Public Image Limited Tickets

I saw PiL last night at Chicago HOB. I was a great show- 2 hours long with a great performance by John and his incredibly tight band-great line-up! Often times on these "reunion" tours the bands walk through the set- not last night, it was a full-throttle performance. I saw them in 1982 at The Granada and then again in the early 90's at the Riviera- this show was just as good or better- he is an amazing entertainer, never a dull moment. Thanks for the show-

Johnny and Co. were dead on tonight with their song selections and instruments. They have not missed a beat since I saw them in the 90's at The Riv. All of the songs sounded crisp and thank God no opening band.

PiL were in top form! More than can I say about the crowd, but this is Chicago... sort of blah. They must have rehearsed a lot because the set was perfect. Mr. Rotten still has that energy and bite. A good mix of material from the earliest to the latest. Go support PiL so that they can put out another brilliant album!!!

To see PIL in concert was a necessary event...how many more times will I get to see a surviving member of the Sex Pistols? The music sounded great, but some of the songs didn't translate well into a live performance. None the less, most of the songs were perfect, even better than could be expected. Those old dudes rocked the house and had a remarkable stage presence. I'm very happy to have attended this event and would recommend it to any PIL fan.

I've been a fan of PiL since I was a teenager, starting when I saw the unique cover art for Album, and buying it out of curiosity. I was hooked. While my friends were all listening to glam rock, I was listening to PiL. When the band broke up in 1992, I was only 18 years old and had never had the chance to see them live, and with each passing year of the "hiatus", and with each new Pistols reunion tour, I assumed that John Lydon had simply forgotten about PiL. I'm glad I was wrong. I showed up early and went straight to the barricade in front of the stage to get the best view of the band. The show started at 8:30PM with John matter-of-factly announcing "This is PiL, and This is Not a Love Song!" The reworked version of that classic was simultaneously fresh and faithful to the original. For the next two hours, John and the band played song after song, with little space wasted in between songs, except for the occasional sip of water or political diatribe, as is to be expected from Lydon. Some of the songs on the set list included Memories, Religion, Death Disco, Poptones, Tie Me to the Length of That, Disappointed, Warrior, U.S.L.S. 1, Bags, Public Image, Rise, and many others. Surprisingly, a few classic PiL tunes didn't make the live set, such as Careering or Seattle. The band was in top form, with plenty of showmanship and noise. The crowd, this reviewer included, got into it with plenty of cheers and yelling to drive the band on. Disappointed and Rise turned into rambunctious sing-alongs, and the whole gig was a huge success. If PiL is hitting your town, buy your tickets NOW. The house was packed for the Midland show, and there was at least one person outside the box office asking if anybody had extra tickets. -- Ordinary K.

Absolutely awesome. Eighteen years off the stage hasn't effected John Lydon one bit- I think he gets better with age! The venue (Midland Theater in KCMO) and my spot during the concert (front row center) just added to the experience. He was strong from the first note to the end of the encore. Do whatever it takes to catch this show!

I did not have any expectations about the show, I expected it to be bad,full of ponce and bravado but nothing else. After a slow start,took a good couple of songs to get the crowd moving,perhaps the booze helped but I was on my feet,dancing and singing,they where great. It was a little weird to here this British icon be so american but Im glad i saw them..

The show exceeded my expectations. John was of course surly as ever. I was most impressed with his supporting cast. The mucisians were top-notch. It was loud. I should have had more wine before the show.

What a show. Tight, fierce, Lydon's intensity was as scary as ever. The band were tight, playing almost all of Metal Box plus their hits.

One of the best concerts I have ever seen. I hope we don't have to wait another 17 years to see them again.

PiL was awesome, played for a generous amount of time and fullfilled every dream I ever had of seeing them in person . Johnny and the band were very enthusiastic and involved with the crowd. The only problem was I purchased tickets for my sixteen year old daughter and myself. When we arrived, they said we'd be only allowed upstairs (so no bouncing floor or close to the stage like we'd imagined). The tickets should have been cheaper for under 21. But we found a way around it anyway. Thanks.

Johnny Lydon was definately not rotten ... last night. The show was strong, deep, dark and bright all at once ... the creepy, terrorist foreshadowing U-S-L-S-1 called for all to listen to what Johhny had been saying all along with his arms out like an aeroplane, you wonder about his mans inner intelligence, and why the CIA hasn't used him as an informant. The softer side of Johnny, brought to light what everyone has wonder "Well, what are friends for" Forgiveness, will make it a better world ... he quiped, well, isn't that ... what friends are for great show.

I have seen hundreds of shows and have seen this band several times. This was easily one of the top ten shows that I have seen. Highly recommended.

I love this mans work, all of it. This show was something I had waited a long time to see and I thought for a long time I might never see it happen. Oh was I wrong they are back and have only gotten better, completely inspiring show!

PIL was very cool to see live. They are still as talented as ever and Johnny was cool and happy. Great time!

18 years in the making and the return of PIL to the stage plays off as if they haven't missed a year since! Not only where the vocals of John Lydon stellar, but the rest of the band, returning guitarist Lu Edmonds, returning drummer Bruce Smith, and new bassist Scott Firth, rocked the crowd as if needing to rehearse is unnecessary. Opening up with the classic 80's hit from 1984's "This is what you want....this is what you get" LP, "This Is Not A Love Song" got the crowd into action, bouncing, cheering, singing and even dancing in the audience. From there, the band moved on down the yellow brick road of PIL's past, performing such songs as "Poptones", "Tie Me To The Length of That" "Disappointed", "Warrior", "Religion" and the famed anthem "Public Image". In the band's second encore (really the true encore, as the first was really just a "pee break" for John Lydon because his bladder couldn't retain any longer) PIL explode with hits "Sun", "Rise" and closing the set with the John Lydon/Leftfield collaboration "Open Up", turning the Nokia into a true dance club - techno lights included. :) For those of you who missed out on seeing PIL in their raw and best form in a small club atmosphere, I pity you. No really, it was a truing amazing show that boosted the band to a height of returning accomplishment. Hopefully those who missed out on the Nokia show got to experience the band at the Coachella Valley Music festival, or at least around the US on tour, as the return of PIL is a show not to be missed. Track listing: • (This is Not) A Love Song • Poptones • Tie Me to the Length of That • Albatross • Swan Lake (aka Death Disco) • Flowers of Romance • Psychopath • The Warrior • USLS1 • Disappointed Encore (John needs a pee break!) • Religion • Bags • Chant • Memories • Public Image Encore (John needs a smoke and a beer!) • Sun • Rise (with "Anger is an Energy" audience reprise!) • Open Up

They played a lot of older stuff, and were musically tight. Johnny still puts on a great show, even though he is moving up in years. It was great to see them again, as one of the first shows I ever went to, now 30 years later thay have not lost their zing. It is pretty much a unique experience.

Wow! I'vxe seen Johnny 4x's through out the years and this was the best show yet! Nicely done. It was a long fabulous set with some real crowd pleasers. Only one question-why never AnnaLisa?

lydon's voice is better than ever and the band that he has assembled was so incredible...I think this was my fourth show in 30 yrs (two in ca and one in seattle 1988)andabsolutely up there with the others...a not to miss show...

It was an excellent show, Lydon was full of piss and energy, the band was extremely tight, and the selection of songs from their early catalog was fantastic, especially Albatross and other picks from Metal Box. The only down point was the drunk female fan who barreled her way in front of my girlfriend and me in the over-21 area of the Showbox and then proceeded to get belligerent when we told her she was being rude. Fortunately she left after a bit of back and forth. Odd that she would act like a Limp Bizkit fan at a PIL show but it takes all kinds I suppose. Given recent concert experiences I'm starting to think I have knack for finding the one truly unpleasant person at every show I go to. Anyhow, the show was fantastic and while this was a different band from the one I saw a couple of times in the late eighties they were just as good. They also expanded the songs and used alternate instrumentation that really breathed some extra life into the songs. Go see PiL!