<%@LANGUAGE="JAVASCRIPT" CODEPAGE="1252"%> God Save The Sex Pistols - Exit Festival, Novi Sad, Serbia, 13th July 2008: Review 2
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EXIT FESTIVAL, NOVI SAD, SERBIA REVIEWED
13th July 2008
Exclusive God Save The Sex Pistols Review by Helene

I kind of like the Exit festival. Not because I like festivals and especially not because I like being in the middle of a huge crowd, but because I usually have a great time there and because I like the ambience of the old Petrovaradin fortress. This year, within the walls of the fortress 25 stages were placed and 600 artists performed. Only one truly interested me - the Sex Pistols.

The Sex Pistols came on the stage 30 minutes after midnight and played until 2am or so. Being regular on this site, reading other's reviews, watching clips from other shows I knew what we could expect. And that's what we got, nothing less, but also nothing more.

Set list was standard, not sure about exact order though. Encores: 1. Bodies / Anarchy in the UK; 2. Silver Machine / Roadrunner.

The show itself started with John's 'Hello Serbia! We are the Sex Pistols. We came from far away.' The first song was 'Pretty Vacant', the second one was 'Seventeen' and the third was 'New York', I don't remember the order of other songs. However I'm quite sure I lost one kidney during 'No Feelings' and almost fell down during 'Silver Machine'. But that was it, quite harmless and painless comparing with atrocity during Ministry and Pekinska Patka (Serbian punk band) shows who played before the Sex Pistols. The crowd did jump, yell and sing along with the band, but was also far more
peaceful than I expected. But so was the band too. I had a feeling there were invisible circles around Glen and Steve they didn't cross. Especially during the first part of the show; later they would walk down to Paul's drums then walk back to their 'circles'. John was also more-less still, just walking few steps back to Paul's drums to take a drink. Paul, although sitting, looked the most alive. Still, I do think they enjoyed the show.

Before playing 'Baghdad was a Blast', John asked the audience if we think the USA should still be in Iraq. Expectantly
he got one 'boooooo' back or some similar sound of indignation. Let's be honest, not because the Serbian audience
don't like the USA being in Iraq, but because the Serbian audience don't like the USA being anywhere. That 'boooo'
became even louder after John repeated 'Allah!, Praise Allah!' several times. John later finished his overture for 'Baghdad was a Blast with 'Erase USA! Praise Serbia!'.

From the very beginning of the show audience was throwing rolls of toilet papers on the stage. John picked one of the rolls and said 'Thanks for the toilet paper. There's a lack of toilet paper in England.' Soon enough audience started to throw bottles. After one bottle fell just in front of him John looked at the crowd, I think he saw exactly who threw the bottle and said 'Everyone who's hiding in the crowd and throws bottles on the stage is a coward.' In that moment another five bottles landed on the stage.

And to conclude this review. Objectively, the show itself was good, but it could be better. They had problems with some songs, like Bodies and I think it was after 'Holiday in the Sun' when John said to Steve 'You sound fucking awful'. My general impression was that those who expected to see the Sex Pistols from 70s (yes, there were a lot of them) were disappointed, and those who were familiar with other shows from 'Combine Harvester Tour' were not surprised with anything new and authentic, not even for a second, but that's their problem, ain't it?

Subjectively, those who came to have a great fun, to enjoy, to sing, to jump, to scream, to yell, to laugh, to smile, to wave, to kick, to be kicked, to forget everything and to see a great band, had a fantastic time. Just like I did. It was an amazing experience to finally see the Sex Pistols live after years of listening to them. And I would definitely go again!

Review by Helene for www.sex-pistols.net

Combine Harvester Commemorative Section

Text © Helene / www.sex-pistols.net 2008.
Picture sent in anonymously by a Serbian fan.
All rights reserved. Not to be reproduced without permission.
God Save The Sex Pistols ©2008 Phil Singleton / www.sex-pistols.net.

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God Save The Sex Pistols ©Phil Singleton / www.sex-pistols.net