One of the most influential punk bands of all time is gearing up for its first U.S. tour in more than two decades.
The Sex Pistols will play North American shows this fall for the first time since 2003, according to the Associated Press. The North American tour begins in mid-September and last four weeks.
The new shows will feature original band members Steve Jones, Paul Cook and Glen Matlock along with singer Frank Carter who will take over for Johnny Rotten. Carter fronted a few U.K. shows for the Sex Pistols last year.
“I think everybody needs this band right now. I think the world needs this band right now,” Carter told the AP. “I think definitely America is screaming out for a band like the Sex Pistols.”
Formed in London in 1975, the Sex Pistols’ original lineup consisted of Jones, Cook and Matlock who was later replaced by Sid Vicious who died in 1979. The band only released one studio album, 1977’s “Never Mind the Bollocks, Here’s the Sex Pistols.” The album featured songs including “Pretty Vacant,” “Anarchy in the U.K.” and “God Save the Queen.”
Jones, Cook and Matlock first reunited last year to play the 1977 album with Carter as lead vocalist. Carter, 40, is an English musician known for his work with punk bands like Gallows, Pure Love and Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes.
“Frank Carter and Sex Pistols” performed at two charity shows that led to UK and European tour dates, including with Guns N’ Roses. Rotten, whose real name is John Lydon, has reportedly dismissed the shows as “karaoke.” He last performed with the Sex Pistols in 2008.
The Sex Pistols did not want Rotten to participate in the reunion tour. Lydon has publicly clashed with his former bandmates repeatedly over the years, including suing over the 2022 FX TV series “Pistol,” which was based on a memoir by Jones.
“The last thing he wants to do is have anything to do with us right now,” Jones told the AP while referring to the lawsuit.
“Good luck to him,” Matlock told the news outlet. “I wish he thinks, maybe, ‘good luck’ to us. Probably doesn’t. But over the years, John (has had) all our phone numbers, and I can’t see many missed calls from him.”
Tickets for the Sex Pistols’ 2025 North American tour go on sale Friday, April 3 at 10 a.m. Fans looking to shop for tickets can do so by using StubHub, VividSeats and SeatGeek.
A full list of tour dates is below:
- Sept. 16 — Longhorn Ballroom — Dallas, Texas
- Sept. 23 — 9:30 Club — Washington, D.C.
- Sept. 26 — Fillmore — Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Sept. 27 — TBD — Brooklyn, New York
- Sept. 30 — Mtelus — Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Oct. 1 — History — Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Oct. 3 — Agora Theatre — Cleveland, Ohio
- Oct. 4 — Fillmore — Detroit, Michigan
- Oct. 7 — Fillmore — Minneapolis, Minnesota
- Oct. 10 — Mission Ballroom — Denver, Colorado
- Oct. 13 — Showbox SoDo — Seattle, Washington
- Oct. 15 — Warfield — San Francisco, California
- Oct. 16 — Hollywood Palladium — Los Angeles, California
More music content
- Heart’s devotion to rock ‘even sweeter’ as band celebrates 50th anniversary
- Estranged frontman of iconic punk band says he will never return to ‘woke’ group
- Music pioneer known as ‘Godfather of freak folk’ dies at 83
- Popular ‘80s rock band still feels ‘like we’re teenagers’ after 45 years
- Kesha Announces summer 2025 tour; How to buy tickets, full schedule