As Public Image Ltd limber up for yet another European run, they swung through Southampton’s The 1865, although the night served less a warm up and more of a bellowing reminder of who they are.

The Southampton crowd was treated to over 90 minutes of John Lydon’s commanding, combative swagger. Never one to take himself too seriously, the punk talisman prowled the stage and provoked the crowd. It was as much a comedy show as it was a punk gig.

John Lydon et al were joined by management stablemates Trampolene, a Welsh outfit pushing themselves back into contention with the kind of momentum that suggests a big resurgence is on the cards.

The Swansea quartet took to the stage to choruses of “Oh when the Saints”, in support of Southampton Football Club. Frontman Jack Jones has some family ties to the city, which causes him to have a soft spot for the club and city.

The band roared into opening ‘Sort Me Out’ and into their popular anthem ‘Alcohol Kiss’. Jones had obviously rehearsed Southampton chants as he continued to chant to a mix of cheers and boos from the onlooking crowd.

With a new album in the works, Trampolene took the opportunity to showcase new singles ‘What You Gonna Do About It’ and ‘Help Me Get Off My Face’.

They serve as an interesting opener for PiL, who deal in tension and repetition, whereas Trampolene’s approach is more direct. Jones’s spoken word croons are wrapped in wiry guitars and snatches of moments.

They warmed the room in connection, before PiL tore it into a confrontation.

These days, Lydon is accompanied by Lu Edmonds (Guitar and keyboard), Scott Firth (Bass) and Mark Roberts (Drums). They stormed into their set with a statement of intent. Opening track ‘Home’ immediately showed that they didn’t intend to coast into earlier hits and instead asserting their later catalogue.

The later-era theme continued with ‘Know now’ and ‘Corporate’. Prioritising atmosphere, all three opening tracks lock in dense, dub heavy rhythms that thrive on patience instead of a knee-jerk response.

The first curveball in the set came in the form of a cover of Time Zone’s ‘World Destruction’. This track pulls on Lydon’s historic ability to blend genres, straying from the post-punk littered set with an injection of volatility.

PiL then leaned into the pop sensibility of ‘This Is Not a Love Song’. This mid-section kept the crowd on their toes as they worked into the eerie ‘Poptones’. The unsettling unease of this song made way for the jagged, anxious sounding ‘Death Disco’.

This structured section concludes with the rhythmic, percussion-driven ‘Flowers Of Romance’. Something that sticks in Lydon’s swaggering performance is his jagged, off-kilter lurches. No movement appears polished, which plays into the band’s uneasy sound.

The closing section of the set allowed energy in the room to spill over. Although not an instant explosion, the sudden gear shift into ‘Warrior’ hinted towards their intent.

They continued building momentum with the groove-heavy ‘Shoom’, acting as a borderline hypnotic command, begging the crowd to dance. The request was duly obliged throughout the room.

By the time the self-titled ‘Public Image’ came about, it felt like an earned moment. It didn’t serve purpose as a victory lap, instead drawing a unified response from the adoring audience. Heads nodded, bodies moved and all attention landed on Lydon.

In his predicability unpredictable fashion, he derailed the song, elongating the performance. He thrived in the space between entertainer and antagonist.

A short break followed, where the crowds attention didn’t waiver. The full audience remained rooted to the spot, anticipating what was to come next.

The encore leaned into Lydon’s ability to exist across scenes—from the electronic pulse of ‘Open Up’ to the defiant uplift of ‘Rise’.

The night ended in glorious chaos. instead of opting for their biggest pop hit, PiL opt for a combination. A holy trinity of noise.

As the anthem ‘Rise’ came to an end, the furious ‘Annalisa’ roared into life. The room was overpowered by a sense of furious energy. The structure was swiftly cast aside and unravelled into ‘Attack’ and ‘Chant’.

The repetition and rhythm looped into a sense of closure. This led to no clear ending, and no easy release. The final insistent sound faded until the show finished on PiL’s terms, not the crowds.

What stuck with me most, was that there was no clear peak or high point in the set. The setlist felt purposeful, designed to fill the crowd with unease. This wasn’t a greatest hits set, it was a hypnotic showcase that proved Public Image Ltd don’t dwell on memories or nostalgia.

Instead, they filled the room with a controlled disruption from start to finish.

Written by Brad Halcrow for The Songbird HQ