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Public Image Ltd at Holmfirth Picturedrome

Confrontational, uncompromising and uncomfortable

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🎤 Public Image Ltd Live at Holmfirth Picturedrome

Friday 1st August 2025

Public Image Ltd rolled into the Holmfirth Picturedrome with all the subtlety you’d expect which is to say, none at all. This was never going to be a greatest hits nostalgia run, and thankfully PiL still refuse to play that game.

John Lydon took to the stage standing behind a lectern, looking more like a local priest delivering a sermon albeit one with none of the manners. The delivery was confrontational, abrasive, and often deliberately antagonistic. Whether that’s performance art or simply Lydon being Lydon is still up for debate.

What was harder to stomach, quite literally, was the constant snorting and snotting into his hands on stage, which genuinely turned my stomach at times. Punk may be about rebellion, but there’s a fine line between provocative and unpleasant, and this crossed it more than once.

Musically, however, the band were tight, heavy and relentless. The rhythm section in particular carried the night repetitive, hypnotic, and oppressive in a way that suits PiL perfectly. This wasn’t about singalongs or crowd pleasing moments; it was about tension, repetition and discomfort.

Lydon’s vocals remain polarising half spoken, half snarled but when they land, they still carry weight. Songs like Open Up and Rise cut through the chaos and reminded everyone why PiL still matter, even if they’re not always easy to love.

🎶 Setlist

PiL sets tend to shift from night to night, but Holmfirth followed a structure similar to other 2025 tour dates, mixing early material with later, heavier tracks.

Setlist (approximate):

The closing run was the strongest part of the night.
“Open Up” was delivered with real menace, while “Rise” closed the set on a rare unifying note defiant, powerful, and still relevant.

🧾 Final Thoughts

This was a challenging and divisive gig, exactly as PiL intended. At times uncomfortable, occasionally unpleasant, but never dull. You don’t go to see Public Image Ltd for polish or warmth you go to be confronted.

Lydon remains a difficult figure, both fascinating and frustrating in equal measure. The band behind him, though, proved they are still a formidable live force.

Not a gig I loved if I’m honest, but one I’m glad I witnessed and one I won’t forget in a hurry.

📸 Photo Gallery

Public Image Limited
Public Image Limited