The Sex Pistols are set to return to the stage for a commemorative tour in the United Kingdom and Ireland, marking fifty years since the release of their landmark single ‘Anarchy in the UK’. The anniversary tour will take place in December 2026 and will feature performances in major cities across both countries.
November 26th 1976:
— PuNk and Stuff (@PunKandStuff) November 26, 2019
The SeX PiSToLs released their debut single,
ANARCHY IN THE U.K.#ItsTheOnlyWayToBe.... pic.twitter.com/GwKvf6qki7
The band confirmed that musician Frank Carter will join on vocals, alongside original members Steve Jones on guitar, Paul Cook on drums and Glen Matlock on bass.
Anniversary tour details
The tour, titled ‘The Anarchy In The UK’, will include concerts in London, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Dublin.
It will begin at the 3Arena in Dublin on 7 December. The band will then perform at the Corn Exchange in Edinburgh on 9 December and at the O2 Academy in Glasgow on 10 December. The tour will conclude in London with a show at the O2 Academy Brixton on 18 December and a final performance at the Eventim Apollo on 20 December.
In addition, the group is scheduled to perform this summer at The Piece Hall in Halifax on 11 July, Castlefield Bowl in Manchester on 12 July, Cardiff Castle on 1 August and Scarborough Open Air Theatre on 2 August.
Line-up and recent developments
The band was formed in 1975 and became known for its unconventional approach, provocative lyrics and stance towards the monarchy and the political establishment. Their only studio album, ‘Never Mind The Bollocks, Here’s The Sex Pistols’ (1977), reached number one in the United Kingdom and is widely regarded as a milestone in the history and development of punk rock.
The group disbanded in 1978. Former bassist Sid Vicious died of a heroin overdose in 1979, following his arrest in connection with the alleged murder of his girlfriend, Nancy Spungen. The band’s frontman John Lydon, also known as Johnny Rotten, subsequently formed Public Image Ltd, commonly known as PiL.
In 2024, Steve Jones, Paul Cook and Glen Matlock reformed the band with guest singer Frank Carter, known for his work with Gallows and Frank Carter and The Rattlesnakes. John Lydon did not participate. He had previously stated that he would not return to the group following a high-profile legal dispute with the other members over the use of the band’s music in the Disney+ series ‘Pistol’, which dramatised their history.
The December performances coincide with the fiftieth anniversary of the release of ‘Anarchy in the UK’, a track that played a defining role in shaping the punk movement in Britain.