It’s hard to name a more iconic and influential post-punk band on modern music than John Lydon’s post-Pistols group Public Image Limited (PiL), who are today confirmed to perform at Rebellion Festival for the first time since 2012. Since their formation following the Sex Pistols collapse in 1978, PiL have crafted some of the most forward thinking sounds to emerge from the post-punk wreckage and continue to do so to this day. Their set is guaranteed to thrill and inspire and it’s an honour to have them back.

Also announced this week come Pennsylvania punks The Menzingers, who return to the festival this year bringing with them an arsenal of gritty anthemic tunes. “A couple of pints by the shore in a Stephen King-esque British ocean town swarming with generations of punks filing in and out all weekend to a soundtrack of living legends? Sign me the fuck up,” exclaimed guitarist Tom May excitedly.

Joining them in this week’s announcements comes the welcome addition of Californian melodic punk legends The Vandals, who have been bringing humour and fun to the scene since they formed in 1980. They join a line-up that Rebellion Festival is known and respected for the world over, bringing together the best and most vital bands from the long and varied world of punk and alternative music. Rebellion Festival reflects the very best of what the scene has to offer. Acts already confirmed include Stiff Little Fingers, Buzzcocks, The Exploited, Cockney Rejects, The Adicts, Peter Hook & The Light, Angelic Upstarts, Discharge, Ruts DC, UK Subs, The Wildhearts, Lagwagon and Slaughter & The Dogs, joining a host of punk and hardcore bands from around the world, including legends such as D.R.I., The Adolescents, Toxic Reasons, Raw Power and many more. These, plus scores of new acts from the around the world ensure that Rebellion Festival is still the main event when it comes to punk rock in 2018. 

Rebellion Festival is an all ages, family friendly event, and children under 12 are admitted free of charge (accompanied by an adult). More information and tickets are available at: www.rebellionfestival.com

Photo: Julia Stryj

“This is intimate” says John Lydon as he looks over the sell out crowd in the small venue on Victoria Street. Then launching into the start of two hours of intensive post-punk heavy duty noise. Lydon warbles through the first three songs of his mammoth set (no support band), a pause for breath, a drink of wine and then ‘This is not a Love Song’. But of course it is a love song. Lydon is where he wants to be. All those daft butter adverts, all that ridiculous cavorting in the jungle with Ant and Dec was to allow him to finance and resurrect the band he formed after the disintegration of the Pistols in 1978.

The last time I saw PiL play in Edinburgh it was a different affair. The Playhouse and fancy suits were the order of the day on the Album tour in 1986, an unbelievable 30 years ago. But here was Lydon dressed in clothes darker than a Scotsman’s heart watching the euros, up close and personal in a small venue giving it to us.

Having released a 10th studio album last year - What The World Needs Now, the set was a mixture of old and new with ‘Now Know’ and ‘Corporate’ sitting along side tracks from that most Marmite of PiL releases Metal Box. Lydon’s charisma oozes from the stage and while the crowd lap up the old favourites at times its hard going. A brutal and bruising rendition of ‘Religion’ sees Lydon chanting “turn up the bass” a wall of noise causes speaker cabinets to wobble and ear drums to vibrate. The audience is still recovering when we treated to the seminal ‘Rise’. It may be 30 years old but it still resonates here. Anger is an energy - you betcha.

After one encore, two hours of intensity from everybody’s favourite anti-hero, disconcerting guitar chords and thunderous bass, the lights come back on and it takes ages to squeeze out of the venue. It has been intimate.