On a perfect summer evening in Glasgow, the opening night of Summer Nights at the Bandstand set the city abuzz. This year, the iconic John Lydon’s Public Image Ltd. (PIL) headlined the event, drawing fans from all corners to the scenic Kelvingrove Park. As people streamed towards the amphitheatre nestled in the park’s heart, excitement filled the air—the open-air venue an absolute gem on a night like this, the city glowing in the late sunshine.
Kicking off the evening was the brilliant Berlin-based Errorr—a four-piece, multi-instrumentalist band whose commanding set immediately grabbed the crowd’s attention. Their sound, laced with echoes of early Jesus and Mary Chain, was both powerful and hypnotic. The Glasgow audience was thoroughly absorbed, many clearly marking Errorr as a band to watch in the future.
With the amphitheatre now packed with music lovers of all ages, anticipation for Public Image Ltd. was sky-high. Was Glasgow ready for this legendary act? As the intro music played, John Lydon, Lu Edmonds, Scott Firth, and Mark Roberts took the stage. Ever the joker, Lydon greeted the crowd with a cheeky, “Good evening, Edinburgh”—drawing laughter before raising a drink in salute. His charisma was matched only by his performance, as the band launched into “The Home,” prompting a lively singalong and instantly connecting with the crowd. The energy surged even higher when PIL delivered a fantastic cover of Time Zone’s “World Destruction,” the Glasgow crowd reveling in every beat.
The true nostalgia kicked in when PIL played their anthem, “This Is Not A Love Song” from the classic *This Is What You Want… This Is What You Get* album. The entire audience was on their feet, dancing and singing as the stage’s energy washed over them. Highlights from their ground-breaking *Metal Box* album—especially “Poptones” and “Death Disco”—were spellbinding as they drifted into the night air, the band’s passion and emotion unmistakable. Other standouts like “Warrior” and the explosive “Public Image” closed out the set before the encore, keeping the energy sky-high.
After a brief pause, PIL returned with a bang, covering the Leftfield classic “Open Up” and then shaking the park with a powerhouse rendition of “Rise.” The crowd erupted, singing along to the iconic chorus: “I could be wrong, I could be right,” as if the song had just been released. As the show reached its triumphant close, Lydon’s enduring motto—“Anger is an energy”—rang as true as ever. If you get the chance to catch PIL live on this UK tour, don’t miss it: the band is in top form, and the magic is alive and well.
Review and Photographs by James Edmond Photography
