Live Review: Sex Pistols Riot in Fremantle Prison
Fremantle Prison, Fremantle (Perth, Western Australia) on 9th April 2024
Review by Matt Gagen
Photography by Erica Lorimer Photographer
Fremantle Prison has held its share of outlaws, but on Friday night, it welcomed a different kind of riot. The Sex Pistols, reformed and fronted by the wild-eyed Frank Carter, tore through Never Mind the Bollocks in full — and the rain-soaked, lightning-streaked chaos that followed felt like a jailbreak of the highest order.
Born in London in 1975, the Sex Pistols arguably changed the landscape of music forever with just one album, Never Mind the Bollocks — a snarling blast of punk fury that upended the establishment. Their original run was brief but explosive, and though they reunited several times, internal tensions eventually fractured the band. In 2024, they returned to Australia for the first time since 1996, this time with Frank Carter at the helm — a punk mainstay known for his work with Gallows, Pure Love, and Frank Carter & the Rattlesnakes. His unrelenting energy has reignited the Pistols, bringing a new kind of fire to these now-legendary songs.
The night began with a pummelling set from Civic, the Melbourne garage-punk outfit building a reputation as one of the country’s fiercest live acts. Early comers responded accordingly, heads nodding and boots stomping in the wet courtyard.
Then came a surprise: a symphonic swell — not your usual punk intro — as the Pistols took the stage to a roar. A yellow-and-purple curtain bearing the classic ransom-letter logo hung in the background. A solitary kick drum thudded, echoing off limestone walls as the first drops of rain fell. Then, a flash of lightning, a crash of guitar, and “Holidays in the Sun” exploded — Carter snarling “I don’t wanna holiday in the sun!” just as another downpour of the lingering weather system set in. Inspired by the band’s escape from the hostility of London to the surreal divide of Cold War Berlin, the song’s sense of claustrophobia and paranoia felt eerily apt in this former place of confinement.
It wasn’t the band’s first time in a prison either. In 1976, the Pistols famously played Chelmsford Prison in the UK, delivering one of their earliest gigs to a crowd of actual inmates — a performance now immortalised in bootlegs and punk folklore.
From the outset, Carter was chaos in motion. Shirt clinging, mic in hand, he launched himself into the pit: “Alright Perth! Let me see you f…ing bounce! Move! I want to see the biggest f…ing circle pit this prison can hold!” The crowd obeyed. Before “Bodies,” he checked on a drenched crowd-surfer: “F… you alright? You just did a rolley poley in the mud!” The rain kept falling, and so did the barriers between band and crowd.
Between songs, Carter burped into the mic, broke up a scuffle with a grin — “Shake hands… make up… now kiss!” — and fired back at hecklers: “Take your shirt off? F… off. Nobody tells me what to do!” It was classic punk theatre, brought back to life with bite and wit. “You’re watching the f…ing Sex Pistols! Are you happy?!” he shouted, and the response said it all.
The band — original lineup Steve Jones, Paul Cook, Glen Matlock — played with force and precision. During a semi-improvised jam on The Stooges’ “No Fun,” each member took a brief solo as Carter introduced them. “It’s been a privilege and an honour to share the stage with these gentlemen every night — I want to say thank you,” he said, briefly sincere before the set resumed. Jones’s Les Paul howled across the yard, while Cook and Matlock held the groove tight.
Standouts were many: “Pretty Vacant,” “God Save the Queen,” and “EMI” all landed with power and precision. The garish banner, stormlight flashing overhead, and crowd packed into the yard gave the whole thing a surreal, cinematic edge. Just before “Satellite,” Carter leaned into the crowd: “Alright, from the front to the back — I know you weigh f…ing more than you did in 1977, I know your knees need greasing… but you’ve got the next 30 minutes to enjoy yourselves, and you can ice yourself all next week. Pain is only temporary — but the Pistols last forever!” Then he grabbed the mic stand like a sabre and smashed it against the stage, sending the band charging into the song.
The crowd — greybeards, old punks and young people alike — surged through puddles and decades. “I want to see 50 circle pits from front to back — I don’t care how old you are. This one’s called ‘Problems,’ and you’re gonna feel problems tomorrow,” Carter smirked, unleashing another round of circle pits.
The encore was pure theatre. The band sat silhouetted in blue light atop the drum riser while Carter stood alone up front, crooning “My Way” — a nod to Sid Vicious’s infamous cover. Then came the final blow: “Anarchy in the UK.” As Jones tore into the opening riff and Carter screamed “I am an Antichrist!” lightning cracked in the distance. The crowd, soaked and screaming, chanted “I wanna be anarchy” into the storm. The night ended with the heaviest rain of the evening pouring down, as fans shuffled out of the gates, drenched, hoarse, and grinning like inmates let loose.
This wasn’t just nostalgia. It was something urgent, electric, and alive. In a prison built to contain rebellion, the Pistols let it rip. And with Frank Carter at the helm, they didn’t just honour punk’s past — they dragged it back, kicking, howling and circle-pitting into the now.
About the Writer: Matt Gagen is a Fremantle-based bass guitarist of Residents’ Club and member of numerous bands on the local scene. With a deep passion for both local and global music, he brings a unique perspective to his creative endeavours. He’s in his final year of pursuing a Master’s in Architecture, blending his interests in music and design.
About the Photographer: Erica Lorimer holds a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) Degree from the University of Western Australia (UWA), majoring in English Literature and Economics, and a Certificate IV in Design. She is also a freelance photographer who loves capturing images of live music and travel photography, sometimes with film from vintage cameras and making prints in a home darkroom.
About Sheldon Ang Media: Sheldon Ang Media (est. May 2022) has been accredited to more than 170 of the hottest acts including Taylor Swift (ERAS Tour in Sydney), Coldplay (Perth), Backstreet Boys, KISS, Iron Maiden, RHCP, P!NK and of course The Script with reviews shared by the likes of Belinda Carlisle, UB40, Delta Goodrem, The Wiggles and Toni Childs on social media. The founder Sheldon Ang has interviewed rockers Suzi Quatro (pictured below), Ian Moss, Ace Frehley (KISS), John Steel (The Animals), Frank Ferrer (Guns N Roses), Phil X (Bon Jovi), Andrew Farris (INXS) plus over 70 artists. He’s also a contributor on Triple M Radio as a music journalist.
