In what we know is already set to be another show to remember, UK artist Frank Carter is bringing members of the original Sex Pistols lineup back to Manchester to play their legendary debut album, Never Mind the Bollocks, in full and it’s happening sooner than you think.
The former Gallows member turned frontman for his self-titled outfit, Frank Carter and the Rattlesnakes, is at the forefront of the contemporary punk genre and is about as close to an old-school rockstar as you’ll find on the modern scene.
However, following the massive success of these shows, the band have now decided to book a few more gigs and now, with the help of Frank (minus his snakes), will be playing one of the most iconic records of all time from start to finish – well, sort of…
Credit: Supplied
With original bassist Glen Matlock – who was replaced by Sid Vicious and then returned after his death – drummer Paul Cook and guitarist Steve Jones all returning to the lineup, 40-year-old musician and tattooist isn’t just filling in, he’s helped get them back on tour and in the public consciousness.
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Up there with The Rolling Stones, Ramones, The Clash; Sonic Youth, The Velvet Underground, The Who and others who would be considered amongst the most influential rock bands in history, the significance of their return to Manchester, in particular, isn’t lost on us audiophiles and lovers of music history either.
In case you were unaware, Manchester was the site of the Sex Pistols‘ very first gig outside of London back in 1976, when the frenetic four-piece played what was then known as the Lesser Free Trade Hall on Peter Street right here in the city centre, now The Edwardian Hotel and Peter St Kitchen.
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Considered by many as ‘the gig that changed the world‘ and resulting in the famous claim and muso phrase ‘I was there’, a line that even went on to serve as the title of the book by David Nolan, it helped influence countless artists to come.
For example, other people who were in the crowd that night included Ian Curtis, Peter Hook and Bernard Summer of Joy Division and New Order, Morrissey of The Smiths; Manchester music and nightlife mogul Tony Wilson, Manc punk icon John the Postman, as well as members of The Buzzcocks and The Fall.
Despite there only being a rumoured 40 or so people in the room that night, the noise they made and the impact it had makes it one of the most important moments in music history, so how big a deal it is having them back out on stage isn’t lost on anyone – certainly not a lifelong fan like Frank Carter.
As for Rotten, 68, he has remained in a feud with the existing members for years, namely around the rights to the music, and is said to be “furious” over this latest reunion.
But that’s a big part of what punk was always about, isn’t it? Doing what you want and p*ssing a few people off along the way.
Speaking on the announcement, Jones said: “There was an overwhelming response on social media from fans asking to play different parts of the country. So guess what? It will be done. We will be tighter than a rat’s a*** by the time we get to Kentish Town.”
Frank Carter and the three Sex Pistols members are set to play Manchester Academy 1 on Tuesday, 24 September and while they won’t necessarily be doing NMTB in order, they will be playing it in full. What a time to be alive.
Tickets go on sale this Friday, 23 August at 9am and saying they’re going to absolutely fly is the understatement of the century. You can grab yours HERE. This is going to be a night to remember and then some.
Featured Images — Press Image/Dom Martin (supplied)
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Government to introduce price cap on ticket touts and launch consultation on dynamic pricing
Danny Jones
The UK government are finally set to install a price cap on re-sale tickets for touts and open an official consultation on the growing trend of dynamic pricing.
If you’ve bought a ticket to a live music show over the past year or so, you’ll have noticed that ticket prices in general are on the up – particularly if purchased from a reseller, in which case you might have paid through the nose for the privilege.
Not only does ticket touting remain a prevailing problem in the industry, with tonnes of tickets for big shows, especially, being snapped up in bulk or by bots and listed for re-sale before you’ve even added them to your basket, but the advent of this new dynamic pricing lark has made things even harder.
You only have to look at the controversy and chaos surrounding Oasis’ reunion tour, which ultimately saw some fans paying significant amounts more for practically the same ticket just a few days later in what many dubbed as ‘fraud’ and even ’emotional blackmail’.
Justin Timberlake at Co-op Live Manchester was one of countless gigs where ticket prices fluctuated. (Credit: The Manc Group)
Tackling resellers head-on
Knowing full well that people will go to extreme lengths to try and see the musicians and artists they love so dearly – in some cases being backed into a corner as the final figure displayed on the screen when they checkout suddenly jumps up – the modern ticketing industry is severely broken.
With all that in mind, the government are now looking to enact more stringent measures on resellers, by announcing a new price cap on tickets put back up for sale which is set to be introduced (hopefully) in the very near future.
Targeting sites infamous for inflating re-sale costs such as Viagogo, StubHub and others, the bill published on Friday, 10 January proposes a price cap of face value plus 10-30% but no more, with an obvious aim to keep that number as low as possible.
According to the current figures, touts reportedly cost music fans alone more than £145 million in extra re-sale fees when purchasing tickets every year – a frankly ridiculous sum. There will always be tickets ending up on re-sale sites, that’s unavoidable, but a price cap could seriously improve the situation.
The Manc music legends themselves claim they had little control over the situation.
Down with dynamic pricing
Labour, who were voted into power back in July, are also set to try and combat dynamic prices, which essentially sees gigs and events set people back more or less depending on how the popular ticket sales have been up to that point, market trends and general demand. An initial review was called for last year.
Put simply, the more people want to attend a gig, platforms like Ticketmaster feel they are able to jack up their margins even after the initial price point has been established. The European Commission has been investigating these methods since September 2024.
Although it is still unclear as to the exact time scale of when these changes will come in, Labour MP Chris Bryant told NME that although they are still in the early stages, it is “now just a matter of how the government takes action.” And that’s where you come in.
The consultation is also crucially public, with the calling for people to submit their evidence on current pricing practices and continue engaging in the discussion throughout the progress. New Year’s Resolution: let’s curb ticket touts as much as we possibly can.
The AO Arena is giving away FREE tickets for a year to celebrate 30 years in Manchester
Daisy Jackson
The AO Arena has announced it’s giving away free tickets for a year to celebrate its 30th anniversary in Manchester.
The iconic music venue has welcomed the biggest names in the world in its three decades, with millions of us making memories for life inside its huge space.
And now you could win VIP tickets for an entire year, simply for sharing those memories with the AO Arena.
Fans who submit their old photos, videos and tickets will be in with a chance to win tickets to all the shows coming up in 2025 – which already includes massive gigs like Kylie Minogue, Katy Perry and Busted vs McFly.
AO Arena wants to dig deep into ‘first gig’ nostalgia territory, using fan-submitted snaps to build a collection of Manchester memories.
Were you in the same room as Taylor Swift, did you party like it was 1999 (because it was) with Spice Girls, did you cry over the sight of Gary Barlow or cry laughing with Peter Kay?
Britney Spears and Beyonce are among the names who have performed at AO Arena in its 30 year history. Credit: Supplied
Whatever your AO Arena memories are, you can share them before the end of the month to be entered into the competition to win VIP tickets for the year.
One overall winner picked at random will get the ultimate VIP experience, including access to a premium suite and The Beautiful North, as well as access to The Mezz with panoramic views of the main stage.
The 30th birthday campaign has been inspired by Adele’s monumental When We Were Young performance at Glastonbury, and all these memories will be projected around the arena before every performance.
You can submit your footage and enter the competition via the AO Arena website HERE.
Danny Jones -
22nd August 2024 
