Sex Pistols ft. Frank Carter – E-Werk, Cologne (2026)
We can start with three quotes:
“The Sex Pistols played their first concert on November 6, 1975, at the Saint Martins School of Art in London. They opened for the pub-rock band Bazooka Joe, and their chaotic, 10-minute set infamously ended when the power was cut and a fight broke out.”
“When the band started playing, the sound was so loud, dirty and distorted that the audience couldn’t determine which song they were playing.”
“My life changed when I saw the Sex Pistols.”
Fast forward more than 50 years to 2026, and the Sex Pistols finally played their first-ever concert in Cologne, Germany, at the E-Werk. As a matter of fact, they only played a handful of shows in Germany throughout their history. They were originally scheduled to appear at Markthalle in Hamburg on January 24, 1978, but never made it after the band suddenly imploded during its ill-fated U.S. tour. Their first German performances eventually came during the 1996 Filthy Lucre Tour, with shows in Munich, Berlin, Frankfurt and Ochtrup. Two appearances in Berlin and Hünxe – Ruhrpott Rodeo Festival in 2025, and that was essentially the entirety of their German concert history until now.
We can argue all day about how much impact punk really had, but one thing it unquestionably achieved was obliterating much of what came immediately before it from the collective memory. Few periods in British popular music have been mythologized as heavily as punk.
For a band that effectively existed for only about two and a half years, released one studio album and four singles, the Sex Pistols created a legend far larger than their actual output would suggest. There is very little that has not been said, written, analyzed or debated about them over the last five decades. Love them or hate them, their impact on music history cannot be denied.
The Cologne concert was originally scheduled to take place at Südbrücke, an outdoor venue in a former industrial area. Shortly before the date, however, the location was unexpectedly changed to E-Werk, with no explanation given. At the same time, ticket prices rose from €65 to €80. The venue was sold out to or close to capacity, which means roughly 2,000 strong audience.
The band took the stage at 8:45 PM and opened with “Holidays in the Sun,” immediately igniting the crowd. A mass singalong broke out almost instantly, and that atmosphere barely changed over the next 70 minutes.
The setlist revolved almost entirely around Never Mind the Bollocks, Here’s the Sex Pistols, supplemented by three covers: No Fun, I’m Not Your Stepping Stone, and My Way.
The obvious question was how Frank Carter would perform as vocalist. In my opinion, he was excellent. He brought a younger energy to the show while the rest of the band concentrated on delivering the music. Carter did everything possible to keep the audience engaged. His vocals were as good as they could be without being an imitation of John Lydon, and throughout the evening he seemed visibly honoured—but never intimidated—to front such a legendary band.
Yes, there was plenty of spitting—after all, this is punk—and during “Bodies” he even crowd-surfed while singing. “No Fun” included a brief band presentation, with each musician getting a few seconds of instrumental solos in the spotlight and Steve Jones stretching out into a longer, if not particularly sophisticated, guitar solo. “My Way” began slowly before transforming into a full-throttle punk assault.
The biggest songs were not all saved for the encore. “Holidays in the Sun” served as the explosive opener, “God Save the Queen” arrived midway through the set, and “Anarchy in the U.K.” brought the evening to a close at 9:55 PM. And of course the other songs from their album with “Pretty Vacant” and “E.M.I” with top energy.
No, it was not a long show. But it was an efficient one. More importantly, it felt nostalgic and emotional for many of the longtime fans who packed the popular venue.
Perhaps the biggest surprise of the evening was the sound. It was remarkably good—updated, even. No chaos and less dry than the band often sounded in the past, yet still retaining enough rough edges to avoid becoming polished or sterile.
Overall, it was a night well worth experiencing and one that will remain memorable for a long time. More than half a century after that infamous first performance at Saint Martins, the Sex Pistols remain a band capable of filling venues, provoking debate and inspiring audiences to sing every word. Few groups with such a brief original lifespan have left such a lasting mark.
Special thanks for photo accreditation and media pass goes out to: FKP Scorpio.
The photos in the gallery were selected and approved by the band and/or their management after submission as per Photo Release Approval Agreement.
