48 years later: Sex Pistols featuring Frank Carter returned to Longhorn Ballroom

Photo by Victoria Hernandez.

One of the Sex Pistols’ most infamous shows took place in the Longhorn Ballroom in January 1978. 

The band returned to the venue to start night one of the 50 Years of Punk North American Tour Friday, Sept. 11, made up of guitarist Steve Jones, drummer Paul Cook and original bassist Glen Matlock, featuring Frank Carter.

The band’s first Longhorn Ballroom show has been coined one of the most noteworthy music events to go down in punk-rock history. The lineup at the time was Johnny Rotten, Steve Jones, Paul Cook and Sid Vicious.

Though iconic, the 1978 performance was messy, according to an article from Rolling Stone. Rotten was not on speaking terms with his bandmates, the audience pelted the performers with debris and Vicious played with blood on his face.

The performance at the same venue nearly 50 years later was less chaotic. Here are some scenes from the Friday night performance.