ShareGlen Matlock performing at The Theatre Royal’s Third Stage (Nottingham) on Saturday 16th July 2016
Images and Review by Kevin Cooper
It seems that you can take the boy out of the Sex Pistols but you can’t take the Sex Pistols out of the boy.
Glen Matlock was sacked for liking The Beatles, according to manager Malcolm Mclaren and replaced by someone who couldn’t play, but the bassist will always be a part of that infamous band. This was more than evident last night as he entertained a sell-out crowd on the Theatre Royal’s Third Stage.
The first part of the show was taken up with Matlock reading from his 2012 book, I Was A Teenage Sex Pistol, as he regaled with amusing stories such as Johnny Rotten auditioning for the band by miming to an Alice Cooper track, and his belief that Sid Vicious was innocent of the murder of Nancy Spungen.
But promising an evening of “something old, something new, something borrowed and something blues”, he did not disappoint. After the interval it was just Matlock and his guitar with the help from this appreciative audience. There was the Pistol’s greats; God Save The Queen and Pretty Vacant and a great performance of Ambition from Iggy Pop’s album Soldier. Following on was a great cover of The Monkees’ (I’m Not) Your Steppin’ Stone, as well as showcasing his own compositions with brilliant opener Someway Somehow and the raucous Sexy Beast. For the blues we were treated to Matlock’s tribute to Screamin’ Jay Hawkins with Hook In You before an outstanding version of On Something.
With an audience on their feet, clapping and singing along to the likes of A Different World and the Rich Kids’ Ghosts Of Princes In Towers, the set was brought to a rapturous close with a cover of The Small Faces’ All Or Nothing; with Matlock admitting that they were his favourite group.
It was a great show that was electric when Matlock sung and was funny and fascinating when he was talking. His style was very relaxed and much more rock than punk, but it had been pure enjoyment from the off. After all, this was not just about the Sex Pistols, nor was it just a gig. It was a funny and fascinating evening with some cracking songs from an enigmatic and long lasting icon in British music.
