LIVE RECORDINGS

Live Recordings Information Resource by Hervé Labyre 2015
Updated by Marco Rat 2024
The guide was originally compiled during the era of CDR trading. Online digital sharing and YouTube have made many of these recordings easier to access

Latest update 2024: August 25, 2003, Molson Amphitheatre, Toronto upgrade

Part Five: 2002/2003

July 27, 2002, Crystal Palace, London, UK Trt – 94:53 Number of Songs - 23 Format - CDR Sound Quality - very good audience recording. Rating - 8 Official/Semi Official Release – None known Video - entire show is unofficially available. Silver Machine officially released as part of the extras on John Lydon's "Best of British" DVD. REVIEW This was the first UK gig since the reunion in 1996. A great concert and the longest concert the band has ever played, with original songs and covers that had never been played live before and in some cases, never again: Silver Machine, My Way and Thru My Eyes. Rotten is on top form, he thanks everyone for not going to see The Cure (also playing a reunion the same night), and he dedicatces Substitute to John Entwistle of The Who, who had recently died. A very good gig. DRAWBACKS Depending on which version you have there could be a cut on No Fun. The recording reviewed here has no cut and there's no major drawback. It is an audience recording which means that you won't have the same sound quality than a soundboard, obviously. There are sound modulations here and there because the taper was probably moving a little bit sometimes during the show, but it is ok. SETLIST Intro Silver Machine Holidays In The Sun I Wanna Be Me No Feelings Substitute Seventeen Pretty Vacant No Lip Did You No Wrong New York Submission No Fun Satellite Stepping Stone Bodies Belsen Was A Gas Through My Eyes Liar Problems EMI My Way Anarchy In The UK God Save The Queen

September 14, 2002, Inland Invasion, Devore, USA Trt – 64:04 Number of songs: 17 Format : CDR Sound Quality: very good audience recording Rating : 8,5 Official/Semi Official Release – No Fuckin Way LP (incomplete) Video - entire show is unofficially available. REVIEW Second (and last) gig of the year. Again, the band is on top form. The set is shorter than in London, some old covers such as Substitute, No Lip and Thru My Eyes are not played. After I Wanna Be Me, John salutes California, "the place I chose to live" and later after No Feelings he complains about it being too hot ("it's too fuckin' hot for purely English types!") He later talks about a member of the audience with long hair; "in the wrong fuckin' decade". It seems some people in the crowd throw things onto the stage which makes John angry before No Fun. The performance sounds really powerful; due to the quality of the recording they sound a bit better than the Crystal Palace concert. DRAWBACK No drawback, it is a really good audience recording, everything sounds very clear. SETLIST Bodies I Wanna Be Me Seventeen New York No Feelings Pretty Vacant Did You No Wrong Belsen Was A Gas No Fun Stepping Stone Problems Liar EMI Holidays In The Sun God Save The Queen Anarchy In The UK Silver Machine

August 20, 2003, Fleetboston Pavilion, Boston, USA Trt – 61:50 Number of Songs - 16 Format - CDR Sound Quality – Average audience recording Rating - 7 Official/Semi Official Release – None known Video – None known REVIEW The band arrives on stage and launches into Bodies but stops after a few seconds and starts the song again. It sounds like it is a good show, the band plays really well. It seems some people try to come on stage and John asks them to stay away. Before Belsen Was A Gas, John calls it "Baghdad...". In the end, the band starts Anarchy In The UK and stops it like they did with Bodies. The audience singalong before the band starts up again. Another good show but the sound quality isn't great. DRAWBACKS The major drawback is that it sounds like it was recorded in an empty hall, with a lot of echo on the drums and vocals. Sometimes you can't hear the bass and the guitar clearly, it's only a wall of sound. Not the best recording of the tour. SETLIST Bodies (false start) Bodies Seventeen New York No Feelings Did You No Wrong Belsen Was A Gas God Save The Queen Liar No Fun Submission Holidays In The Sun Pretty Vacant EMI Anarchy In The UK (false start) Anarchy In The UK (audience singalong) Anarchy In The UK Problems

August 21, 2003, Jones Beach Theatre, Wantagh, USA Trt – 57:58 Number of songs - 15 Format - CDR Sound Quality – Average audience quality Rating - 7 Official/Semi-official release – None known Video – entire show is unofficially available REVIEW The band plays fine, like the previous night, John changes the name of "Belsen Was A Gas" into "Baghdad". He does not talk a lot to the audience. After No Fun, John asks the audience what they want to hear next, It sounds like someone asks for "Suburban Kids" and he replies "dear, we'll do something else" before playing Submission. After EMI, he tells the audience "you know you love me, if you want more you know what to do" before the band comes back and plays Anarchy & Problems as encores. DRAWBACK The recording sounds average considering the techonology available to record concerts in 2003. The CDR copy is directly taken from video. Bodies is incomplete, it plays for 1:08 only. There are a lot of sound modulations all through the tape. Not a good quality recording. SETLIST Bodies (incomplete) Seventeen New York No Feelings Did You No Wrong God Save The Queen Liar Belsen Was A Gas No Fun Submission Holidays In The Sun Pretty Vacant EMI Anarchy In The UK Problems

August 24, 2003, 9:30 Club, Washington DC, USA Trt – 54:40 Number of songs - 14 Format - CDR Sound Quality – good audience quality Rating – 7,5 Official/Semi-official release – None known Video – None known REVIEW The band plays fine as usual, and John jokes a little bit with the audience and bouncers. At one point, before Liar, he seems to complain a bit about the audience enthusiasm and claims he could go home early. Before Belsen he asks: "How is George these days? Still hidden in the fuckin' Bush?" DRAWBACK The sound is sometimes saturated and the taper was probably in the middle of a very excitied crowd who sang along during the set. Apart from that it sounds ok. It is the best audience recording so far of the tour. SETLIST Bodies Seventeen New York No Feelings God Save The Queen No Fun Liar Belsen Was A Gas Submission Holidays In The Sun Pretty Vacant EMI Anarchy In The UK Problems

August 25, 2003, Molson Amphitheatre, Toronto, Canada Trt - ? Number of songs - 14 (16 tracks) Format - CDR Sound Quality - average audience recording (upgrade) Rating - 7 Official/Semi-official release - none known Video - none known REVIEW Unedited upgrade over the previous available recording of this show. John talks a lot to the crowd with plenty of innuendo. "Good evening Canada...thank you for coming, and I'll be coming soon", "yeah I may suck but I don't suck you...now fuck off!" He also has a go at someone spitting at the band, "hey, I got a lesson for you...spitting, where did you learn that punk cliche". They don't stop, so after 'God Save The Queen' he warns "the fucking lumberjack down there, you stop spitting or I kick your fucking head in" before threatening to walk off. "I can fuck off home any time I like... bye bye Canada you fucked it up on yourself... I'm saying goodbye, bye bye..." After a short pause, Paul starts the 'No Fun' intro for a second time and the band continues. After 'EMI' John rants "hello to the entire record industry, fuck off, fuck 'em all... every record company, fuck them all... fuck them all". It's another strong band performance and despite the issue with the spitting they remain focused, with John mischievously asking "how do ya fancy Jason Timberlake playing Johnny Rotten in a movie?" Note: Unlike the version previously circulating, there is no cut in the chat after 'No Feelings' and 'God Save The Queen' is complete. DRAWBACK None, only the sound could have been better. SETLIST Crowd Noise - John Introduction Bodies Seventeen New York No Feelings God Save The Queen No Fun Liar Belsen Was A Gas Submission Holidays In The Sun Pretty Vacant EMI Crowd Noise - John Talks Anarchy In The UK Problems

September 3, 2003, Warfield Theatre, San Francisco, USA Trt – 59:53 Number of songs - 14 Format - CDR Sound Quality – Good sound quality Rating – 8 Official/Semi-official release – None known Video – None known REVIEW Before the band starts Bodies, John warns the crowd; "Hey, listen do not fuckin' spit at me" and later "enjoy or fuck off home." The set has powerful sound quality, far better than the previous recordings from the tour. After Bodies and before GSTQ, John thanks the crowd, saying he appreciates being there, and adds; "We ain't doing too bad without a record company. No MTV and no sponsor." As per the other concerts, "Belsen" becomes "Baghdad". Johnny makes the crowd sing along on "Anarchy in the UK". The band is on top form - and coupled with the very good sound quality - makes this recording one of the best of the tour. DRAWBACK No real drawback. Very good quality. SETLIST Bodies Seventeen New York No Feelings God Save The Queen Belsen Was A Gas No Fun Liar Submission Holidays In The Sun Pretty Vacant EMI Anarchy In The UK Problems

September 5, 2003, The Joint, Las Vegas, USA Trt – 63:29 Number of songs - 14 Format - CDR Sound Quality – good sound quality Rating – 7.5 Official/Semi-official release – None known Video – None known REVIEW Johnny Rotten sounds angry at the start of the show; he asks the crowd not to throw shit and spit at the band, etc. It seems someone in the audience is asked to leave. After No Feelings he says the security guys are here to protect the crowd from him, not the other way round. Most of the songs are very well played. Althought "Baghdad" is less powerful than the previous show, all is ok. The version of "Holidays In The Sun" reminds me of the old days with Steve having a technical problem (shades of Winterland). DRAWBACK Sounds sometimes like the vocals are a bit saturated and the guitar sound is far too loud in comparison to the bass. Apart from that it is ok, it is a better recording than the first few shows of the tour. SETLIST Bodies Seventeen New York No Feelings God Save The Queen Belsen Was A Gas No Fun Liar Submission Holidays In The Sun Pretty Vacant EMI Anarchy In The UK Problems/td>

September 6, 2003, Greek Theatre, Los Angeles, USA Trt – 62:20 Number of songs - 14 Format - CDR Sound Quality – good sound quality Rating – 7,5 Official/Semi-official release – None known Video – 2 songs available, Bodies and Seventeen, unofficial audience video. REVIEW As usual Johnny asks everyone to be cool, not to spit at him etc. The version of No Feelings is really good. Once again, the band is good but they sound a bit tired, or bored, not as powerful as the previous nights but "No Fun" is played in a very 70's style, with John talking instead of singing at the start, very Iggy/Lou Reed style. People in the audience ask for Roadrunner, unfortunately the song won't be played on the tour. Before Submission, John tells the crowd "Peace & Love LA, you're my home town so you can fuck off first.". Pretty Vacant is quite a good version. As usual, John says goodbye to every record company, and asks them to kiss his ass. Not a bad show. DRAWBACK There's a girl talking (probably) to her boyfriend at the start, she was probably very close to the taper - a bit boring. Some cuts here and there and sound modulation makes the recording a bit average but still decent to listen to. SETLIST Bodies Seventeen New York No Feelings God Save The Queen Belsen Was A Gas No Fun Liar Submission Holidays In The Sun Pretty Vacant EMI Anarchy In The UK Problems

September 7, 2003, San Diego Street Scene, San Diego, USA Trt – 64:14 Number of songs - 14 Format - CDR Sound Quality – very good sound quality Rating – 8,5 Official/Semi-official release – None known Video – Audience, nearly complete unofficial video. Trt 60:01, the end of Problems is missing. REVIEW Johnny starts with "Well hello Cali-fuckin'-Fornia! Do you know who we are? It's fuckin' enjoy or die time isn't it? No more fuckin' posers, real deal." Bodies starts and the song sounds very powerful with people in the crowd singing along. At one point, after "New York", Johnny talks to a member of the audience who apparently throws his beer at him - Johnny calls him a fuckin' wanker and asks him to be real, no imitator etc. Later, after " God Save The Queen" he says; "do not join the shitstem" and talks about Iraq before the band starts "Baghdad Was A Gas." On the drum intro of "Holidays In The Sun", he asks the crowd "Does anybody recognise our Britney Spears number?". A powerful "Problems" ends the show. A very good concert with the band again on top form. DRAWBACK You can hear members of the audience talking during some of the songs, particularly at the beginning of Bodies. There are also sound modulations (minor) here and there (Bodies, Seventeen, Liar) but all in all the sound quality of the recording is probably the best of the tour; you can hear the bass, guitar and drums very clearly. No major drawback. SETLIST Bodies Seventeen New York No Feelings God Save The Queen Belsen Was A Gas No Fun Liar Submission Holidays In The Sun Pretty Vacant EMI Anarchy In The UK Problems/td>

September 8, 2003, Marquee Theatre, Tempe, USA Trt – 62:55 Number of songs - 14 Format - CDR Sound Quality – good sound quality. Rating – 7,5 Official/Semi-official release – None known Video – None known REVIEW "Hello, we're the Sex Pistols, and you're not. This is the book of war. En – fuckin' - joy or die." are John's first words when he comes on stage. After "Seventeen" he says; "we are worthy and so the fuck are you" before asking if the band can go home because they are old men. The version of "God Save The Queen" is one of the best versions played on the tour. Before "Baghdad" John calls the town Phoenix, not Tempe (which is in the suburbs of Phoneix). Important information before "Holidays in the Sun" as he tells the crowd that it is the last Sex Pistols gig ever. EMI is very powerful, it really storms the place but all the songs are played perfectly. The band were excellent throughout the 2003 "Piss Off" tour. DRAWBACK Sounds too loud with saturation and modulations. There's also some surface noises. Not the best sounding gig. SETLIST Bodies Seventeen New York No Feelings God Save The Queen Belsen Was A Gas No Fun Liar Submission Holidays In The Sun Pretty Vacant EMI Anarchy In The UK Problems

1976 1977 1978 1996 2002/2003             SID VICIOUS 1978

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©Hervé Labyre 2015 (thanks Phil Singleton, Mark Taylor, Tony Fouweather, Andy Marshall). Plus Marco Rat 2024.
All rights reserved. Not to be reproduced without permission.