Post punk legends Public Image Ltd to play O2 Academy Sheffield

Sex Pistols’ frontman and maddest member of the punk aristocracy Johnny Lydon brings his post-punk outfit Public Image Ltd to Sheffield’s O2 Academy on Tuesday 7th of June. It doesn’t take a lot of thought to guess what’s likely to be in store on the night, with PiL celebrated as one of the leading acts in the post-punk revolution and known for their typically punk onstage performances.

Having formed in the wake of the Sex Pistols’ acrimonious breakup, Public Image Ltd were a touring and recording band between 1978 and 1992, eventually reforming in 2009 to recapture the down-tempo drone and scathingly spat vocals that came to encompass their signature sound. Releasing 10 studio albums along the way - the latest of which is the 2015 effort What The World Needs Now - PiL have earned plaudits near and far, particularly with Metal Box, the dub-infused second LP released in 1979.

An outspoken and often controversial spokesperson for a band created in his image, Lydon aka Johnny Rotten brings the same attitude to his music as he does to everything else - and that attitude is hard to contain. Age won’t tame him, and fans of PiL will certainly be grateful for that. 

Words by Andrew Kemp
Photos courtesy of PiL Official