Sex Pistols - Live - The Piece Hall Halifax - 11th July 2026
Still carry so much bite
Story by Andrew Bell
16/07/2026
For a band once branded public enemy number one, Sex Pistols proved they can still summon glorious chaos nearly 50 years on, tearing through a ferocious set at The Piece Hall that transformed Halifax's historic courtyard into a sweat-soaked punk playground.
With original members Steve Jones, Glen Matlock and Paul Cook joined by irrepressible frontman Frank Carter, the reinvented lineup felt less like a nostalgia act and more like a band determined to remind everyone why these songs still carry so much bite. There was no easing into proceedings. Holidays In The Sun, Seventeen and New York landed in quick succession before Carter launched himself into the crowd for a breathless rendition of Pretty Vacant, instantly dissolving the barrier between stage and audience. "What a beautiful venue," Carter grinned, taking in the unique surroundings before whipping the crowd into another frenzy. From there, the hits came thick and fast. God Save The Queen still sounded thrillingly confrontational, while No Fun, Problems and EMI arrived with all the snarling urgency that made them punk touchstones in the first place. By the time the band closed with a towering one-two punch of My Way and the immortal Anarchy In The UK, the courtyard had erupted into one mass of bouncing bodies, fists aloft and voices straining to match every lyric. It was a reminder that these songs have lost none of their power to unite generations of fans. Earlier in the evening, Welsh punks Panic Shack delivered a riotously fun opening set before Northern Irish legends The Undertones kept the momentum rolling with a catalogue of timeless punk-pop anthems. With the show wrapping up in time for fans to remain in the venue and watch England's Women's World Cup quarter-final against Norway, it capped off another memorable night in a summer that continues to underline The Piece Hall's status as one of the UK's most distinctive live music venues.
