Public Image Ltd live at Heaven, Charing Cross, London - Monday April 02nd

Public Image Ltd live at Heaven April 02nd - Photo by Steve Worrall

Two intimate sold out shows at the Heaven nightclub under the arches at Charing Cross heralded the start of PIL's shows to promote their upcoming new album "This Is PIL". I was a bit sceptical about a gig in what is better known as a nightclub, but it was a pleasant surprise, and it turned out to be an excellent venue for live music. There's a long narrow main hall with a high stage, and the bars are hidden away behind alcoves which meant that any irritating chatter was kept to a minimum. The awful thudding nightclub music thankfully stopped and PIL took to the stage at around 8:30pm - no support band, so it seemed we were going to be in for a treat of a long set. John Lydon approaches the mic stand and lectern at the front, a pair of spectacles perched on his nose. He looks in great shape. His voice is superb throughout, probably the best I've heard it and the excellent sound means you can hear every familar rolled "R" and vocal intonation perfectly. They open with new song "Deeper Water" built around a repetitive, circular bass riff and catchy chorus. With Lu's slashing guitar work it sounds contemporary yet also hints at the band's early sound of "First Edition" and "Metal Box."

Public Image Ltd live at Heaven April 02nd - Photo by Steve Worrall

Then it's into familiar terrority with "(This Is Not) A Love Song" and the crowd perk up considerably. Lu plays a strange long-necked bazouki style stringed instrument with a slide. He looks like he should be in Nick Cave's Grinderman rocking away with his wild locks and beard on conventional guitar, the bazouki thing or banjo played with a violin bow. He's been with PIL for a while now and certainly brings his own sound, whilst not imitating Keith Levene, he certainly has the same effective and innovative sonic assualt. 

"Albatross" from "Metal Box" is next then another new track "The Reggie Song". Drummer Bruce Smith, once of The Slits, is an amazing musician, as is the bassist Scott Firth who, Lydon aside, is probably the stand out of the band. Huge slabs of Dub Reggae style riffs, boom out and during "Religion", Lydon urges the sound man to push up the bass volume further and further "to cleanse our souls". Even the soundman looks nervous as the walls reverberate and shake. It's exhilarating, my guts feel like they have been blasted out and put back again, just not neccesarily in the right order. 

"Lu, Bruce, Scott & John" Public Image Ltd live at Heaven April 02nd - Photo by Steve Worrall

Surprisingly there are three songs from the album "9" with mixed results "Disappointed" is up next and with it's refrain of "well, isn't that what friends are for" was the highlight of a patchy album. "Warrior" actually surprises, a far superior version than on the record but the inclusion of the weak "USLS1" is the only noticeable lull of the evening. The choice of this over classics like "Public Image" or "Annalisa" was my only gripe of the night. Still, amongst those was a thunderous "Religion" so I suppose I couldn't complain too much. Next up are my two highlights of the evening, "Death Disco" and a superb verison of "Flowers of Romance" with the percussion building up into a huge wall of noise. New song "Lollipop" is a strange one, half rap half Cockney knees up, but it has an insistent nagging chorus. "Bags" is another track played tonight that is far superior to the recorded version, stripped of the annoyingly dated synth lines, the track is an awesome bass driven monster and this segues nicely into "Chant". 

The set ends on "Out Of The Woods" another new number that sees Lu sawing away on a banjo with a violin bow and Lydon declares it a song written "from the point of view of a black Confederate soldier". Encores start with another new song, the new single "One Drop" which is destined to be a classic PIL number. Crystalising PIL into one number, a huge dub Reggae style bass riff with intro lyrics reminiscent of Ian Dury,  "Hello, I'm John and I'm From London" - a tale of being raised in multicultural North London, it seems to be the perfect PIL song. "Rise" is a huge singalong anthem and the crowd respond. The set draws to a close with a raw and extended blast through the Leftfield collaboration "Open Up", the lights go up and the satisfied audience leave in an almost stunned silence, kicking through the sea of plastic beer glasses littering the floor.

Public Image Ltd live at Heaven April 02nd - Photo by Steve Worrall