Texas Music News — September 4, 2026
The Sex Pistols play Emo’s in Austin on September 12, finally setting foot on an Austin stage 48 years after the San Antonio show that started it all. In January 1978, the Sex Pistols swung through the American South on their first and only U.S. tour. They stopped at San Antonio’s Randy’s Rodeo, but skipped Austin entirely. Guitarist Steve Jones spent that afternoon wandering downtown Austin bars and came away unimpressed. He told the Austin Sun, “I’ve been to six bars, and this town sucks.”
Meanwhile, the San Antonio gig turned into Texas punk’s founding myth. Sid Vicious took a beer can to the skull, then swung his bass at the crowd, nearly clipping future Chronicle writer Margaret Moser. Nearly every future Austin punk was in that room. Two weeks later, Raul’s hosted the city’s first punk show, and the scene ignited.
Forty-Eight Years Is a Long Time to Hold a Grudge
Now that unfinished business finally gets settled. Jones, original bassist Glen Matlock, and drummer Paul Cook return to the road with a lineup nobody predicted: Frank Carter, formerly of Gallows, fronts the band in place of Johnny Rotten, who wants no part of it. The setup first proved itself two years ago at three benefit shows in London, and Jones says the chemistry surprised even him. “The minute we got onstage, it was like going back in time,” he says. “The crowd went absolutely nuts. We knew straight away it was happening.” He compares the vibe to one of his other favorite bands: “It’s like going to see the Faces – good-time Charlies. We’re having a blast, and people seem to love it, so I love it.”
Carter isn’t trying to replace Rotten, either. “It would’ve been ridiculous if he’d tried to imitate John,” Jones says. “He’s honoring the songs from Never Mind the Bollocks.” That distinction matters, because the songbook is still the whole point. Whether a new album ever happens is beside the question for Jones. “When’s the last Rolling Stones album you heard that you actually liked?” he asks.
September 12 finally closes the loop that January night in San Antonio opened. The band that once found Austin too dull to bother playing now returns as the missing chapter in the city’s own punk history. Forty-eight years is a long wait for one show, but Austin punks who trace their scene back to Randy’s Rodeo will say it was worth it.
Details at The Austin Chronicle. See the listing for Emo’s for ticket info.
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