Sex Pistols rock secret show at 100 Club in London

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It was almost 50 years ago when the Sex Pistols, who were then made up of vocalist Johnny Rotten, guitarist Steve Jones, drummer Paul Cook and bassist Glen Matlock, famously performed at the 100 Club for a two-day “Punk Special” in London. The club was an intimate,140-capacity space. That night the band jammed alongside Subway Sect, Siouxsie and the Banshees and The Clash. Some say it was the night that “Punk Broke”. The event certainly marked a huge shift for the media titled movement.  The bands from this gig would be influential in the underground culture to reach mainstream heights. 

The 2025 iteration of the Pistols includes Jones, Cook and Matlock but are now fronted by Frank Carter (of Gallows, Pure Love and Frank Carter and the Rattlesnakes) instead of Rotten and the group reconvened for a secret show at the same venue, with a now capacity of 300.  It was packed with devoted fans and stars such as Noel Gallagher, Paul Weller, and Bobby Gillespie. Fans old and new were greeted with roaring renditions of classics like “Holidays In The Sun” and “God Save The Queen”. “This is where it all kicked off, really, all the punk,” says Cook. It was the band’s first performance at the iconic London venue in 50 years. The Sex Pistols performed under the pseudonym SPOTS, “Sex Pistols On Tour Secretly,” as they did in the late 70s to sidestep potential bans.  All accounts say the show was both nostalgic and energetic and that the bands performance was less violent and tighter. 

This fall, the legendary punk band has announced that they will embark on their first tour of North America since 2003, when they were joined by John Lydon (formerly Rotten.) The 2025 run with Carter begins Sept. 16 at the Longhorn Ballroom in Dallas, Texas.  This site was famously hostile towards the band when it first toured the U.S. in 1978. Jones recollects having “pigs’ hooves and bottles and what not slung at us by cowboys. “We were thinking of breaking up in San Francisco again,” Jones joked in a press release. 

The 2025 tour is currently scheduled to then conclude Oct. 16 at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles. The band will hit Washington DC; Philadelphia; Brooklyn, New York; Montreal; Toronto; Cleveland; Detroit; Minneapolis; Denver; Seattle and San Francisco. Additional tour dates will be announced later. 

Pre-sale opens April 2 and 3. Tickets go on sale April 4 at 10 a.m. local time. 

They say that the ensemble will perform the band’s sole album, 1977’s “Never Mind the Bollocks, Here’s the Sex Pistols Album” live in its entirety as well as other material. 

When asked why a tour now Jones responded, “Why not? Carter then added, “I think everybody needs this band right now. I think the world needs this band right now and I think definitely America is screaming out for a band like the Sex Pistols.”  

“At the end of the day, we’re living in a really, really difficult time. So not only do people want to come and just be entertained, they want to enjoy themselves,” he continued. “Punk is an energetic music. It’s one where you can go and vent and let your hair down, hopefully in a safe manner. Fingers crossed, no bottles or pigs’ hooves.”  Carter fronted the Sex Pistols last year for a few U.K. dates. The band says they did not reach out to Lydon to see if he wanted to participate in this reunion tour.  

“The last thing he wants to do is have anything to do with us right now,” says Jones, referring to a previous lawsuit between the singer and the band over music use in their TV series “Pistol.” The judge ruled against Lydon’s opposition.  

“We wish him the best,” Jones said. 

“Good luck to him,” adds Matlock. “I wish he thinks, maybe, ‘good luck’ to us. Probably doesn’t. But over the years, John (has had) all our phone numbers, and I can’t see many missed calls from him.” 

As for the 2025 tour: Fans shouldn’t expect the violence of their 1978 run, but they should anticipate a tighter performance. 

“We’re a bit older but we play just as well, if not better,” says Matlock. “And I think that’s something that’s got a great deal of aplomb that we’re going to bring to the public over there.” 

Does this mean there could be new Sex Pistols music in the future? “It’s early days,” says Jones. “Let’s see what happens.” 

Here’s Sex Pistols setlist from The 100 Club on March 21 

1. Holidays In The Sun 
2. Seventeen 
3. New York 
4. Pretty Vacant 
5. Bodies 
6. Silly Thing 
7. Liar 
8. God Save The Queen 
9. I’m Not Your Stepping Stone (Paul Revere and the Raiders cover) 
10. Submission 
11. Satellite 
12. No Feelings 
13. No Fun (The Stooges cover) 
14. Problems 
15. E.M.I. 

Encore: 

16. Anarchy In The U.K. 

Catch Sex Pistols at Download Festival in June – get your tickets now.