfing during ‘Pretty Vacant’ the first of the big sing along anthems was a brilliant idea, fans loving him for it as they held him aloft while they howled the lyrics with gusto. Carter returning to the stage only momentarily before once again returning to the barrier and addressing the audience, telling them he was like “Moses” as he asked them to part so he could make his way to the middle. “I may be 5”7 but I got 7”5 energy” he cheekily grinned, scampering his way down the newly made path and demanding a circle pit for ‘Bodies’ which those around him threw themselves into with no holds barred.

Many could argue that the rest of the original members don’t play with that same vehemence that they did back in the day, and they would be right. But they don’t need to – these tracks, these cultural and musical pillars that will forever go down in history and who will be listened to for years to come, aren’t the angry young men fighting the system that they used to be.

Instead, what appeared was three old friends who have shared decades together, who are enjoying being back on-stage playing tunes that turn a Town Hall into a heaving mosh pit of bodies, fifty years down the track. There is an air of gratitude for still being able to share a space, and overall, a sense of just downright fun. These boys are here to enjoy themselves and it shows, their cohesiveness and shared smiles endearing to all.

It is on Carters shoulders to carry that ferocity of Lydon’s lyrics, and he does it well as he struts and gestures at all those who gaze upon him, his tone often emulating Lydon but never crossing the line of imitating him.

A small altercation breaks out and Carter stops to ask if everything is alright, reminding one and all that we are all in it together, before adding with a wry grin that they should leave the fighting to those at the Dua Lipa show going on down the road at Spark Arena; “It would be fabulous… and sparkly!”

Following the fantastic ‘Liar,’ ‘God Save the Queen’ sees Carter turn up the theatrics as once again the crowd goes all out, Carter looking pleased with their reaction as do the rest of the crew; Paul Cook still beating the hell out of the drums with ease.

A Stooges cover of ‘No Fun’ prompted Frank to go for a walk around the balcony section, one lady taking the opportunity to lay her hands directly on Carter which soon prompted a “Oi, stop spanking my arse, someone get security” from the man himself, his tongue of course planted firmly in his cheek. Hanging over the seats looking down upon the stage, he introduced each band member, his gesture showing just how much respect he had for these three men. Steve Jones taking the opportunity to show that his fingers are just as dextrous on the strings as they always have been.

‘Problems’ with an extended outro and ‘EMI’ closed out the set, the Sex Pistols waving goodbye, while the crowd, still cheering, knew damn well that they would be back for an encore.

And what an encore it was, Frank who had become shirtless somewhere in the set (which gave many a chance to ogle his impressive collection of ink), returning in just the leather jacket and requesting everyone to light up their phones. As Jones and Matlock took a seat on the sides of Cook’s drum kit riser, Carter launched into a swaggering version of the Claude François cover of ‘My Way’, taking it from a croon to an all-out punk ballad. And while it was good, incredibly good in fact – it will never top the outrageous version that Sid Vicious gifted the world in 1978, with the unforgettable music video to boot.

There was no question in anyone’s mind of what the show would end with, the opening raucous notes of ‘Anarchy in the U.K.’ reviving anyone in the pit who was beginning to wilt with newfound strength, Carter taking great delight in just how loudly the audience sang “I wanna be Anarchy” over and over to him as Jones and Matlock added their own flare.

And with that, they were gone, a brief wave and goodies in the form of sticks and picks all that needed to be said.

They may be more reserved than the days of old, where they played in clubs like soldiers on a battlefield, but these boys have still got it and with Carter in tow they bring an experience that is not to be missed.

Because frankly, punk will never die.

SET LIST

Holidays in the Sun

Seventeen

New York

Pretty Vacant

Bodies

Silly Thing

Liar

God Save the Queen

No Fun (Stooges Cover)

Satellite

No Feelings

Problems

EMI

My Way (Claude François Cover) - encore

Anarchy in the UK - encore

Sex Pistols Ft Frank Carter NZ Tour PR 2025

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