Photo + Words: Felix Hick
Steve Jones, Paul Cook, Glen Matlock and Frank Carter brought the Anarchy in the U.K. tour to the Scarborough Open Air Theatre on Sunday night, reminding the crowd that the rebellious spirit of punk is still dangerously alive that continues to bring people together across various generations.
The Undertones were first on stage to open the night, delivering an energetic set that was greeted enthusiastically by the audience, huge pop punk gems like Teenage Kicks and My Perfect Cousin provided the perfect start to a night dedicated to the enduring legacy of punk music.
Following this, The Stranglers showcased their classic grimier garage punk; their set effortlessly moved through hits such as No More Heroes, Always the Sun, and of course, Golden Brown which reminded everyone why they have always occupied their own unique section of the punk landscape.
By the time the Sex Pistols featuring Frank Carter took to the stage, the crowd had reached immense levels of anticipation and excitement, and they did not disappoint. Acting frontman Frank Carter threw himself into the set with great energy and fearless intensity, by the third song he was already crowdsurfing and urging circle pits into action, delivering exactly what the show needed, a fired-up frontman bringing his own independent element.
Carter’s vocal delivery was aggressive but also fresh, allowing songs to retain their identity, but also giving them a renewed element as the group ran through the band’s iconic catalogue. One of the night’s largest communal moments was during God Save The Queen, it had thousands singing, moshing, and echoing the anthem in the Yorkshire venue.
I would say the most stand out moment of the night was before they played No Feelings when Carter organised a female only mosh, he then stated ‘If you are booing then you are a part of the problem’ which brought into play the original deeply rooted themes of punk, politics and social protest.
What makes this incarnation of the Sex Pistols so successful is the refusal to be a tribute act, Carter doesn’t attempt to replace John Lyden, instead he brings his own personality and relentless energy whilst Jones, Cook, and Matlock continue to be the heart of the songs conviction and power, rather than dwelling on the nostalgia of the group, they blended the old into the new by fusing the two together, by showcasing old footage of enclosed punk gigs to a mass open-air crowd, it celebrated the enduring strength of punk as a current force in music.
Closing with the inevitable Anarchy In The U.K, the band delivered a final explosion of energy that left the audience roaring every lyric to the glorious noise, a perfect conclusion to a night that celebrated so much more than an anniversary concert. Scarborough Open Air Theatre played host to a movement that will never refuse to simmer, its music, its message, and its refusal to conform even fifty years on.
