Live Review: Public Image Ltd Bring Chaos and Charm to Dublin’s 3Olympia

John Lydon Leads PIL Through a Night of Punk Nostalgia

When John Lydon’s Public Image Ltd rolls into town, there’s only one thing to do: lace up those DMs, zip up your leather, and brace yourself for a night of uncompromising sonic provocation.

True to form, he took to the stage with the irreverent swagger of a man who’s burned every rulebook he’s ever been handed. Clad in his unmistakable oversized green and yellow tartan jacket, Lydon’s very presence was a statement — defiant, unfiltered, and entirely in control. His trademark grin — crooked, impish, and knowing — was the prelude to the chaos, a smirk that seemed to say, “You have no idea what you’re in for.”

They kicked off with their aptly titled “This Is Not the Last Tour” with the powerful “Home,” it was, however “This Is Not a Love Song” that drew the biggest reaction from the crowd. Arms aloft, voices hoarse with nostalgia and conviction, this is what they came for, a jagged anthem of nonconformity, of rejecting the rules.

Now, no one’s ever going to argue that John Lydon possesses the smoothest or most conventionally “great” voice in rock — but that’s never been the point. What he does have, in spades, is presence, it’s commanding, unpredictable and magnetic. Between songs he volleyed quips with the crowd, never missing a chance to needle or charm them in the same breath. And yes, even the oddly intimate act of nostril-clearing — done with theatrical flair — becomes part of the Lydon experience. This isn’t just a frontman at work; it’s pure punk theatre. Whether snarling into the mic or blowing his nose mid-monologue, it’s all unapologetically Lydon — raw, absurd, and impossible to ignore.

The night flew in a relentless barrage of classic Public Image Ltd cuts, “Death Disco”,
“Flowers of Romance”, “The Body”, “Warrior”, “Shoom” before sealing the night with two monsters “Public Image” and the towering anthem “Rise” that unshakable mantra of resistance, of enduring through the storm. The crowd didn’t just sing along; they believed it, chanting “Anger is an Energy” Anger is an Energy” Anger is an Energy” over and over like it was gospel.

Public Image Ltd didn’t just show up — they arrived, fully loaded and completely unfiltered. The performance crackled with that glorious sense of unpredictability: chaotic, raw, and alive in the most thrilling way. Every note biting, with Lydon at the helm — snarling, smirking, and spinning the night on his own twisted axis. He didn’t just play to the crowd; he dragged them into his world, that beautifully abrasive universe only he can conjure — equal parts menace and mischief. And that, dear readers, is how it’s done.

Setlist

Home
Know Now
Deeper Water
World Destruction (Time Zone cover)
This Is Not a Love Song
Poptones
Death Disco
Flowers of Romance
The Body
Warrior
Shoom

****************
Public Image
Open Up (Leftfield cover)
Rise
Bags
Chant

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Support Act Spanish Horses

Opening the night with a burst of energy and undeniable charm, Spanish Horses delivered a tight, upbeat set that immediately caught the crowd’s attention. Though their time on stage was brief, they made every second count, charging through a well-crafted selection of original songs that showcased both sharp songwriting and a knack for melody. Their sound — a lively fusion of indie grit and post-punk swagger and ones to keep an eye out for,