The Sex Pistols & Frank Carter At L'Olympia

We're a little bit backed up on getting my concert photographs up here on The Old Blog.  I suppose we will catch up at some point, but this would be a good time to remind you that my concert photographs can be seen in a much more timely manner by visiting V13 Media, which you can do by following the link.  If you'd like an even more direct route to my photographs, you can visit my personal page over there but using the following link.  It seems like it has been a year of anniversary shows that I have been covering.  25^th anniversary, 30^th anniversary, even a 50^th anniversary.  They serve to remind me of two things.  First, I have been listening to some pretty good music for the last half century.  Second, I’m remember the humble beginnings of several of those big anniversary numbers.  Meaning, I’m getting old.  Luckily, these shows keep me feeling young.  Which is a good thing.  Because I had another anniversary show this past Tuesday night.  The Sex Pistols, fronted by Frank Carter, were in town and L’Olympia in Montréal was hosting their 50 Years of Punk tour.  Soon afterwards, it was time for the Sex Pistols to hit the stage.  There was lots of words, spoken and written, about how a Sex Pistols show without Johnny Rotten fronting the band would go.  I wondered this myself.  However, any worries were quickly washed away as the band ripped open their set with “Holiday In The Sun”.  Frank Carter was great.  He didn’t try to imitate Johnny Rotten, but did have some of the same mannerisms and trademark snarl.  But, it never felt fake or forced.  Just natural.  After thrashing around the stage during “Seventeen” and “New York”, he took to the crowd for the next song.  Climbing over the barrier, he waded into the middle of the L’Olympia floor.  There he implored the fans to form a circle pit.  The trio of Steve Jones, Paul Cook and Glen Matlock were rocking out on the stage.  All while their singer belted out “Pretty Vacant” from the middle of the madness.  What a moment.  “God Save The Queen” is still powerful after all these years.  The chants of “No future!” during the chorus made the walls shake.  A second circle pit, this one just for the women in the audience took place during “No Feelings” to allow the ladies a chance to safely enjoy the moment and let loose.  Frank Carter began to croon a little of “My Way” before the band tore into the song and finished it their way.  The night came to a riotous end with “Anarchy In The U.K.”.  Both the band and the fans gave every last bit of energy they had left  All of Never Mind The Bollocks, Here' The Sex Pistols got played and it was glorious.  When the smoke cleared and the distortion from guitars had faded, the people dragged themselves from the building.  Sweating, breathing heavily and probably a little sore.  The Sex Pistols may have helped begin the punk rock movement 50 years ago, but their music is still full of piss and vinegar.  I can go back to being a 50 something in the morning.  Tonight, I’m back to being a kid and having the time of my life.  All of the photographs were taken at f/3.2 while using various different shutter speeds, ISO settings and focal lengths.  Here are the rest of the photographs that I took of The Sex Pistols & Frank Carter while they performed up on the L'Olympia stage.

If you would like to find out more about The Sex Pistols, and Frank Carter, you can do so by following the link to their websites.  If you would like to see the photographs that I took of Panic Shack, who performed earlier that evening, you can do so by following the link.  Much thanks goes out to The Sex Pistols' team at UMusic, Greenland Productions and Christopher Gonda at V13 Media for getting me a pass to shoot the show.  As always, it is very much appreciated.  The Sex Pistols & Frank Carter treat this classic material the way that it should be treated  Loud and wild.  The 50 Years of Punk tour continues in to December.  Don't you dare miss it when they play a town near you.