Review: PiL, ME1 Rochester Castle Gardens, Saturday, July 28

by Dan Bloom

Between cathedral and castle was never the right place for anti-establishment icon John Lydon, and he knew it.

"That f***ing 'orrible building, that's got to go," he smirked at Rochester Castle as Public Image Ltd walked on stage.

And he gestured at the cathedral, saying "If there's one thing I hate more than politicians, it's the clergy. Lock up your children!"

While the Sex Pistols thrived on shouty lyrics, PiL do big throbbing bass beats - and do them right.

They opened with 1983 hit This is Not a Love Song and whipped through classics including Religion and a sing-along encore of Rise.

Lydon, formerly known as Johnny Rotten, commanded the the stage through long extended solos and had the mohawk-dotted crowd in the palm of his hand.

His experience was clear, as he told one fan: "I've written 480 songs so be quiet with your big mouth".

The set to more than 1,000 fans topped off Music Event One (ME1), which despite the big-name headliner was designed to put local groups first.

Medway's Theatre Royal and Kids Unique played their indie and hip-hop sounds to a relaxed crowd in the warm Saturday sunshine.

So when Johnny Rotten left the stage - to shouts of "Country Life!" in reference to his butter commercials - he bid goodbye to "Little Britain."

But he meant it affectionately, stooping into a bent-over-double bow to his fans.