Public Image Limited (PiL) - William Aston Hall, Wrexham 30.06.2018

PIL are no stranger to controversy but from the onslaught tonight the PiL are different, very different. To compare tonight to the last time they were at Wrexham would be like comparing Chalk to Cheese or maybe Margarine to Country Life Butter. What was a half empty Hall is a packed house, what was a wafer thin PA is now a wall of sound. Opening with 'Warrior' then smashing through the back catalogue with speed there’s no berating of the crowd or silly business just pure music. Lydon is clearly in high spirits from the England win and has some great banter with the crowd but there’s not much time for this as the band rush into an amazing extended version of 'This Is Not A Love Song', followed by 'Public Image' before climaxing with 'Rise'. Anger certainly is an energy tonight given the reception from the crowd. The band return to the stage for a rousing rendition of their 1993 collaboration of Leftfield 1993 classic 'Open Up' and you suddenly realise you’ve been through four decades of musical innovation on fast forward. Controversy or not there’s no denying that Lydon is one of the unsung heroes of Pop, a blinding set compounding this with not a Sex Pistols track in site, cementing his presence of one of the UK’s true musical icons. And long may he prosper.